How to make the most of Lanzarote in 72 hours
The Canary Islands are an all-year-round destination, offering UK holidaymakers endless winter sun. Jodie and Alex from the Villa Plus team travelled to the island at the end of March 2022 to see what it had to offer, and were not disappointed! Here’s the story of their holiday experience…
After four hours of in-flight chatting, before we knew it, we were descending onto the runway into sunny Lanzarote. There is no better feeling than getting off the aircraft and being greeted by the warm Spanish air hitting your face and filling you with vitamin D.
Lanzarote airport is fairly small, so we were through passport control and baggage collection within just half an hour, which kept things nice and simple. We didn’t have a hire car to pick up, so we left the arrivals hall and jumped into one of the many taxis queued up outside the airport to head to our villa in Matagorda, Villa Kikay. The area of Matagorda is only a short five-minute drive from the airport, and the cab ride cost us around €11.
Our centrally-located villa offered three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a heated pool and a great location in Matagorda – just a five-minute walk from the main shopping centre and beachfront. We arrived at our villa quite late in the evening, so we unpacked our bags, freshened up and headed out to explore the immediate area and get our bearings. We found a lovely restaurant on the beachfront, where we had dinner and a cocktail before heading back to our villa for the night.
Visiting Puerto del Carmen
The next morning, we were up and ready for our first full day of exploring! On went the walking shoes, and off we went with a coffee in hand for a 45-minute walk along the beach front from Matagorda to Puerto del Carmen. There is a long promenade which follows the coastline all the way around from one resort to the other. Here you’ll find great shopping, restaurants and cafes along the walk – perfect for a quick pit stop to admire the views.
Puerto del Carmen is nestled on the coast in the southern central part of the island, and is only a 10-minute drive from the airport. The main Avenida de Las Playas, fondly known as “The Strip”, offers bars, restaurants, shopping, supermarkets, car hire and duty-free shopping. The strip has something to offer everyone – whether you’re travelling as a family, couple, or with friends.
We found Puerto Del Carmen to be the largest resort on the island. It spans four miles across three golden sand beaches. Playa Grande Beach was clearly the heart of the resort – a mile-long stretch backed by many bars and restaurants. At one end of the strip is the Old Town and harbour, where you can enjoy traditional tapas and the catch of the day at the many eateries on offer. At the other end of the strip is a more lively scene, with plenty of bars and restaurants open until the early hours.
Towards the end of our second day in Puerto Del Carmen, we found a beautiful and very picturesque award-winning seafront bar called ‘Café La Ola’, with stunning uninterrupted sunset views, a range of cocktails and delicious dining options. Alex and I shared a jug of the most incredible sangria while playing cards and watching the sun set.
As we had chosen to visit Lanzarote in March, the evenings were a little chilly, so once the sun had gone down, we left to find a taverna where we both enjoyed traditional garlic prawn tapas, along with some paella. After a busy day of exploring, we found a taxi along the strip and were back at our home from home in just 15 minutes.
Touring Playa Blanca
On our final day, we met up with our very friendly and helpful resort manager Lyn, who kindly drove us from Matagorda to Playa Blanca, which takes around 30 minutes. If you’re in Lanzarote, then Playa Blanca is definitely worth a visit. If you do not have car hire, don’t worry, as you’re able to take a local bus, with travel times of just an hour.
Our overall impression of Playa Blanca was that it seemed more upmarket, with luxury bars and hotels overlooking the fantastic sandy beaches. We found the main bars and restaurants to be busier than Matagorda, but quieter than Puerto Del Carmen. For us, it really was the perfect mix of the two resorts! If you wanted to, you can actually get a ferry from Playa Blanca to Fuerteventura and do a bit of island hopping for the day! It only takes around 30 minutes, and costs approximately €40.
One of the absolute highlights of Playa Blanca was the Marina Rubicon. This luxurious leisure hub is a great place to try some water sports or simply wander around in the evenings.
Overall, both Alex and I had an amazing three days in Lanzarote, and fell in love with Playa Blanca in particular! We will certainly be visiting again.
Have Alex and Jodie inspired you to take a trip to this gorgeous island? Explore our range of quality villas in Lanzarote, and start planning your next dream getaway today!