If Jameos del Agua shows how Manrique designed for the public, the Fundación César Manrique at Taro de Tahíche shows how he wanted to live. After years in New York he returned to Lanzarote and built this house on a lava flow left by the eruptions of the 1730s, and it was his home from 1968 to 1988, the longest he stayed anywhere. The building covers about three thousand square metres of a much larger plot. The upper floor follows the lines of a traditional Lanzarote house, white and low, with modern touches such as wide windows, generous rooms and light falling from above. The lower floor is the surprise: five natural volcanic bubbles, hollows formed in the lava as gas escaped, have been linked by tunnels cut through the rock to make a sequence of rooms. There is a swimming pool, a small ballroom, an oven and a barbecue, all set among black lava and volcanic ash planted with fruit trees and other greenery behind low wind screens. His former studio now holds an exhibition hall for paintings. The foundation that now runs the house promotes his work and the protection of the island he shaped.
How it works
The house is open every day of the year, including public holidays, apart from 1 January, and the ticket counter closes half an hour before the building does, so arrive with a comfortable margin. There is no fixed entry slot. A joint ticket that also covers the César Manrique House Museum in Haría, the artist’s last home, is sold at both houses, which is worth knowing if you plan to see the north.
Allow about an hour to an hour and a half for the rooms, the grounds and the exhibition hall, longer if you like to read about the work of the foundation.
What to expect
This is a visit about space, light and materials rather than a list of objects. The rooms in the bubbles have the hushed feel of a cave with the comfort of a living room, and the contrast between the white upper floor and the dark volcanic base is the idea of the whole house.
The paintings in the former studio show a different side of Manrique from the public centres, and the garden shows how he used wind screens and ash to grow plants on a lava field. Expect steps and uneven levels in places, and check accessibility details with the foundation if anyone in your group has limited mobility.
Making the most of it
The house sits near the centre of the island at Tahíche, close to Teguise and Costa Teguise, so it fits easily into a day that also includes the market at Teguise on a Sunday, or a drive on to Jameos del Agua and the Cueva de los Verdes. If you only have time for one Manrique interior, choose this one before the others, because it explains the rest: the same idea of working inside the volcanic landscape rather than covering it. Follow any photography rules shown on the signs.
What to expect
The experience
A self-paced visit through a house built into volcanic bubbles, a pool and ash garden, and a gallery of Manrique’s paintings.
Best time
Choose the morning or the hours after midday, and arrive well before the ticket counter closes in the late afternoon.
How long
Allow about an hour to an hour and a half, a little longer if you like to read about the foundation.
Tips
Look at the joint ticket that includes the Haría house museum, wear flat shoes for the uneven floors and follow the photography rules.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Visitors who want to understand how César Manrique lived and why the island looks as it does.
- Families
- Older children who like unusual buildings will enjoy the volcanic rooms, but it is a quiet, look-and-learn visit.
- Couples
- A calm, design-led stop that pairs well with a long lunch in Teguise.
- Pair with
- Jameos del Agua, the Cueva de los Verdes or the Sunday market in Teguise.
- Time needed
- Allow one to one and a half hours, or a relaxed half day with a nearby stop.
Good questions
Is the Fundación César Manrique open every day?+
Yes, it is open every day of the year including public holidays, except 1 January. The ticket counter closes half an hour before the building, so arrive earlier in the afternoon.
Is it the same as the César Manrique House Museum in Haría?+
No, they are two different houses. Taro de Tahíche was his home from 1968 to 1988, and the Haría house was his last home. A joint ticket for both is sold at each house.
How long does a visit take?+
Most visitors spend about an hour to an hour and a half. Add time if you want to browse the gallery and the grounds slowly.
What is inside the lower floor?+
Five natural volcanic bubbles connected by tunnels cut through the lava. They hold living spaces, with a pool, a small ballroom, an oven and a barbecue nearby.
Do I need to book a time slot?+
The house does not use fixed entry slots, so you can arrive during opening hours. Buying a ticket in advance can save time at the counter.
