Jameos del Agua
Lanzarote
César Manrique's first art, culture and tourism centre, built inside collapsed sections of a lava tube in Haría, north Lanzarote. It holds an underground saltwater lake with an endemic blind crab, a white pool and a cave auditorium.
Jameos del Agua is a sequence of natural openings in a volcanic tube in Haría, on the north-east coast of Lanzarote, turned by the artist César Manrique into the first of the island's Centros de Arte, Cultura y Turismo (CACT). It contains a saltwater lake inside the cave, home to a tiny blind crab found nowhere else, plus a white pool, gardens and an auditorium carved by nature. In 2026 general admission starts at €17 for adults and the centre opens every day from 10:00 to 18:00.
What is a "jameo"?
A jameo is an aboriginal word for a hole formed when the roof of a lava tube collapses. The tube here was produced by the eruption of the Volcán de la Corona; its known length is about 6 km, of which at least 1.5 km run under the sea as the "Túnel de la Atlántida". The centre uses at least three openings: Jameo Chico (the entrance), Jameo Grande and Jameo de la Cazuela. The Cueva de los Verdes lies in the same tube, further inland.
What did César Manrique create here?
After clean-up work in the early 1960s, the first sections opened to the public in the 1960s, and the overall structure was completed and officially inaugurated in 1977, including the auditorium. Manrique's idea was to show a natural space barely altered by people: black lava walls, the lake under the vault, and above ground a white swimming pool set among palms and volcanic rock. The Casa de los Volcanes, a volcanology museum, was added later.
Why can't you throw coins in the lake?
The lake is fed by seawater and is the only habitat of Munidopsis polymorpha, an albino, blind crab about 1 cm long. The crabs are sensitive to noise, light and especially to rust from metal, which can kill them. CACT therefore prohibits throwing coins or objects into the lake, swimming in the lake or the pool, and touching the volcanic formations. Pets (except assistance dogs), outside food and drink, and drones are also not allowed.
What does the ticket include?
The standard visit covers the lake, the pool and garden areas. The Casa de los Volcanes (about 60 minutes, with immersive and virtual-reality exhibits) is not included in the basic ticket and requires a combined option. Inside the auditorium, whose walls and vault are the natural cavity, access is only through the guided "Experiencia Insólita" (€46.97 in 2026, 09:45 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays). Last entry for the general visit is 17:15. Children up to 6 enter free.
When is the best time to go?
Daylight enters through the open jameos, so late morning and midday give the brightest view of the turquoise water in the Jameo Grande.
How does it fit into a day in north Lanzarote?
Combine it with the Cueva de los Verdes nearby and the Mirador del Río at the northern tip. For the volcanic origin of the island's landscapes, pair it on another day with Timanfaya National Park.
Don’t miss
Know before you go
- No coins in the lake. Rust from metal can kill the endemic crabs; throwing objects is prohibited.
- Decide on the combined ticket in advance. The Casa de los Volcanes is not in the basic ticket.
- Arrive before 17:15. That is the last entry for the general visit (2026).
Getting there
Jameos del Agua is on the LZ-1 in the municipality of Haría, on the north-east coast of Lanzarote, with its own car park. The Cueva de los Verdes is in the same lava tube a short distance inland, so the two are easy to combine by car. Check current prices and buy tickets on cactlanzarote.com; for public transport, ask the island's bus operator for the current lines to the north before relying on it.
