Lanzarote´s Leading Resorts

The popular holiday island of Lanzarote is home to three main resorts.  With each boasting its own unique character, identity and attractions.  As well as a variety of accommodation options.

Lanzarote is one of the seven Spanish owned Canary Islands – which lie just off the Atlantic coast of West Africa.  After Tenerife and Gran Canaria Lanzarote is the third most popular of the islands with holidaymakers – welcoming around 1.4 million tourists every year.  The bulk of whom enjoy a stay in one of the three main resorts of Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca or Puerto del Carmen.

Puerto del Carmen was in fact the first resort to be developed on the island and is still the most popular today.  Before the advent of tourism this was just a small fishing village called La Tiñosa, with little in the way of beaches, roads or amenities.  But as tourism took off in Spain during the late 1960´s La Tiñosa evolved into Puerto del Carmen – with beaches created by importing sand from the nearby Sahara desert.

Today Puerto del Carmen extends for around 8km and is nominally spit into two separate areas – the Old Town in and around the harbour are and the New Town which runs parallel with the main beach of Playa Grande.  There are two main hotels in Puerto del Carmen for visitors to choose from – the Los Fariones and the San Antonio.  As well as a good selection of apartment complexes.

Costa Teguise was developed after Puerto del Carmen in the 1980´s – originally designed as an upmarket resort with high quality accommodation.  Such as the five star Gran Melia Salinas – still widely regarded as the best hotels in Lanzarote today.

Costa Teguise remains an attractive resort but suffers by comparison with its rivals as the weather in this part of the island isn’t as favourable.  And during the winter months Costa Teguise can be shrouded in cloud whilst Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca are basking in sunshine.

Playa Blanca is the newest resort on the island – developed during the 1990´s.  And is home to some great beaches whilst also enjoying the best weather the island has to offer.  The high quality of the hotels and villas in Playa Blanca has helped to rapidly establish the resort as the second most popular on the island.  Aided further by the fact that Playa Blanca is also in close proximity to Lanzarote´s leading tourist attraction – the Fire Mountains of Timanfaya.

Holidays in Playa Blanca

Playa Blanca is the fastest growing resort on the popular holiday island of Lanzarote.  Offering visitors great weather all year round, wonderful beaches and high standards of accommodation.

Playa Blanca is located right at the southern tip of Lanzarote – just 8km across the Bocaina Straits from the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura.  And has developed rapidly from a small fishing village into the second busiest resort on the island.

The town is named after the small white beach – Playa Blanca – that still lies at it’s heart.  And is essentially a set of thee coves set within one much larger sheltered bay, all of which is united by a delightful seafront promenade.

Beach lovers adore Playa Blanca as there are three excellent stretches of sand within the resort; Playa Dorada, Playa Flamingo and Playa Blanca itself.  Whilst just fifteen minutes walk from the town centre lies the breathtaking coves and bays of Papagayo (or Parrot in Spanish).  Which are widely regarded to be amongst the best beaches in the whole of the Canaries.  All still totally natural and unspoiled.

There are plenty of accomodation options for visitors.  Some of the best four star hotels in Lanzarote such as the Timanfaya Palace and the Hesperia Playa Dorada line the shoreline.  Offering guests great views and a frontline position.  Whilst there’s also a large choice of apartments and villas in Playa Blanca available for rent for those who prefer self catering accommodation.

Prices for a standard two bedroom villa with private pool start at around €450 per week.  Whilst four star hotel accommodation prices begin at €70 per night – which is the cost per room, not per person.  The resort is located around thirty minutes from Lanzarote’s sole international airport at Arrecife – which is serviced by all of the main leading low cost flight operators.  Whilst all of the main British travel companies also offer holidays in and around the resort.

Playa Blanca makes an ideal base for anyone who wants to visit Lanzarote´s leading tourist attraction – the Timanfaya Volcano Park.  As this is just fifteen minutes drive away.  And it’s also possible to enjoy a spot of island hopping by taking the ferry service that runs regularly throughout the day from the harbour area to Fuerteventura.

The luxurious Rubicon Marina was created in 2003.  Providing berths for luxury yachts as well as a great backdrop for anyone eating out or shopping in the upmarket environs of the marina.

Hot Villa Holidays In Lanzarote

The small Canary Island of Lanzarote is a hot favourite with families and couples seeking a good quality villa holiday.  Thanks to a fantastic year round climate and high standards of accommodation.

Lanzarote, located just off the coast of Morocco, has been welcoming tourists for over forty years.  Proving hugely popular with visitors from sun starved Northern European nations, such as the UK, Germany and Eire.  As the island basks in temperatures of 20 Celsius plus all year round.  Whilst rainfall is almost unheard of. Just as you’d expect on an island that is just a stones throw from what was once the Spanish Sahara.

Lanzarote has much more to offer visitors than just great weather alone though. For example, the scenery in the south of the island is particularly surreal – the legacy of volcanic eruptions which reshaped and remodelled the terrain during the 18th and 19th centuries.  This whole area was declared a National Park in the 1970´s and is now dominated by mile after mile of lava fields punctuated by hundreds of volcanic peaks.  All of which are now fortunately dormant! 

Close by lies the Green Lagoon at El Golfo – a stunning sight that has been used as a backdrop by the makers of science fiction films, such as One Million Years BC, for decades.  A land locked lake, located on a black sand beach has been turned green by an interaction between algae and sea water. Creating an emerald coloured lagoon.

Lanzarote also boasts a host of picturesque and atmospheric white washed villages, such as Yaiza and Haria.  As well as the former capital of Teguise.  The oldest settlement in the Canary Island dating back to the early 1400´s and a veritable treasure trove of colonial architecture.

The bulk of the best holiday villas in Lanzarote are located in the south if the island.  In and around a relatively new resort called Playa Blanca.  Which benefits from the best microclimate on the island as well as boasting some of the most stunning beaches, at nearby Papagayo.

The resort has a relaxed and laid back feel and many of the rental properties here offer great views across to the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura.  Which is just a thirty minute ferry journey away. 

All of the holiday villas in the resort boast private pools as standard and many offer lots of additional extras – such as Jacuzzis, ADSL connections, maid service and free car hire.  With prices starting from around €400 per week for a standard two bedroom property.