Essentials

If you are planning on booking one of our Lanzarote villas or apartments you may have a few queries that they'd like to clear up before you arrive. Such as where to get the best exchange rate, what are the shop opening hours and what to do in the event of an emergency.  

Arrecife Airport

Arrecife Airport isn’t in fact in Arrecife at all. The airport is known locally as Guacimeta and is located equidistantly between the resort of Puerto del Carmen and the capital city of Arrecife. Both are no more than 10 minutes from the airport by taxi.

See Transfers below for estimated journey times to other resorts on the island.

Visit our Arrecife Airport page for more detailed information about the airport and the facilities there.

More Info

Banks

Generally, open from 8.30am until 14.00pm, Monday to Friday.

All banks are happy to exchange your sterling (or travellers cheques) for Euros and generally speaking you are likely to get a better rate here than if you exchange your money before leaving the UK.

You will also usually get a better exchange rate here than at your hotel reception.
You can check rates on the display boards in each bank. There is little to no variation between the rates that different banks offer.

Some banks will ask you to present your passport in order to process the transaction.

Some banks charge commission – ask before making the transaction.

Cash point machines are located at reasonably frequent intervals throughout all of the main resorts.

Bureau De Change

Bureau de Change offices are situated in the three main resorts and offer rates that are competitive with the local banks.

A number of shops – such as those selling electrical goods - also offer an exchange facility. Their rates can appear competitive – usually because they solely advertise the higher rate for travel ler’s cheques. Make sure you are on the ball and don’t expect a receipt if you use this sort of facility.

Buses

Cheap and reasonably reliable if you are in the main resorts along the south east coast of the island but less so within the island interior.

See our bus timetables here.

For sightseeing, we recommend hiring a car. Car hire and petrol here is cheap but your holiday time here is precious. So you probably don’t want to spend it hanging around at bus stops.

Christmas Opening

Most supermarkets and restaurants in Lanzarote open as per normal throughout the Christmas period.

Crossing Roads

Unlike the UK or Ireland drivers here are not obliged to stop for you at what pass for pedestrian crossings. So don´t just step out and expect them to stop. Wait for a break in the traffic instead.

Dimensions & Distances

Lanzarote is a small island – which makes everything here very accessible and sightseeing easy.

The island covers a square area of just 846 km – making it possible to drive from one end to the other in around an hour or so.

Driving

Apart from the obvious fact that you need to drive on the opposite side of the road there are, as you would expect, a number of other cultural differences.
For example, indicating is deemed optional and lane discipline at roundabouts is non-existent.

But don’t be put off. Once you get out of the resorts and off the bigger roads there’s hardly any traffic to contend with anyway.  

Electricity

The electrical system is different to the UK or Ireland – utilising two pin connector plugs operating at 220 volts.

So you will need to buy an adaptor plug to use any appliances that you bring with you. These are readily available in most supermarkets on the island.

Electrical Goods

Buyer Beware. Especially when it comes to buying electrical goods on Lanzarote.

There are plenty of electrical shops in the resorts offering tempting looking deals on goods such as digital cameras. And whilst not all of them are untrustworthy there are probably more complaints made about these retailers than any other issue.

So unless you really know what you’re doing – don’t bother.

Insects

As in most hot countries mosquitoes and flies are present and can be a nuisance. But unless you are allergic that’s all they are really and can usually be dealt with by use of mosquito repellant and plug-ins.

Cockroaches can also crop up – but again they come with the territory here.

Internet Access

Is now available as standard in most hotels and apartments – although more often than not in a designated area rather than within bedrooms.

There are also Internet cafes and WiFi hotspots in the three main resorts.

Maps

Visit our Lanzarote Map page for a fully interactive map.

Opening Hours

In resort, most shops are open from 9.00am until 20.00pm. Many supermarkets are open even later than this. Out of resort, in Arrecife for example, shops close from 14.00pm-17.00pm.

Petrol

Far cheaper than in the UK. There are petrol stations located in and round the three main resorts.

Pharmacies

There are a number of pharmacies located in all three of the main resorts – as indicated by the large green illuminated crosses.

There is a duty pharmacy open seven days a week, so in the event of an emergency consult reception at your accommodation.

Post Offices

There are main Post Offices located in all three main resorts of Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca and Puerto del Carmen.

Stamps

Are available from most supermarkets and usually from the reception area of your accommodation.

However, you usually have to buy a postcard first as many will not sell stamps separately.

Taxis

Taxis are metered. They can be flagged down in the street as in the UK when the green light on the roof of the vehicle is on.

Taxi queues at the airport can be lengthy – especially on main changeover days such as Thursdays.

Telephones

Public telephones are located throughout the main resorts.

Telephone Code

If calling a Lanzarote number from either the UK or Ireland you will need to add the prefix 0034.

Time

Unlike mainland Spain, Lanzarote runs on Greenwich Mean Time. So there is no need to adjust your watch.

Transfer Times

From Arrecife Airport by Taxi:

To Costa Teguise 15-20mins
To Matagorda 5-10 mins
To Playa Blanca 35-40 mins
To Puerto Calero 15-20 mins
To Puerto del Carmen 10-15mins

Vaccinations

No inoculations are required.

Visas

EU passport holders do not need a visa to enter Lanzarote.

Water

Wash in it, bathe in it, brush your teeth in it ….but don’t drink it. It’s not dirty or contaminated in any way, it’s just desalinated and not designed for consumption. Bottled water is much, much cheaper than the UK – especially if you buy the large 5 litre bottles sold in the supermarkets.

Weather

When’s the best time of year to visit? What´s the weather like in any given month? How hot does it get?

Visit our Climate page for more detailed information.

Lanzarote is a year round, sunshine destination with very low rainfall. The temperature rarely falls below 68-70º F  – so you can enjoy a beach holiday here any time of year. And that includes all of the months when Northern Europe is in the depths of winter.

But, just like any other part of the world these days weather conditions are not as predictable as they once were. And even Lanzarote can have cloudy, grey days.
You are, as a rule, more likely to get hot sunny weather during the summer months.

And most long-term residents would agree that September and October are probably the best months of the year weather wise. As the trade winds that blow through March-August have usually dropped by then.

But it’s like any other holiday – you pay your money and you take your choice!