Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Puerto del Carmen

The resort boasts a sandy beach and you will find some fantastic fish restaurants in the harbour in the old town. This resort is best suited for families and couples looking for a beach holiday with lively nightlife.

Beaches

Puerto del Carmen boasts around 4km of coastline, in the centre of which lies the 1km long beautiful sandy beach of Playa Grande.

The family friendly golden sands of Playa Grande beach shelve gently into the sea and the waters are calm and good for bathing. If snorkelling and diving are more your thing, head for the sheltered bay of Playa Chica, between the main beach and the harbour.

Things to Do

Opportunities for watersports are abundant and there are several diving and windsurfing centres offering tuition, courses and trips, as well as parascending, jet-skiing, pedalos and banana boat rides. There are also many types of boat trip available from sport fishing to glass bottom boats and coastal cruises or, for something more thrilling how about tearing around the coast on the WaveRider Rib.

Behind the resort, the Lanzarote Golf Club is an 18 hole par 72 course in beautiful landscaped ground with commanding views over the ocean to the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura. The Club has professional instructors and is equipped with a driving range, putting green and practice bunker, a pro-shop and hire desk.

Out and About

For a simple seafront walk, the promenade and coastal path will take you from Puerto del Carmen harbour into Puerto Calero to the south (2.5km) or in the other direction, through Playa de los Pocillos and Matagorda to the grounds of Arrecife airport (7km). There are bike hire shops in the resort if you want to travel a little quicker.

The resort boasts hundreds of bars and restaurants, the main strip laying behind the Playa Grande beach, with many more choices in the old part of the town. Around the charming harbour area you will find the Plaza del Varadero, a children's play area and a number of fish restaurants and tapas bars from which to enjoy your surroundings.

Between the old and the new town, the Biosfera Plaza is a 5 storey shopping centre with everyday shops and designer boutiques which are open until late in the evening. The centre hosts regular events and there is also a children's play area and a number of restaurants and fast food outlets which are open until gone midnight.

Nearby Attractions

Visitor attractions nearby include the Rancho Texas Theme Park (3.5km) which is a wildlife zoo and bird park with themed areas, landscaped gardens, a splash park for children and a chill-out zone for adults. The Monumento al Campesino (13km) museum provides a fascinating insight to farming techniques in this volcanic landscape and rural life in days gone by and is complemented with an Artesan centre and delightful Canarian restaurant.

Day trips to all the main natural sights and visitor attractions are readily available from Puerto del Carmen. The aqua parks at Playa Blanca and the remote Papagayo beaches are approx 22km.