Nick's Guide to Lanzarote Resorts

Spanish Airport Guide

Puerto del Carmen


Puerto del Carmen is Lanzarote´s oldest resort and the spot where package tourism first started to really take off on the island back in the 1970´s, transforming what had been a quiet fishing village called La Tiñosa into a bustling holiday destination.

The key to Puerto del Carmen´s appeal lies in the resort’s beautiful beaches which stretch for some 6km from Los Pocollos though to Playa Chica. There is als a ready availability of good value apartment accommodation which accounts for the bulk of the tourist beds in the resort. Puerto del Carmen is currently only serviced by two main hotels – the San Antonio and the Los Fariones.

The resort is nominally split into two distinct areas – the Old Town, which is arrayed around the harbour area, and the only slightly newer New Town which runs adjacent to the main beaches and the central thoroughfare of the Avenida de las Playas. The demarcation point between the two areas is the Biosfera Shopping Centre – home to branches of popular retail outlets such as Zara and Mango.

The resort is currently on the verge of a major transformation with island tourist authorities pressing ahead with plans to turn the harbour area – currently home to a few small fishing boats – into a luxury marina with moorings for around 300 yachts and cruisers. The Avenida de las Playas is also in the process of being pedestrianised in order to improve it’s overall appeal to holiday makers.

Puerto del Carmen offers the liveliest nightlife of all of Lanzarote´s three main tourist resorts, boasting a high concentration of bars and restaurants as well as the only casino on the island. There is also a selection of nightclubs such as Disco Ibiza and Dreams. Centro is the main epicentre of the nocturnal action – whilst the Old Town remains the best option for anyone seeking a decent meal in atmospheric surroundings.

The resort is easily accessed from Lanzarote´s sole international airport, Arrecife – with transfer times taking as little as twenty minutes. 

For more information about Puerto del Carmen visit the Lanzarote Guidebook website at: www.lanzaroteguidebook.com/puerto-del-carmen