Winter getaway: get inspired by the island where nothing is obligatory

Bert and Yves traded their successful life in Belgium for a new adventure on rugged Lanzarote. With wild desert winds, endless drought and scorching sun, the island is really not meant to be lived on - the inhabitants are at the mercy of nature's will. Despite the dire conditions, the Lanzarotenos, like Bert and Yves, have found a way to build a life here. Essential to this is embracing the whims of nature, which has developed a special philosophy of life among the Lanzarotenos. This winter, be inspired by the island where nothing is a must.

Between rugged cliffs and hot desert winds, Bert and Yves transformed an old finca into an artist residency meets self-sustaining farm called Hektor. During this process, they quickly noticed that Lanzarote sometimes feels more like a living creature than an island. 'People here live according to the rhythm of the sun, influenced by the elements, with the seasons. The island makes man. And you notice that: the Lanzaroteños realize very well that they depend on nature, and not the other way around.'

This capriciousness of nature makes Lanzarote an island where much is possible, but nothing is obligatory. It has become a motto that the Lanzaroteños live by. 'The people here embrace what is. 'Something small is often as beautiful as the big, simply because it is there.' Pequeño es bien is therefore a familiar saying for Lanzaroteños: the small is good.

It was this identity of the island that inspired the men to transform the finca into what it is today. 'Lanzarote is an island where nature meets creativity. The island brings a lot of creativity to artists. Whether they are making ceramics, painting or creating installations, Lanzarote's natural elements have served as an inexhaustible source of inspiration for centuries. “It is nature that defines art.