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There are beaches that hibernate when the cold arrives, and then there is Famara. Locals will tell you that this northern Lanzarote spot has “the strange habit of behaving the same in December as in August,” and once you arrive in Caleta de Famara, you'll see why right away. The huge Famara cliff, rising to around 500 metres behind the shore, acts like a natural shield that helps keep temperatures feeling pleasantly stable for much of the year.

 

Caleta Famara, named after the former queen of Lanzarote, sits at the southern end of the beach. It is a small, relaxed village on the western coast of the municipality of Teguise, with low whitewashed houses and sandy streets that give it a wonderfully laid-back feel. As you wander through, the sand drifts into the lanes “as if it were just another neighbour”, and the whole place feels closely tied to the landscape around it.

 

Famara beach itself seems to go on forever. Depending on where you start measuring, you are looking at around five to six kilometres of sand, with some sections stretching to nearly 100 metres wide before you reach the Atlantic. It is the kind of place that invites slow walks, bare feet and time to simply watch the light change. The sunsets here are especially memorable, with golden sand in front and the darkening cliff behind, completely free of tall buildings competing with the horizon.

 

The wind gives Famara much of its character. It shapes the dunes and explains why this long bay has become a reference point for people who love to experience the sea on a board or under a kite. Surfers, kitesurfers and windsurfers are often out on the water, their colourful sails and boards tracing lines across the waves while the cliffs stand guard in the background. At the same time, the ocean here demands respect, with currents that can be treacherous, so many visitors simply enjoy walking, watching and soaking up the views.

 

All of this sits on the edge of the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park, which links this part of Lanzarote with La Graciosa and the northern islets. It is a reminder that Famara is more than just a gorgeous beach. Add in the local food in Caleta de Famara, where fresh fish like tuna and vieja (parrotfish) are cooked in traditional style by the sea, and you have somewhere that feels almost made for slow, unhurried days, even when the rest of Spain is pulling on its winter coat.

 

 

 

 

Image: lanzaraote.com