Located on the central coast, Puerto del Carmen is just a 10 minute car journey from Arrecife Airport and it is the biggest and busiest resort on Lanzarote, visited mostly by families, young couples
It can be divided quite easily into old and new areas. The modern face of Puerto del Carmen begins along the beachfront at the landmark hotel Los Fariones (Roque del Este). From here, 'The Strip', as Avenida de las Playa is known locally, is a 3km (2 mile) area with a procession of shops, bars, cafes, restaurants and night spots, overlooking the beach which has dark sand. North and inland of Los Fariones is the original part of town, which now has a significant amount holiday developments, but still has a few unspoiled areas. The old port, full of activity with fishing and pleasure boats, is a charming spot overlooked by restaurants and bars both new and old.
Playa Grande is the major beach in the town and is a wide length of dark sand which stretches for over 2 miles along the Avenida de las Playas, running into the outlying resorts of Los Pocillos and Matagorda. Diving is the main water sport. For other water based activities such as parasailing and Banana rides head to Playa Chica, an pretty sandy cove just north of the Los Fariones hotel.
Puerto del Carmen's main shopping street is the beachside Avenida de las Playas known locally as The Strip. It is mainly made up of an array of independent shops, selling what might be considered duty-free style goods, including perfume, alcohol and most discount electronic goods such as cameras, watches, games etc. The Biosfera Shopping Plaza located on the edge of both the old and new Town, is a sleek modern north-European-style shopping centre with many well known brands.
During the evening The Strip is the nightlife capital of Lanzarote and in season can get quite lively. The Centro Comercial Atlántico is the busiest spot, most notably at Waikiki Beach Club, Paradise Nightclub and Avenida de las Playas.
The old port tends to have the best atmosphere and often the most busy place to eat out. There are a number of good seafood restaurants here. Puerto Calero is a good choice if you want a change of surroundings from Puerto del Carmen. To see more information about the Restaurants click here.
Swimming, cycling and running are very popular in the area, with bike hire shops along the main beach promenade. The Lanzarote Ironman triathlon starts and finishes on The Strip, lending an air of anticipation to the resort every May / June.
Work is now at an advanced stage on the new golf course, just outside of Puerto del Carmen on the Road to Tias.
