Graciosa

La Graciosa in Chinijo Archipelago

Graciosa is an island in the Canary Island is located north of Lanzarote, where it is maintained by the municipality of Teguise. Graciosa has an area of 29.05 square kilometers, 0.39 percent of the total area of all of the Canary Islands. The Norman sailor Jean de Bethencourt dubbed the island in 1402, the Graceful.

In 1898 the American La Graciosa by the Spanish government wanted to lease it for 99 years as a fishing base, but this treaty was not ratified. Since 1986 it belongs to the natural park of the Chinijo archipelago. The north of the island, away from the tourist port in the south, is still used as a landfill.

The chief town of the island is Caleta del Sebo where 693 inhabitants (as of January 2008) live and is great for tourism and fishing. There are in the east of the island a second place called Pedro Barba, named after the adventurer who has settled there and was proclaimed King of the Canary Islands.

This place, however, consists solely of vacation rentals and is only accessible by boat or on slopes reached by jeep and is mostly inhabited during the summer months. On La Graciosa, just some off-road vehicles are permitted by locals. There are no paved roads.

The Mediterranean-sub-tropical climate on La Graciosa is pleasant all year round, with temperatures of about 28°C in summer. During the winter months, with howling winds and rain, temperatures can drop to about 15°C. During the day, it remains mild at 20°C to 25°C.

Grown on the barren island Eispflanzen you can find: Barilla; Aulaga (Launaea arborescens); and other gray-green plants. The only roads are dirt tracks. The highest elevations are Las Grandes Agujas (266m) Agujas and Las Chicas (257m) in the middle of the island. In the north of the Montana Bermeja at 157 meters, is situated at the foot of a great white sandy beach, Playa de Las Conchas.

Approximately two kilometers away is Playa Lambra, for bathing. In the southwest lies yellow and red tuffs of Montana Amarilla. At 172 meters high, it is partially raised from the sea. At its foot are the two small bathing beaches of Playa and Playa de la Cocina Francesa. Near Caleta del Sebo, its interior is located by the Montana del Mojon, a 188 meters wide and 70 meters deep crater.