Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote: Holidays to Suit (Nearly) Everyone

Established over 40 years ago as a holiday resort, Puerto del Carmen is still the biggest draw for holidays in Lanzarote. Much as with resorts of mainland Spain, it developed from its origins as a fishing village following the upsurge in popularity for package holidays in the Canary Islands. There is now a wide range of new and older holiday villas in Puerto del Carmen, plus holiday apartments and hotels. The town itself is undergoing something of a facelift currently, with a central feature being a more pedestrian friendly main thoroughfare. This is expected to be complete well in time for the main summer holiday season in 2010.

The first feature you notice about Puerto del Carmen compared to other towns on Lanzarote is the scale, especially the length of the beaches (Playas), and the main road that connects them, the Avenida de las Playas. Affectionately known as ‘the strip’, this extends for some 6 kilometres, connecting the Old Town to the South, with Matagorda (nearest the airport and capital Arrecife) to the North. It is so long, in fact, that four complete laps of it constitutes the route of the marathon stage of the annual Lanzarote Ironman Triathlon.

The Lanzarote Ironman absorbs the whole of Puerto del Carmen and its population (holiday and permanent residents) for an entire weekend in late May each year. The Avenida de las Playas not only plays host to the road race, hospitality, changing and first aid tents, but also some 5,000 racing bikes that the runners have to park up whilst they run the marathon – by the way, this is AFTER cycling a complete lap of the island for 5 hours in the heat of the day. No wonder they are referred to as Ironmen and women!

Puerto del Carmen beaches are very safe for bathing, and well patrolled by lifeguards, and this is one of the reasons why it is such a popular family holiday destination. Because of the size and length of the beaches, they rarely get over crowded. Parasols and loungers can be hired by the day, and there is a wide choice of bars and restaurants on the main Avenida immediately behind the beach. Jet ski and other boat hire is readily available directly on the beach as well, so there is plenty to keep all ages entertained.

Nightlife is also big in Puerto del Carmen, and centres on the Avenida de las Playas. There is a great choice of restaurants with cuisines of all types represented, and to suit all budgets. The bars and clubs are hugely popular with the younger holidaymakers, and they often stay open until 6 in the morning – so if this is a problem for you, it may be best to avoid accommodation that is close to the Avenida de las Playas.

Many people will not want to spend their entire holidays on the beach or by the side of the hotel or apartment pool. If this sounds like you, you could explore some of the nearby attractions. If you enjoy golf, there is now a really good course at nearby Tias. When I last played, a handicap certificate was not required here, though if you have one, it’s no bad idea to take it with you. If you plan to play on a weekday, you probably won’t find the course very busy either. Try that in Spain or Portugal at peak times! You will, however, enjoy fantastic views of the Atlantic from most parts of the Tias course. Buggies and clubs can also be hired here.

More sedate views can be experienced at Puerto Calero, 5 kilometres to the South of Puerto del Carmen, and easily reached by taxi. Puerto Calero has an upmarket marina, with many beautiful boats on display, and a good range of designer boutiques and shops, as well as several excellent restaurants. There is also the Museo de Cetaceos de Canarias (whale and dolphin museum) which is a very popular family attraction. In fact, one of the big benefits of staying in Puerto del Carmen is the ease of getting anywhere on the island – it is really never more than 30 minutes by road from any of the island’s other attractions.

Puerto del Carmen, has a wide range of holiday accommodation to choose from. The town slopes uphill from the sea, and this has encouraged the development of a number of multi-tiered holiday apartment blocks in Puerto del Carmen itself, but there are also plenty of high specification villas in Puerto del Carmen and the surrounding areas just outside the town. For those preferring a more formal environment (or as much formal as you get in Lanzarote!), there are also many good hotels in Puerto del Carmen, again to suit all budgets.

In short, Puerto del Carmen is a big resort, with big aspirations to retain its position as Lanzarote’s number one resort. We think that most of you will enjoy it – just avoid the nightclub areas after 10 pm if that is not your scene!

John Spire writes for All Things Lanzarote, an information web site about Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. The site contains extensive details about villas in Puerto del Carmen, apartments in Puerto del Carmen, plus things to do, and places to go in and around the town.