Europe · Beach and resort guide
Distinctive landscapes, manageable resorts and an easy family-holiday rhythm.
Is it right for you?
A strong fit for
Families, couples and active days out.
We would think twice for
Anyone who finds volcanic landscapes bleak rather than beautiful, because Lanzarote is black rock, white villages and wide skies, and it either speaks to you or it does not.
What we would want you to know
Wind and resort layout can matter depending on month and mobility.
Our research-led view
Lanzarote is research-led for us rather than a place we have stayed, so our advice rests on things we can check: which beaches catch the wind, how far a hotel sits from the promenade, and where the pavements stay level enough for a wheelchair or a pushchair. On this island, those details usually decide the resort.
We have not been here ourselves yet and will never pretend otherwise. This advice comes from the operator, mapping, hotel and transfer research we do for real enquiries.
Map and areas
The newest of the island's three main resorts, with a long seafront path linking the Rubicón marina to calm, sheltered town beaches. Evenings are for dinner rather than dancing. The resort stretches a long way along the coast, so some hotels are a taxi ride from the centre, though the Papagayo coves are close by.
Lanzarote's largest resort, strung along several kilometres of seafront avenue with golden beaches and a near-continuous line of bars and restaurants. The old harbour at the western end keeps a Spanish feel, with fish lunches beside the boats. The central strip stays loud late, and hotels on the slopes behind the front mean an uphill walk home.
A planned resort on the east coast just north of Arrecife, built around a small square of bars and restaurants, with a golf course inland. It is breezier than the south, which is why the windsurf schools base themselves on Playa de las Cucharas. Hotel prices are often the lowest of the main resorts, and the capital's shops are a short bus ride away.
A small, upmarket marina village between Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca, with yachts, catamaran trips and waterside restaurants, but only a handful of hotels and no real beach of its own. A coastal path runs east to Puerto del Carmen's old harbour, a pleasant walk before dinner.
A surf village of sandy streets and low white houses on the north-west coast, under the long wall of the Famara cliffs. It is self-catering and small-hotel territory rather than a package resort, cloudier and windier than the south, and the beach has strong currents. Stay here for waves and quiet rather than a pool scene.
Weather and seasons
Lanzarote has two moods rather than four seasons. From November to March the days are mild and bright, January averages 22°C, and the sea cools to about 18°C in February, so a fleece comes out after dark. Summer peaks at around 31°C in August, but the trade winds blow hardest from June to August, keeping the heat in check and lifting sand on the exposed east-coast beaches. What little rain falls comes in winter; December averages only 7mm. Easter, October half term and the Christmas weeks fill the family hotels first, and in May the island's Ironman triathlon packs Puerto del Carmen with cyclists.
Worth timing a trip around
A full-distance triathlon based in Puerto del Carmen, with a hilly, wind-blown bike leg through Timanfaya and the north. Roads close on race day and hotels fill with athletes the week before.
The capital's patron saint fiestas bring concerts, fairground rides and late nights around the Charco de San Ginés lagoon, building up to the saint's day on 25 August.
The resort honours its namesake, the Virgen del Carmen, patron of fishermen, around her feast day on 16 July, when her statue is carried out to sea on a flotilla of decorated boats and the old harbour fills with music.
| Month | High | Low | Sea | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22°C | 14°C | 19°C | 3 mm |
| February | 22°C | 14°C | 18°C | 16 mm |
| March | 23°C | 15°C | 18°C | 10 mm |
| April | 24°C | 16°C | 19°C | 2 mm |
| May | 26°C | 18°C | 20°C | 0 mm |
| June | 27°C | 19°C | 21°C | 0 mm |
| July | 29°C | 21°C | 22°C | 0 mm |
| August | 31°C | 22°C | 22°C | 0 mm |
| September | 29°C | 21°C | 23°C | 0 mm |
| October | 28°C | 20°C | 23°C | 4 mm |
| November | 25°C | 17°C | 21°C | 7 mm |
| December | 22°C | 15°C | 20°C | 7 mm |
Temperatures are 2015 to 2024 averages from NOAA records for Lanzarote, 7 km away at 14 m. Rainfall is from Lanzarote/Aeropuerto, 8 km away and shows the typical (median) month, so one freak storm does not skew it. Sea temperatures: NOAA OISST, 1991 to 2020.
