The Charco de San Ginés is in Lanzarote’s capital and is a beautiful natural lake which incarnates Lanzarote’s historic fishing character and shows the importance of the port for the island’s development. To be exact, it is located in the welcoming historic centre of Arrecife, just next to the Church of San Ginés.

The Charco de San Ginés is a symbol of Lanzarote and adds even more charm to the already charming historic centre of the capital. You cannot miss the opportunity to visit the areas around it, like the La Puntilla neighbourhood, which is a small and humble fishing area where you can find history, culture, and tranquillity. Taking a stroll through its narrow streets and discovering its simple beauty is one of the little pleasures that Arrecife offers.

Historic importance

If we look to the past, Charco de San Ginés began as a small fishing port used by the island’s fishermen. It was a small port that continued to grow and become more important over time, to eventually become key for Lanzarote. Following the Spanish conquest of much of America, the port became even more important as it became, like the other ports in the Canary Islands, a key stop-off for the boats that transported cargo from Latin America towards the Spanish Empire.

The confluence of boats with large amounts of gold and the growing importance of the port attracted pirates, so it is not difficult to find defensive castles on the island’s coast, especially in Arrecife, like the Castle of San Gabriel or the Castle de San José.

Thanks to the importance of this port and the volcanic eruptions in the island’s interior, Arrecife took the status of capital from Teguise.