The Canary Islands are rightly proud of their residents and one of them, artist Cesar Manrique, has left a distinct impression on many of the islands but particularly on his home of Lanzarote. Manrique was sadly killed in a car accident in 1992 but his life on the islands has left behind many legacies.

One of his final commissions was to design the Parque Maritimo, an outdoor swimming and leisure complex in Santa Cruz de Tenerife which has been named in his honour. One of the original design concepts for the park was to renovate this part of the town's coastline and, with Manrique being a great supporter of the natural environments of the islands, he was the ideal person to design this amazing complex which reflects the best of the natural features of the islands. Palm trees and volcanic rock features are scattered throughout the park, which overlooks the sea and provides the perfect place to have fun and enjoy the weather on Tenerife.

Manrique was born in Arrecife on Lanzarote and attended the University of Laguna on Tenerife before leaving the islands to study at the San Fernando art school in Madrid. He was a great campaigner for sympathetic building development and the lack of high rise buildings on the islands owes much to his efforts. Other legacies of the great designer include the Mirador del Rio viewpoint on Lanzarote, several sculptures, including his famous Fecundidad, and the promotion of outdoor concerts at Jameo del Agua, which he described as "the most beautiful nightclub in the world".

As well as swimming at the Parque Maritimo, tourists to the islands can also experience his design at first hand by visiting his home which is now open to the public. With parts of it carved into the volcanic rock, it is an unusual yet appropriate reminder of the man whose mark has been left all over the islands.