Los Helechos Viewpoint

From the terrace you look straight down over Haría, and the valleys around the town show green against the volcanic ground. Cloud builds and breaks over the island while you watch.

The café puts the same view behind glass. Big panoramic windows run along the dining room, so a coffee and a slice of traditional Lanzarote cake come with the whole valley attached. There are fresh sandwiches and ice cream too. Cyclists who have just ridden the climb up from Haría pull in here to refuel, and after eating, a walk out along the terrace finishes the stop.

• The lookout area charges an entry fee, waived for café customers: buy a coffee and the terrace comes with it.
• The terrace is exposed and can be very windy. Bring a layer, even on a warm day.
• Toilets are on site, next to the café.
• The café sells traditional Lanzarote cakes, fresh sandwiches and ice cream, so you can make it a lunch stop.

Most people arrive by car or by bike. A car park with an asphalt surface sits about 60 m from the viewpoint, a second one about 380 m away, and there is parking along the street as well, so the walk from the car is next to nothing. Cyclists come in at the top of the climb from Haría and there is parking for bikes.

The nearest bus stop is La Plaza (Haría), in the town, about 2.6 km away in a straight line, with the climb from Haría between the stop and the viewpoint.

Best: a clear day, when Haría and the whole valley around it are in view.

Avoid: days when cloud sits low on the northern heights and closes over the valley.

The view is the reason to come, and when cloud covers it the café still serves but the lookout shows little more than grey.