La Graciosa is a small island of just 27 km² that is part of the Chinijo Archipelago, a group of islands that lies just north of Lanzarote. The Chinijo Archipelago consists of La Graciosa, Montana Clara and Alegranza as well as the islets of Roque del Este and Roque del Oeste.
The island was largely uninhabited until the 19th Century, with the exception of a few pirates. It is thought that the many piratical incidents that occurred here were the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island and there are even persistent stories of lost buried treasure here.
La Graciosa is the smallest populated island in the Canaries with a population of approximately 650 people concentrated in the island’s largest village, Caleta del Sabo, mostly supported by the Fishing Industry and Tourism. The other village on the island, Casas de Pedro Barba, is primarily composed of summer homes.
In 1986 the Island, along with the other small islands that lie north of Lanzarote, were declared a Nature Reserve.
La Graciosa with its fabulous deserted beaches, sand-lined streets and lack of Tourist development make it well worth a visit.
Two small ferries operate multiple daily sailings between Orzola and La Graciosa.
Leave a Reply