Natural treasures of Lanzarote: the Cueva de los Verdes

The origin of Cueva de los Verdes

The well-known Cueva de los Verdes is the result of the eruption of the Monte de la Corona volcano more than 4,000 years ago. One of the most spectacular formations that remained as a result of that explosion and that today holds a wonderful legend.

The visit to Cueva de los Verdes is part of a six-kilometer route through volcanic tunnels -known on the island as 'jameos'- that create a dream setting. A unique combination of volcanic rock, lights and shadows that will undoubtedly leave you speechless.

The six kilometers of tubes go from the crater of the Corona volcano to the sea, the natural route that the lava made 4,000 years ago.

The corridors through which we can currently walk when visiting the Cueva de los Verdes were formed when the fluid and hot lava descended from the crater to the coast below the more solidified lavas, thus creating the jameos. They are nothing more than sunken land through which a volcanic conduit reaches the surface.

Why is it called the Cueva de los Verdes?

Faced with the pirate attacks that the island of Lanzarote received periodically throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, many islanders decided to hide and protect themselves inside the cave. They weren't dyed green, or anything like that. What happens -and gives its name to the current caves- is that they were located on land owned by the Verdes family.

It was from the 19th century when the Cueva de los Verdes became a mandatory stopping point for both scientists and tourists. All of them, of course, fascinated by the environment and the magic that the site gives off.

In the 1960s, the space underwent a radical change at the hands of the Majorero artist, Jesús Soto, adapting the space and placing ad-hoc points of light in the environment that allowed visitors to move correctly and, at the same time, highlight the majesty of the place. Since then, the Cueva de los Verdes has been part of the network of Art, Culture and Tourism Centers of the Cabildo de Lanzarote.

It is worth noting the auditorium inside. Its acoustics make the cave an incredible space for conducting musical auditions.

Okay, but... what is the secret behind the Cueva de los Verdes?

If something is clear, it is that when you undertake a journey to the center of the earth, the surprises that you can find are many. The rocks, the shadows and the lights transport us to another world, a world where everything is possible thanks to the power of silence.

Visit the Cueva de los Verdes and discover the best kept secret of all.