Beaches in Puerto del Carmen

Puerto del Carmen was made for beach holidays. The island's most popular tourist resort boasts some of the best stretches of sand on Lanzarote.

Playa Grande

These golden grains run virtually unbroken for around 6km, from the Hotel San Antonio through to the Old Town Harbour, encompassing a number of beautiful coves and distinctly different beaches on the way.

In the other direction a further 9km of beach runs through Los Pocillos to Matagorda. But the beaches in Puerto del Carmen generally offer a bit more shelter from any prevailing wind. And all are within walking distance of each other, making it easy to beach hop between them.

Best For Kids

As the name suggests the Blue Flag beach Playa Grande is the resorts longest individual stretch of sand, clocking in at around 1.2km.

The beach here shelves very gently into the sea, which makes it perfect for toddlers and young children. The sea here is also usually very calm with little current, so paddling and swimming is very safe.

The beach is cleaned daily and boasts loads of amenities such as sun-beds and parasols, first aid facilities, toilets, showers and snack machines. You can even hire one of the slightly scary looking giant swan pedaloes.

For families with young kids Playa Grande is the number one pick from the point of view of both safety and facilities.

This is Puerto del Carmen’s main beach so you can expect it to get crowded during peak holiday periods.

Best For Watersports

Playa Chica is a pretty little cove tucked away at the Hotel Fariones end of the resorts main strip. The small beach and bay are surrounded by volcanic rock formations, making it perfect for snorkeling and diving. There is even a dive school located right on the beach should you fancy taking the plunge.

Next to the beach there’s a small jetty, which local kids never seem to tire of jumping off. Watch them make a splash from one of the tables at the good quality restaurant situated on the jetty.

Alternatively, get involved yourself. The water sports school next to the restaurant offers the usual array of adrenalin inducing activities such as Jet skiing, parascending and banana boating.

Best For Restaurants

If you’re looking to enjoy a memorable meal at a beachfront restaurant then you can’t beat Restaurant Terrazza Playa.

Whilst many eateries in Puerto del Carmen offer great views of the beach few can claim to be actually situated right on the sand.

But the Terrazza Playa sits beneath mature palms on a small slice of beach, making it a popular venue with tourists for both lunch and dinner.

The kitchen here serves up all of the usual local specialties and plenty of fresh fish and the friendly staff are particularly good at coping with young kids.

The entrance to the restaurant can be a little hard to find as it’s down a set of stairs opposite Lani’s Indian Restaurant. Despite this tucked away location the Terrazza Playa is usually very busy, especially for dinner, so it’s advisable to book.

Smaller Beaches

Best For Escaping The Crowds

If you want to escape the bucket and spade brigade and the more crowded main beaches then explore one of the resorts more peaceful coves.

At the start of the strip, just past the Hotel San Antonio, lies a series of small beaches. In between the shops on the beach side of the road you’ll find steps at various points, leading down to small stretches of sand. Sometimes these little beaches are swallowed up by the tide. So just join the locals and sit on the rocks instead; which makes a surprisingly comfortable, sand-free perch.

Alternatively, check out the beach that sits in front of the Hotel Fariones. Like all beaches on the island this is open to the public. And the hotel's palm-packed gardens make a stunning backdrop. To access this beach just follow the path through the rocks to the left side of the beach at Playa Chica.