Castillo de San José

The Castillo de San José, on the cliff above the harbour about two kilometres from the city centre, is the most important sight in Arrecife. The 18th-century stone fort was converted by César Manrique in the 1970s into the International Museum of Contemporary Art (MIAC), with a collection that runs from Tàpies and Millares to Manrique himself.

The basement restaurant is the highlight even for non-diners. A long glass wall faces the Atlantic and the freighters moving in and out of the port, with Manrique's curved black stone interior framing the view. Allow about 90 minutes for the museum and a drink at the bar.

things to do museum sight architecture
A story
The 18th-century fort was originally built by King Carlos III to provide work and bread for an island devastated by famine and volcanic eruptions — locals called it the Fortaleza del Hambre, the Hunger Fortress. In the 1970s, the artist and visionary César Manrique restored it to house Lanzarote's contemporary art collection, adding a glass-walled restaurant that hangs over the cliff and the harbour.