Cueva de los Verdes

The Cueva de los Verdes, or Green Caves, is one of the most atmospheric attractions on Lanzarote, a journey deep into the earth through a kilometre of ancient volcanic tunnels lit to reveal the extraordinary colours and shapes of the cooled lava.

Part of the same great lava tube as the nearby Jameos del Agua, it’s a very different experience: wilder, darker and more mysterious, taken as a guided walking tour that ends with a genuinely jaw-dropping surprise we won’t spoil here. It’s a firm favourite with visitors and a highlight of the island’s north.

This guide covers everything you need to plan a visit, from 2026 prices and the all-important booking rules to what to expect underground and who it does and doesn’t suit.

What is the Cueva de los Verdes?

The Cueva de los Verdes is part of a vast volcanic tunnel that runs from the Volcán de la Corona down to the sea, created when the volcano erupted around 20,000 years ago. As lava poured towards the coast, the surface cooled and hardened while the molten rock beneath kept flowing, eventually draining away to leave a hollow tube behind. The whole system stretches for several kilometres, and the Jameos del Agua occupies the section nearest the coast, while the Cueva de los Verdes runs through the section further inland. It’s one continuous geological wonder, split into two very different attractions.

The visitable part of the cave consists of around a kilometre of galleries stacked on several levels, with chambers reaching up to fifty metres high in places. What makes it unforgettable is the interplay of light and shadow: the tunnels are dramatically illuminated to pick out the reds, greens, ochres and blacks of the volcanic rock, the strange magma stalactites and salt deposits, and the sheer scale of the space. The name, curiously, has nothing to do with the colour green; it comes from a local family called Verde who once used the caves. For centuries the caves served as a hiding place for the island’s inhabitants, who sheltered here from the pirate and slave-raider attacks that plagued Lanzarote, which adds a layer of real history and legend to the visit.

Is There a Manrique Connection to Cueva de los Verdes?

Unlike Jameos del Agua, the Cueva de los Verdes was not designed by César Manrique. The artistic transformation of the cave, and in particular its remarkable lighting, was the work of the artist and set designer Jesús Soto, a close collaborator of Manrique’s, who opened the cave to visitors in the 1960s. Soto’s genius was in the restraint of his approach: rather than filling the cave with features, he used carefully placed lighting to reveal the natural drama of the rock, creating an experience that feels theatrical yet almost untouched.

The cave also contains a concert auditorium, using the natural acoustics of the volcanic chamber, in the same spirit as Manrique’s work elsewhere on the island. So while it sits outside Manrique’s personal portfolio, it belongs firmly to the same movement that shaped Lanzarote’s cultural landscape.

Cueva de los Verdes is a Guided Tour with a Secret at the End

A visit to the Cueva de los Verdes is a guided walking tour lasting around fifty minutes, led on foot through the illuminated galleries with commentary given in Spanish and English. The guide brings the geology, history and legends to life as you go, and the tour builds towards a famous finale, an optical surprise near the end of the route that genuinely astonishes first-time visitors. We won’t give it away, as the moment of realisation is half the fun, but it’s the thing everyone talks about afterwards.

Photography is restricted in certain spots, so listen out for your guide’s instructions.

Cueva de los Verdes Opening Times

The Cueva de los Verdes is open every day of the year, with tours running through the day from the morning until late afternoon, and the last tour starting shortly before closing. Because the exact hours vary by season, and because entry is by timed tour, it’s essential to check the current times on the official CACT Lanzarote website when you book.

One important seasonal note: in summer the LZ-205 road nearby becomes one-way, so you’ll need to approach from the direction of Jameos del Agua to avoid finding the road closed. Aim to arrive at least fifteen minutes before your booked tour time, as latecomers cannot be guaranteed entry.

Cueva de los Verdes 2026 Prices

A crucial point to understand before you plan your day: tickets for the Cueva de los Verdes can only be bought online, in advance, for a specific date and time. Because of the sensitivity of the cave and limited parking, there is no ticket office and no tickets are sold on the door, so turning up without a pre-booked ticket means you won’t get in. Book ahead through the CACT Lanzarote website. The main 2026 prices are as follows.

Ticket Type	Price (2026)
Adult	€17.00
Child (7–12)	€8.50
Child (0–6)	Free
Adult with disability	€11.90
Child (7–12) with disability	€5.95

Reduced rates are available for Canarian residents (adult €13.60, child €6.80) and Lanzarote residents (€2.00) on production of the relevant physical documentation, and children under seven go free. All prices include the local IGIC tax. Tickets are single-use for the selected day and time, with no changes or refunds, so be sure of your plans before booking. As prices are occasionally updated, treat these as a guide and confirm on the CACT Lanzarote website.

Is Cueva de los Verdes Suitable for Children

The Green Caves are great fun for most children, who tend to be captivated by the sense of adventure, the coloured lights, the vast echoing chambers and the surprise at the end. Under-sevens go free. That said, it’s worth thinking about your particular child before booking. The tour is a fifty-minute walk over uneven ground with steps, low sections and narrow passages, so it’s better suited to children who are steady on their feet and happy to walk for the duration. The cave is also a dark, enclosed, underground space, which can be daunting for very young or nervous children, so use your judgement. For confident, curious kids of school age and up, it’s a genuine highlight.

Cueva de los Verdes and Accessibility for Visitors with Disabilities

The Cueva de los Verdes is explicitly not suitable for people with reduced mobility. The tour involves a kilometre of walking over uneven, natural rock paths, with stairs, vertical level changes and narrow, low-ceilinged sections, and none of this can be avoided or adapted.

The operators specifically advise that people with mobility issues or other physical limitations should carefully consider whether the visit is appropriate. There’s also a genuine practical warning for taller visitors: low ceilings and rock formations pose a real risk of knocking your head for anyone over about 1.80 metres, so take care throughout. And because it’s a closed, dark, underground environment, anyone who suffers from claustrophobia should think carefully before going in.

Reduced-price tickets are available for visitors with a recognised disability, and assistance dogs are permitted, but if any of the above applies, the neighbouring Jameos del Agua, while also not fully accessible, is the gentler of the two options.

Where is Cueva de los Verdes

The Cueva de los Verdes is in the north of Lanzarote, in the municipality of Haría, set within the rugged volcanic badlands of the Malpaís de la Corona, just a short distance up the road from the Jameos del Agua. Free parking is available for ticket holders.

A few practical pointers: the cave stays at a steady temperature of around 20 degrees year-round, so a light layer is sensible, and sturdy, non-slip footwear is essential for the uneven paths and steps. There’s no café on site, though there are restrooms in the car park, and you’ll find beachside restaurants a short drive away in Arrieta for lunch afterwards.

Because it sits so close to Jameos del Agua on the same volcanic tunnel, the two make a natural pairing for a day exploring the north, and many visitors combine them with the clifftop viewpoint of Mirador del Río for a classic northern trio.

Why I Recommend You Visit Cueva de los Verdes

The Cueva de los Verdes offers something no other attraction on Lanzarote quite matches: the raw drama of walking deep inside a volcano, through chambers carved by lava twenty thousand years ago, lit to reveal their strange beauty and steeped in centuries of island history and legend.

Add the theatrical lighting of Jesús Soto, the echoing auditorium and that unforgettable surprise at the tour’s end, and it’s a genuinely memorable hour underground. Just remember to book your timed ticket online well ahead, wear proper shoes, and consider carefully whether it suits everyone in your party.

Do that, and it’s one of the most rewarding experiences the island has to offer, and the perfect companion to a morning at Jameos del Agua.