Alegranza Islet, with an area of approximately 10 km2, is located north of Lanzarote and is the northernmost point of the Chinijo Archipelago. It is part of the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park and the Los Islotes Integral Reserve.
Currently, the islet is completely uninhabited, with only a few remains in the south of the old buildings dating from the first half of the 20th century, when a small agricultural and livestock operation was maintained.
In the western part, Punta Delgada, there is a lighthouse that operates automatically and was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 2002. In its vicinity, a camp is usually set up for scientific personnel who are occasionally accommodated on the islet.
It can be visited with the permission of the Ministry of the Environment of the Canary Islands Government. If you intend to move around its interior, you must also have the authorization of the current owner of the land, Enrique Jordán. The place can only be reached by private boat, having the beach as the only anchorage area protected from the almost constant wind and strong waves.
Those lucky enough to visit Alegranza guided by an expert will be able to take one of the most spectacular excursions in the Canary Islands.
As we approach Alegranza, what most attracts attention is its spectacular volcanic cone, its maximum altitude of 298 m., a huge crater, called La Caldera, about 1.3 km in diameter. On the west side, marine erosion has carved out a large cliff, revealing its internal structure.
Separated by the central platform, to the east are aligned three other volcanic cones, also cut out by the sea:
The lava flows emitted from these cones cover a good part of this plateau. Among the badlands and other minor volcanic apparatus, some small endorheic basins appear, where saline clay accumulates.
On the western side of the island, a jameo opens to the sea through which you can swim in and, after going through a narrow and dark tunnel, ascend a cone open to the surface of the island, in the midst of the most absolute desolation.
Already in the northern sector, an area called El Jablillo appears, occupied by the fine and white sands thrown by the sea and wind towards the interior.
The vegetation cover is that of the Canarian basal floor, with an abundant presence of halophilic communities. The tabaiba plants develop spectacular shapes, in those sectors with strong winds. In abandoned cultivation areas, broom grows profusely and, above all, an introduced plant: bobo or tobacco moro (Nicotiana glauca)
The abundance of fish allows Alegranza to be a refuge and nesting place for numerous birds, so the ornithological interest of the islet is very high. Raptors stand out, such as the osprey or fish eagle (Pandion haliaetus) with two or three pairs, and Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae).
But above all, it is the seabirds that are most abundant. It houses large colonies of Madeira petrel and Bulwer's petrel, as well as other birds such as the small shearwater, the white-chinned petrel and the European storm petrel. But among all of them, a large colony of gray shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) stands out, being the current colony one of the largest in Macaronesia, and amounts to some 10,000 pairs.
Alegranza is also an important passage area for passerines, with some 80 bird species having been cited to date.
Alegranza, although it is one of the smallest islands in the Canary Islands, offers a unique natural beauty and a variety of places of interest for visitors. Some of the places of interest in Alegranza include:
Alegranza Lighthouse is an important landmark on the island and offers stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
Veril Beach, largely untouched, offers visitors a tranquil and authentic experience embraced by nature.
The Alegranza caldera is an impressive geological feature that stands out in the volcanic landscape of the Alegranza islet.
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