Puerto del Carmen Travel Guide
June 17, 2010 by Nick Ball
Filed under Destinations
Puerto del Carmen is the main resort on the popular holiday island of Lanzarote. Once known to the locals as La Tiñosa this former fishing village has been transformed over the last fifty years to become one of the most popular holiday hot spots in the Canary Islands. Welcoming hundreds of thousands of tourist guests every year.
Puerto del Carmen is located on Lanzarote´s south east coast close to Arrecife airport. And back in the early 1970´s this is the place where the island’s first visitors would stay, as it was home to the sole hotel in Lanzarote at that time. The Los Fariones, which is still located right by the beach today.
Over the years this trickle of tourists became a flood as word about Lanzarote´s great climate and weird volcanic scenery got out. And by the 1980´s the town had expanded enormously – encompassing a 6km coastal strip of apartments, villas and hotels known as the Avenida de Las Playas. Visitor numbers over the next twenty years left the resort looking a little run down. But this trend has now been reversed by the injection of a €16 million budget which has helped to improve the infrastructure here enormously.
There is now a new seafront promenade lined with attractive tress and palms whilst a marina is planned for the harbour area. Making Puerto del Carmen an attractive proposition for a holiday on Lanzarote once again.
There are hundreds of apartments and villas in Puerto del Carmen for visitors to stay in with prices for two bedroom properties with pools starting at about €550 per week. Whilst those who prefer to let someone else take care of the catering on their holidays will also find a decent selection of hotels. As the days when the Los Fariones was the only choice in town are now long gone.
Indeed Puerto del Carmen ha grown to such an extent that it now encompasses the neighbouring resorts of Los Pocilloas and Matagorda too.
The resort offers plenty to see and do. There are loads of restaurants, bars and clubs here. Along with excellent beaches such as the Blue Flag winner Playa Chica. Kids will love Rancho Texas, a Wild West themed park with a decent zoo attached. Whilst the Old Town harbour area provides a great environment for meals out under the stars.
Many visitors to Puerto del Carmen choose to rent a vehicle so they can also get out and explore. And there are lots of Lanzarote car hire offices here offering competitive rates and good quality vehicles.