Sand, shingle and swimming
A string of golden coves inside the protected Los Ajaches area east of Playa Blanca, with clear, calm water. The road in is an unpaved track with a small charge for cars, or you can walk the coast path. Shade and facilities are scarce, so take water and a parasol.
Playa Blanca's central beach, where rock barriers offshore hold back the swell and the golden sand shelves gently. Sunbeds, cafés and the promenade are right behind it, which makes it an easy choice for families with small children.
The resort's main beach, a long curve of golden sand with a lifeguard post, sunbeds and a gradual entry. It gets busy in August, but there is room early in the day, and the small cove of Playa Chica just to the west is good for snorkelling.
Several kilometres of pale sand below the Risco de Famara, facing the full force of the Atlantic surf. Rip currents make it dangerous for casual swimming, so use it for a walk, to watch the surfers or for a lesson, and keep children at the water's edge.
White sand and shallow, clear lagoons trapped among black lava near Órzola in the far north. At low tide the water inside the lava rocks is calm and warm for paddling, which small children love, but there are no facilities, so bring shade and snacks.
Things to do
The Fire Mountains were formed by eruptions that lasted six years from 1730, and just below the surface the ground is still hot enough to set brushwood alight. The park's interior is seen from a coach route included in the ticket, and the entry queue grows through the morning, so arrive at opening.
The artist's own house at Tahíche, built into five volcanic bubbles in an old lava flow and now a gallery of his work. It explains the thinking behind everything else of his you will see on the island, so it makes a good first stop.
Manrique turned a collapsed lava tube into a still lagoon, a white-walled pool and a cave auditorium used for concerts. The lagoon is home to a species of tiny blind white crab, which is why throwing coins into the water is not allowed.
A guided walk through another stretch of the same lava tube, lit in reds and ochres, with low ceilings and uneven steps in places. The guides save a clever surprise for the end, so resist looking it up first, and skip it if enclosed spaces bother you.
A viewpoint Manrique built into the northern cliffs, with a glass-fronted café looking straight across the strait to La Graciosa. Go on a clear morning, since cloud can settle on the ridge.
Vines planted one by one in hollows dug through black volcanic ash, each sheltered by a curved stone wall. Several bodegas along the road open for tastings, so decide who is driving before you set off.
On the west coast, a half-eroded crater cradles a lagoon turned green by algae beside a black beach. Further south on the same road, waves surge up through lava caves at Los Hervideros and the Janubio salt pans spread out below. Late afternoon light suits it best.
The old capital fills with stalls every Sunday morning, from crafts and goat's cheese to cheap sunglasses. Coaches arrive mid-morning, so go early, or come back on a weekday to see the cobbled streets and old mansions in peace.
A ferry from Órzola crosses the strait to a small island with sand for streets and no tarmac roads. Hire a bike in Caleta de Sebo or walk to the beaches on the far side, and carry water, as there is little shade once you leave the village.
The clear Atlantic water suits beginners, with try-dives from the little cove at Playa Chica in Puerto del Carmen. Qualified divers can visit the Museo Atlántico, a field of underwater sculptures off Playa Blanca, but only with an authorised dive centre.
Food and drink
Lanzarote's signature white wine, from the ash-pit vines of La Geria. The dry versions suit grilled fish; the sweet ones are served with dessert or a plate of local cheese.
The seafront restaurants of this small west-coast village grill whatever the boats brought in, often cherne or sama, served simply with boiled potatoes. Book a table for sunset.
Sweet potatoes grown in the sandy plain of El Jable, which crosses the middle of the island. They turn up boiled beside fish, in stews and in soups.
