Some properties impress through contemporary design and immaculate finishes. Others capture you through character, history and a sense of place that simply cannot be recreated. This remarkable old Lanzarote finca in the tiny enclave of Maciot very much belongs to the latter.
The finca has a fascinating history. Once the home of an elderly Lanzaroteña who lived here with her donkeys, it was subsequently acquired by two English brothers more than 30 years ago. Rather than transforming it into something it was never intended to be, they carefully made the property habitable while largely respecting its original layout and putting previously unused spaces back into service. For more than three decades, the two families enjoyed the finca as their own very special retreat in Lanzarote.
Today, the result is an intriguing collection of individual living spaces arranged around courtyards, terraces and outdoor areas, giving the property an almost small-village quality of its own.
A generous private parking area precedes the entrance, from where a narrow passageway leads through a traditional doorway and into a large central courtyard. This wonderfully atmospheric space forms the heart of the finca, with several rooms opening independently around it.
Among these is the main family kitchen, while two additional rooms offer potential to be adapted as further bedrooms or living spaces. There is also a laundry room and a separate family bathroom.
From the courtyard there is access to the first of the finca’s independent living areas: a charming one-bedroom suite with its own bathroom and a particularly inviting outdoor dining and sitting area beneath a traditional timber pergola. Here, the simplicity of the architecture gives way to the landscape, with magnificent open views across the countryside towards the ocean and neighbouring islands.
Alongside is a second independent one-bedroom, one-bathroom accommodation, again with its own outdoor terrace, while further along the property is a third separate one-bedroom living unit with bathroom and a small kitchen area. This final space was originally the finca’s aljibe – the traditional water cistern so characteristic of old Lanzarote properties – and has since been adapted for residential use.
It is this unconventional arrangement that gives the finca so much of its personality. Whitewashed walls, exposed stonework, timber-beamed ceilings, sheltered patios and simple rooms flow between interior and exterior spaces, creating the relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere of an authentic Canarian country home.
The property is habitable in its present condition, although after many years of use it would clearly benefit from general maintenance, updating and refurbishment. And therein lies much of the opportunity.
This is not a property for somebody searching for a newly renovated villa. It is for a buyer who recognises the beauty in what is already here and has the imagination to enhance it without erasing the character that makes it so special. With sensitive restoration, the finca has the potential to become an exceptional private home or island retreat, while retaining the wonderfully individual identity it has acquired over generations.
There is a timeless quality to the property that is difficult to communicate through measurements alone: the shade beneath the old palm tree, the enclosed courtyard warmed by the Lanzarote sun, the irregular traditional walls, the covered terraces and the extraordinary stillness of the landscape stretching towards the sea. It feels unmistakably Lanzarote.
Key Features
- Authentic traditional Lanzarote finca in Maciot
- Spectacular uninterrupted sea and countryside views
- Views towards Lobos, Fuerteventura and Los Ajaches
- Three independent one-bedroom living areas
- Additional rooms offering further potential
- Large traditional central courtyard
- Multiple private terraces and outdoor living areas
- Traditional timber ceilings, stonework and original architectural character
Important information: This is an old property offered for sale in its present condition. The constructed area was never specified in the title deeds, hence, it is sold as seen. But it is easy over 200Mts build.
A genuinely unusual property for those looking beyond the conventional – and an increasingly rare opportunity to acquire a finca with authentic Lanzarote character, remarkable surroundings and enormous potential. Contact Optima Estate to arrange a private viewing and experience the atmosphere of this special property in person.
