Puerto del Carmen

Puerto del Carmen is the longest established, and probably best known, resort on the island of Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain. It is situated in the southern-central part of the island, some 10 minutes away from the international airport. Most of Lanzarote’s over 1 million visitors per year choose this town as their destination.

Just 20 years ago, Puerto del Carmen was nothing more than a tiny fishing village with a few fishermens houses huddled around the harbour, now known as the “Old Town”. The boom began in the 60’s when the Hotel Fariones and the Hotel San Antonio were built, which would mark the future of the area.

Puerto del Carmen has almost 6 kilometres of golden sandy beaches, with everything on hand including watersports, glass bottom boat trips, as well as countless shops, bars and restaurants located along the Avenida de Las Playas.

All of the beaches fly the Blue Flag for cleanliness and lack of contamination. The surrounding waters are considered to be some of the most tranquil in the Canary Islands, they are excellent for swimming and other water sports. That is why Puerto del Carmen is host to a large number of dive and scuba dive centres. Water temperatures vary from 19 degrees in the winter to 23 degrees in the summer and visibility averages over 25 meters to 30 meters.

Puerto del Carmen also has Lanzarote’s busiest nightlife, with plenty of live music and disco bars. The main centres of Nightlife in Puerto del Carmen are the Centro Atlantico on the Avenida de las Playas (the main strip) and the area near the Harbour (the ‘Old Town’).

The Biosfera Plaza is Puerto del Carmen’s shopping hub, with four floors of shops, restaurants and various amusements that overlook the old town Puerto del Carmen. This outstanding shopping has 46 establishments with the latest collections of top market brands. For entertainment, the amusement arcade and play park are very popular with youngsters and at the top of the centre you’ll find a pool hall and a mini-golf course, both offering plenty of fun for all ages. In winter, the ice-skating rink is a great activity for everyone to enjoy. There is also quite a few dining options too, with an Italian, Spanish and bar restaurant offering tasty meals for those looking for lunch and dinner, or if you simply fancy a light snack then there are several cafés that offer a place for a shopping break.

Among the major events that take place in Puerto del Carmen are the Carnival Parade (usually in February), Ironman (May), Puerto del Carmen Triathlon, Festival of Nuestra Señora del Carmen (end of July) and tennis championships at both Fariones Sports Club and Match Point Club.