Lanzarote holiday guide: best resorts, beaches, Timanfaya & winter sun

A By Anna · Updated 20 October 2026 · 3 min read

Airports

Lanzarote (ACE), near Arrecife

Best time to go

All year; October-April for winter sun

Type

Island

Lanzarote looks like nowhere else in Europe. Eruptions in the 18th century covered a quarter of the island in lava, leaving fields of black rock, red volcanic cones and vines grown in hollows of ash. The artist César Manrique then shaped the island's look, campaigning against high-rise building and creating some extraordinary attractions inside caves and lava tubes. Add reliable sunshine and golden beaches, and it is a favourite for winter sun.

Flights take about 4h15 from London, with direct routes from most UK airports all year. The Canary Islands are on the same time as the UK, plugs are European two-pin and traffic drives on the right. For the island group, see our Canary Islands guide and Spain guide.

Where to stay

• Puerto del Carmen – the biggest and liveliest resort, with a 6-km strip of sandy beaches, the Avenida de las Playas promenade and a charming old harbour. Good for everyone, and especially couples and groups.
• Playa Blanca – a newer, calmer resort in the south with a marina, family hotels and the best beaches nearby. Ideal for families and couples.
• Costa Teguise – a resort north of Arrecife with sheltered beaches, a water park and good windsurfing. Popular with families and active travellers.
• Puerto Calero – a small, upmarket marina village next to Puerto del Carmen. Best for couples.
• Inland villages and Famara – rural cottages around Haría or Teguise and surfing on Famara beach, for a quieter, more local stay.

Things to do

1. Timanfaya National Park – the "Mountains of Fire", visited by coach tour from the Islote de Hilario visitor centre, where staff show off the heat just below the surface. Book or arrive early in peak season.
2. Jameos del Agua – Manrique's concert hall, pool and garden built into a lava tube.
3. Cueva de los Verdes – a guided walk through a volcanic cave next to Jameos del Agua.
4. Mirador del Río – a clifftop viewpoint over the island of La Graciosa.
5. Papagayo beaches – golden coves on a protected coast east of Playa Blanca, reached by dirt track (a small vehicle charge applies) or boat.
6. El Golfo and Los Hervideros – a green lagoon below a red crater and crashing waves in lava caves.
7. La Geria – vineyards where vines grow in black ash pits; try the local Malvasía wine.
8. Teguise Sunday market and La Graciosa – the island's biggest market, and a ferry from Órzola to a sandy, car-free island.

Best time to visit

Rain is rare, but the island can be windy, which keeps summer comfortable and makes Famara a surfing hotspot. February half-term, Easter and Christmas are the priciest weeks.

Getting there

Lanzarote airport (ACE) is beside Arrecife, roughly in the middle of the island. Approximate transfer times: Puerto del Carmen 10 minutes, Costa Teguise 15 minutes, Puerto Calero 20 minutes, Playa Blanca about 35 minutes. Buses run from the airport to Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca. Ferries from Playa Blanca reach Corralejo on Fuerteventura in about 25–35 minutes.

Getting around

Arrecife Bus links the resorts with Arrecife and some sights, but services to Timanfaya and the north are limited. A hire car for a few days is the easiest way to explore, and roads are quiet and well kept. Coach tours cover the main sights if you prefer not to drive.

Lanzarote is mid-priced. Allow about €60–100 a day per person for food and activities, and consider a combined ticket for the Manrique sites.

Top attractions in Lanzarote

Landmark

Alhambra

A hilltop palace-fortress of carved stucco, tiled courtyards and water gardens, the Alhambra is the high point of…

Landmark

Park Güell

Gaudí's hillside park of mosaic benches, gingerbread-style lodges and a famous dragon, with sweeping views over…

Museum

Prado Museum

One of the world's great art museums, the Prado holds Spain's royal collection, from Velázquez's Las Meninas to Goya's…

Landmark

Real Alcázar

A dazzling Mudéjar palace and gardens in the heart of Seville, still used by the Spanish royal family and famous as the…

Landmark

Sagrada Família

Gaudí's unfinished basilica, with its forest-like nave and glowing stained glass, is Barcelona's must-book sight.

Nature

Serra de Tramuntana

A UNESCO-listed mountain range of stone villages, olive terraces and hairpin roads along Mallorca's north-west coast.

Lanzarote on the map

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