Lanzarote

This incredible house, built by Cesar Manrique into five volcanic bubbles, never fails to blow visitors away.

This ingenious feat of architecture was one of Manrique´s first creations on Lanzarote and was designed to illustrate just what could be achieved to other sceptical islanders.

Many thought Manrique was crazy for believing that Lanzarote could be transformed into a tourist paradise.

But by the end of 1968, when this creation was complete, they were forced to think again, as the building picked up numerous international architectural awards, and started to attract the rich and famous in droves - curious to find out more about this suddenly fashionable new destination.

Lanzarote has many star attractions. But this collapsed, 6km long lava tube, located in the North of the island close to Punta Mujeres often tops the bill for most tourists - attracting close on 700,000 visitors in 2006.

The Jameos Del Agua´s popularity is attributable to the fact that this incredible natural space has been further enhanced by Cesar Manrique. Who - with the help of fellow architects Luis Morales and Jesus Soto - transformed it into a stunning subterrenean auditorium.

Tropical gardens, bars and a restaurant surround an underground lagoon. The atmosphere is hushed and cathedral like. Blind albino crabs - unique to Lanzarote - glisten in the water like jewels.

Visitors emerge from this underground area and encounter a dream like swimming pool. Which is so opulent that it is reserved for the sole and exclusive use of the King of Spain.

The Volcano Park at Timanfaya is Lanzarote´s number one tourist atrraction. Drawing nearly I million visitors last year alone. And it´s little wonder - as the landscape here is literally out of this world.

This eerie and haunting terrain was created by the worlds longest ever volcanic eruption, which lasted six years from 1730m to 1736. And which buried what was once the most fertile farming land on the island under a sea of lava.

Today the scene is little changed. Creating a vista populated by exhausted volcanic cones, weird, twisted lava shapes and a surprisingly wide range of earthy and organic colours and tones.

The Cactus Garden in Guatiza is a celebration of the plant worlds spiniest species. Orchestrated to perfection once again by the ubiquitous Cesar Manrique.

The site here was formerly a quarry - but today it is home to over 1,000 different species of cacti. All artfully arranged in terraces around this bowl shaped ampitheatre-like space.

Visitors are initially greeted by a giant, eight metre high, green, metallic sculpture of a cacti, spikes and all. Which stands sentinel-like over the car park and main entrance.

This cacti motif is cleverly repeated everywhere: on door handles, in the big wrought iron front gates and in slightly more abstract forms throughout; such as in the beautiful glass ball sculpture that adorns a sinuous spiral staircase in the stylish bar, situated beneath the restored Gofio mill, at the rear of the garden.

Whilst Manrique was very much a child of the 60´s he was no hippy. Prefering a natural high instead. A philosophy best epitomised by his transformation of a former naval gun battery in the North of the island into the most breathtaking look out point - or Mirador - on Lanzarote.

The Mirador Del Rio sits at one of the highest points on the island - some 479 metres. And affords the most incredible views down and across to the neighbouring island of La Graciosa - just one thousand metres away across the El Rio Strait. As well as the uninhabited islets of Montana Clara and Alegranza.

Originally, Manrique planned to create a restaurant here. And the curvaceous windows of the Mirador are very similar to those he later utilized when transforming the basement of the Castillo de San Jose in Arrecife into one of the most impressive dining rooms on the island.

But today, whilst it's still possible to buy snacks and drinks at the Mirador, it doesn't house the grand restaurant that Manrique initially envisaged. As the space is instead dedicated to framing the fantastic view.