No tarmac, no problem – life on La Graciosa
In a world where you can drive anywhere, La Graciosa an experiment: an inhabited island with around 700 people that manages without tarmac roads outside the town centre. No roundabouts, no traffic lights, no speed cameras. Just sand. And it works.
How to get around
The bicycle as the main mode of transport
Auf La Graciosa Cycling isn’t a sport – it’s the main mode of transport. From the harbour to Playa Francesa: 10–15 minutes. To Montaña Amarilla: 30–40 minutes. With an e-bikealmost anywhere in half the time. Four bike hire shops at the harbour – no waiting lists, no sat-nav, just set off.
Jeep taxi: the motorised equivalent
For those who want or need to travel by motorised transport: the licensed jeep taxis are the only motorised option on the sandy tracks. The drivers know every track, every bay, every hidden viewpoint – and explain what you’re seeing.
What’s missing – and why that’s a good thing
No SUVs, no traffic jams, no exhaust fumes
Was La Graciosa has none of the following: traffic jams, clouds of exhaust fumes, parking problems, road noise. What this means is that you can hear the wind, the seagulls, the waves. You can smell the sea and the sea lavender. You can see the stars in the evening, because no beacon of civilisation outshines them.
The only thing you really need
Wer auf La Graciosa Anyone who arrives and misses having a car hasn’t understood the island. Slowness is the appeal. The bicycle is the key. And the sandy tracks – even if your tyres sometimes sink deeper than expected – are the means of transport.
The inhabitants: adaptation as a way of life
The ~700 inhabitants of Caleta del Sebo have adapted to life without tarmac – over generations. Shopping by ferry. Supplies by boat. Communication via the grapevine and WhatsApp (the infrastructure of the modern age). Life on the island isn’t any easier than elsewhere – it’s just different.
Nature conservation
- Wild camping prohibited
- Campfires prohibited
- Bicycles only on designated tracks
- Chinijo Archipelago Nature Park · Lanzarote UNESCO Biosphere Reserve · Chinijo Archipelago Marine Reserve (70,000 ha)
This is a politically contentious issue. Some residents would like tarmac for everyday use. Conservationists and many tourists are against it. So far, nature conservation has prevailed.
Yes – e-bikes with wide tyres and good torque work brilliantly. Highly recommended for the Grand Tour or a trip to the north.
Conclusion
- The lack of tarmac on La Graciosa is not a shortcoming – it’s part of the concept.
- The bike is the key: e-bikes for anyone who wants to make things easier.
- The sandy tracks are what make La Graciosa what it is.
This article is based on on-site research by the go-la-graciosa.com editorial team. Last updated: April 2026
