Clicos Lagoon, Lanzarote

El Charco Verde, Lago Verde, Charco de los Clicos or Clicos Lagoon, is a lagoon included in the Parque natural de los Volcanes which is located next to the town of El Golfo – municipality of Yaiza -, within the Timanfaya National Park of the island of Lanzarote, in the Canary archipelago, Spain.

The adjective green comes from the colour of its waters, while the term Los Clicos refers to an edible seafood that was once common in the area, but is now extinct.

The Charco Verde has acquired its greenish tonality due to a type of algae of the species Ruppia maritima that lives in its interior, in addition to the sulphur that its waters contain.

The lagoon is included in the Parque natural de los Volcanes9 that surrounds the Timanfaya National Park and is located in its geomorphological unit. On its eastern side there is a volcanic crater whose last eruption was in the 18th century, and on its western side there is a black sand beach where you can see deposited olives.

El Charco Verde is approximately 100 m long and reaches the Atlantic Ocean, connected to the lake by underground cracks. In the northern part there is a lookout point where you can access from a car park about 50 m away free of charge,8 although the Island Council has on occasion proposed charging admission for your visit.

The beach where the lagoon is located is made of gravel, with 320 m long and an average width of 30 m. It has a low degree of occupation without a promenade and is isolated as it is part of the Timanfaya National Park, in addition to the fact that strong marine currents run through the area where it is located.