Vines and potato fields on dark volcanic soil surround San Bartolomé, a town at 240 metres in the middle of Lanzarote. The lava and ash of the 1730s eruptions moved west and spared its farmland, but storms later in that century stripped the thin soil and forced the village to shift west to where it stands now. The town is compact; the municipality reaches the southeast coast at Playa Honda, beside the airport. Travellers come for the wineries near town and César Manrique's Monumento al Campesino.
San Bartolomé
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- Spanish; English gets you by
- Power plug
- Type C/F, 230 V
- Visa
- Schengen
- Time zone
- UTC+0 / UTC+1 (WET/WEST)
- Tap water
- Safe; desalinated seawater
- Tipping
- Not expected; 5–10% for great service
- Emergency
- 112
Things to do
All tours in San Bartolomé on GetYourGuide
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When to go
High season
Nov – Mar
Winter-sun months fill the island; at 240 metres the town's evenings run cooler than on the coast, so bring a layer.
Shoulder
Apr – Jun
Long dry days and quieter roads suit driving out to the vineyards and the volcanic country to the west.
High season
Jul – Aug
Summer heat sits on bare volcanic ground with little shade, and holiday traffic gathers on the coast at Playa Honda.
Shoulder
Sep – Oct
The summer crowds thin out while the days stay warm and dry for winery visits.
How long to stay
The town itself fills a morning: the square, a coffee, and the Monumento al Campesino at Mozaga to the north. Make it a full day if you add a winery — La Florida, Los Bermejos and El Grifo all lie near town. With the airport inside the municipality and Arrecife 8 km away on the LZ-20, San Bartolomé also works as a base for a week on the island.
Getting around
Buses 16, 52 and 53 run from Arrecife to San Bartolomé every hour or two, and the ride takes 15 minutes. The same lines carry on north to Mozaga, La Vegueta, Mancha Blanca, Tinajo and La Santa. The main stop, listed on timetables simply as San Bartolomé, is in the centre of town.
The town is compact enough to cover on foot. The rest of the municipality — the vineyards, Playa Honda on the coast — needs a car. With buses that far apart, driving is the realistic way to fit several stops into one day.
What to see
Destinations in San Bartolomé
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to San Bartolomé from Arrecife?
It lies 8 km northwest of Arrecife on the LZ-20. Buses 16, 52 and 53 cover the route every hour or two in 15 minutes.Is Lanzarote Airport in San Bartolomé?
Yes. The municipality includes the airport and the coastal town of Playa Honda, which lies between the airport and Arrecife.Are there wineries near San Bartolomé?
La Florida, Los Bermejos and El Grifo are all near town. The lava of the 1730s eruptions passed to the west, so farmers here kept growing vines on the older volcanic ground.Is there a market in San Bartolomé?
A market fills Plaza León y Castillo on the first Sunday morning of each month. The Tinajo farmers' market runs in Mancha Blanca, opposite the chapel, on Sunday mornings.Can I stock up on groceries in town?
The shops sit on the east side of town near the LZ-20. There is no big supermarket.