Salt still harvested from the pans at Janubio on the west coast, sold in bags and jars around the island. It makes a light, useful souvenir for anyone who cooks.
Shape of the trip
Days 1 and 2
Settle in on Playa Grande, snorkel at Playa Chica and walk the seafront to the old harbour for a fish supper.
Day 3
Be at the gate for opening, then follow the coast road to El Golfo, Los Hervideros and the salt pans, stopping in La Geria for a tasting on the way back.
Day 4
Head north via the Fundación to Jameos del Agua and the Cueva de los Verdes, then the clifftop viewpoint, and drive home through Haría's valley of palms.
Day 5
Take an early boat from Órzola, cycle the sand tracks and swim from a quiet beach before the return crossing.
Days 6 and 7
Spend a day in the Papagayo coves, then keep the final morning for Teguise if it falls on a Sunday.
An idea to react to, not a fixed package. We shape the real thing around your dates, your pace and what the flights are doing that season.
Money
A Lanzarote week is priced by the school calendar, the resort and whether the room faces the sea. Playa Blanca's newer hotels usually cost more than Costa Teguise's for similar space, with Puerto del Carmen in between. The spend we rate most is a hire car for part of the week, because the volcanic park, the northern caves and the wine country are spread across the island and taxis add up. Entry to each Manrique site is paid at the gate, so a family planning several should allow for it.
Flights and transfers
Direct flights run year-round from Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle, and the airport-to-resort transfers are some of the shortest in the Canaries. It is an easy island to arrive on, and an easy one to explore by hire car, which suits it.
Flights from UK airports
Route check September 2026. Some routes are seasonal and schedules change, so we confirm the live options when we quote.
Practical details
Same time as the UK
Euro (€)
Spanish
Type C and F, 230V
On the right
Safe, but all of it is desalinated and most people drink bottled water for the taste
Not expected; leaving 5 to 10 percent for good restaurant service is appreciated
Entry for British passport holders
Visa. No visa needed for tourist stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area.
Passport. Issued less than 10 years before you arrive, and valid for at least 3 months after the day you leave the Schengen area.
The EU Entry/Exit System is now in use, so you may be asked to register your fingerprints and photo at the border on your first visit. It is free.
Summarised from the FCDO travel advice on gov.uk, checked 29 September 2026. Rules change: read the current entry requirements and the full travel advice before you go.
Questions we get asked
Not usually, but it is breezier than southern Tenerife or Gran Canaria, and the wind is strongest in high summer. Playa Blanca's beaches and the Papagayo coves are the most sheltered, while Costa Teguise and the north-west catch the most. The breeze hides the strength of the sun, so children burn faster than parents expect.
Puerto del Carmen if you want restaurants, bars and a long beach within walking distance of most hotels. Playa Blanca if you prefer calm evenings, newer hotels and sheltered water for small children, and do not mind a spread-out resort. For a first visit with older children, we usually lean towards Puerto del Carmen.
Yes, for at least two or three days. The roads are quiet and well signed, and the island is small enough to reach any corner in a morning. Buses link the resorts with Arrecife, but Timanfaya and the Manrique sites are awkward to reach by bus, and a coach excursion hurries you through them.
Parts of it are. The seafront promenades in Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise are long and mostly level, and many newer hotels have adapted rooms. The volcanic sights are harder, with steps, uneven ground and low ceilings in the lava caves. Check the exact position of any hotel, because some sit on steep slopes.
On the sheltered resort beaches: Playa Dorada and Playa Flamingo in Playa Blanca, Playa Grande in Puerto del Carmen and the Papagayo coves on calm days. The north and west coasts are another matter, with heavy surf and rip currents, especially at Famara. Obey the flags and take care on any beach without a lifeguard.
A week covers it well: four or five beach days plus two or three days exploring by car. The main sights are within an hour or so of each other, so you can see them all without changing hotel. Ten nights or more suits winter visitors who want slow days and a few long walks.
Photographs
Also worth a look
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