Explore Lanzarote
Lanzarote, the most easterly of the Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa, is known for its year-round sunshine, its diversity of beaches, and its unique volcanic landscape.
Just 60 kilometres north to south and 25 kilometres east to west, a drive through Lanzarote’s landscapes and resorts will surprise you with its variety.
PUERTO DEL CARMEN
East-coast resort of Puerto del Carmen is Lanzarote’s largest resort, and has almost 7 kilometres of seafront promenade stretching from Matagorda close to the airport to the Old Town. The promenade is mostly flat and a great place for gentle walking, and has wonderful restaurants, cafes & bars to suit all tastes and budgets.
The Old Town by the harbour has wonderful restaurants, including great seafood, and also hosts a weekly market on Fridays. At the harbour you can also catch the waterbus to Puerto Calero just along the coast – a sophisticated marina with upmarket shops and eating places.
There two huge golden sandy beaches at Playa Pocillos and Playa Grande, numerous coves and smaller beaches in-between, and Playa Chica close to the old town which is a haven for watersports, diving and snorkelling.
PLAYA BLANCA
Playa Blanca is the most southerly resort in Lanzarote. The resort is known for being peaceful and a great place for the whole family to relax. The harbour, located just west of the town centre, is where ferries commute to the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura – a great day trip, the crossing takes about 25 minutes, and you can buy tickets from the offices at the harbour.
Playa Blanca has preserved some charm from its days as a small fishing village, and you can often see the fish being unloaded at the harbour, and restaurants cleaning the fresh fish on the rocks in front of their premises.
The most central beach in Playa Blanca is known as the ‘Town Beach’ – it’s quite small, but very pleasant and safe. It sits immediately in front of the promenade with rock areas to either side.
To the west of the harbour is Playa Flamingo, about 10 minutes walk from the west of the town centre, an exceptionally beautiful, man-made beach. Shallow water and good for snorkelling.
To the east side of Playa Blanca is Playa Dorada. You can easily walk to here from the town centre along the promenade or from Marina Rubicon. This is a larger beach with loungers and parasols to rent. There are also watersports and pedaloes.
The beautiful and undeveloped Papagayo beaches are 10 minutes drive from Playa Blanca town centre. This national park area boasts several stunning beaches. Most have no facilities or cafes (except Playa Papagayo).
OUT AND ABOUT IN LANZAROTE
Beach and pool time are great partners to Lanzarote’s year-round sunshine. But if you go out and about to see Lanzarote’s unique scenery, you will soon hear about local artist Cesar Manrique and how volcanic activity has shaped the landscape. Whether you hire a car or take an organised excursion, a day travelling around the island is a must.
Cesar Manrique’s design can be seen in many of the island’s tourist attractions:
Timanfaya National Park’s rocky landscape was created by volcanic eruptions in the 1730s. A bus tour takes you around the lava field, and there is a restaurant, where food is cooked by volcanic heat. Watch bundles of twigs being thrown into hollows where they burst into flames, and cold water being poured into holes in the ground producing jets of steam.
Cueva de los Verdes in the north of the island has caverns formed by an underground river of lava. A guided tour takes you through stunning volcanic cave tunnels, and a twist at the end leaves you in awe.
Jameos del Agua, also in the north of the island, is series of volcanic caverns with an underground lake inhabited by tiny fluorescent white crabs, and a science museum devoted to volcanoes.
Jardin de Cactus is set down in a hole in ground, which protects the many varied species of cactus planted here from around the world. Cesar Manrique found the site of the old disused quarry and windmill and designed a unique labyrinth of gardens with a series of water features and bridges to link the pathways. There is a bar and restaurant area set into the far wall of the quarry, underneath the old windmill, and shaded seating on the terrace has lovely views down over the gardens.
La Geria, the central area of Lanzarote has a flourishing and distinctive wine growing region. Vines are grown in hollows in the lava landscape using special, unique cultivation techniques. You can take a fascinating journey through the region and there are several bodegas (wineries) that can be visited to taste award winning wines made from Malvasia grapes grown on the volcanic rock.
More information on Lanzarote’s tourist attractions can be found here:
https://www.cactlanzarote.com/en/
THINGS TO DO IN LANZAROTE
Lanzarote has a great variety of activities to keep you entertained during your holiday! Check out just a few of Lanzarote’s most popular activities below:
Rancho Texas – small zoo and water park, just a short way outside Puerto del Carmen, is a great family day out. Swimming with sea lions is also on offer.
Rooftop Bisofera in Puerto del Carmen is an entertainment complex on the roof of the Biosfera shopping centre. It has Jurassic Minigolf, 6D cinema and open-air cinema
Spas – Many of the large hotels have spa, hydrotherapy, and health facilities, which can usually be booked by non-residents.
Cycling – whether you are a professional cyclist in training or someone who likes a gentle cycle in the perfect climate, Lanzarote offers great conditions for cycling. There are cycle hire shops in all the major resorts.
Sailing – excursions by catamaran or private hire boat trips are popular all year round. Some include fishing, kayaking, jet ski or paddle boarding.
Diving and snorkelling – the waters around Lanzarote offer an underwater world which is perfect for beginners and experts. There are lots of dive centres offering everything from snorkelling to try dives to PADI courses and instructor training.
We highly recommend Manta Diving in Puerto Del Carmen or The Dive College in Playa Blanca.
To add to Lanzarote’s holiday fun activities, Gill and Helena also run Lanzarote’s number one attraction for fun and games in Lanzarote on Tripadvisor! Island Quest Escape Rooms in Playa Blanca has three different games, and for guests staying in our accommodation, we offer a 10% discount using the discount code “SS10”. You can book on the website.
Things to do with children – resorts have playgrounds, mini golf, bowling, and children love the sandy beaches, some of which have banana boats, jet skis and para sailing.
Shopping
Markets and craft markets are often the highlight of a holiday. Lanzarote’s largest market takes place in Teguise on Sunday mornings, but there are also markets in Puerto del Carmen, Playa Blanca, Puerto Calero, Costa Teguise, Haria, and Arrecife.
The Bisofera Plaza Shopping Centre in Puerto del Carmen is an open air centre with over 50 shops, eating and leisure options.
The Deiland Shopping Centre is at Playa Honda close to the airport, and is an indoor centre with shops, cinema and fast food eating outlets.
The Open Mall is the islands newest shopping destination in Arrecife., and is an indoor centre with shops, children’s play area and eating outlets.
Airport
Lanzarote’s Airport is Arrecife. Puerto del Carmen is approximately 10 kilometres from the airport, and Playa Blanca is around 34 kilometres from the airport. Taxis are plentiful and there are numerous transfer companies if you prefer to prebook.
We have lived on the beautiful island of Lanzarote for 8 years and love to point our guests in the right direction for activities and information that will make special Lanzarote holiday memories. Whatever you would like to see, do or know about Lanzarote, we’ll do our utmost to find it for you.