Lanzarote, Canary Islands: Resorts, Weather and Getting There

Lanzarote is a compact, dry island where almost everything grows out of old lava. The headline sight is Timanfaya National Park, close to the coastal hamlet of El Golfo, with the Los Volcanes Natural Park stretching out near Tías. Caves, cactus and craters do the work that forests and rivers do elsewhere: the Cueva de los Naturalistas sits by San Bartolomé, and the Jardín de Cactus fills an old setting at Guatiza.

If you are drawing up a list of things to see and do in Lanzarote, culture sits alongside the scenery. The Fundación César Manrique is at Nazaret, near the Archaeological area of Zonzamas, while the Fortress of Saint Barbara looks down over Teguise. Arrecife has the Castillo de San José and the Museo Internacional de Arte Contemporáneo, and families tend to head for Rancho Texas Park in Puerto del Carmen.

Puerto del Carmen is the biggest and busiest resort, a town of around 30,000 people with the long sands of Playa de los Pocillos and neighbouring Playa de Matagorda towards Tías. It is the closest resort to the airport, six minutes by road, which makes it the default for short breaks and families who want an easy arrival.

Playa Blanca, on the southern tip, is the second most searched resort and has its own ferry port. Costa Teguise, on the east coast, is smaller and quieter, with Playa del Jablillo and Playa de los Charcos, and the Royal Residence of La Mareta, used by the Spanish royal family, on its edge.

Arrecife is a proper town rather than a resort, home to over 61,000 people and five minutes from the airport. It suits travellers who want museums, the Castillo de San José and a ferry port on the doorstep, rather than a sunbed strip.

There is no bad month here. Daytime highs at Puerto del Carmen sit at 21°C in January and February, climb to 25°C by April and peak at 29°C in August, with 28°C still showing in October. Nights rarely drop below 15°C, even in midwinter.

Rain is light all year. February is the wettest month at around 17mm, and March has the most rainy days at five; from July to September you can expect roughly one wet day a month. If you want to check the temp in Lanzarote now before you pack, a live forecast will tell you more than any average, but the temp Lanzarote records across the year explains why winter sun is its speciality.

Lanzarote Airport (ACE) has direct flights from the United Kingdom and lies right on the doorstep of the main resorts. Tías is about four minutes away by road, San Bartolomé and Arrecife about five, and Puerto del Carmen around six. Few holiday islands offer transfers this short.

If you fancy exploring, car hire opens up Timanfaya, Haría in the north and the coast at El Golfo. Ferry ports at Arrecife and Playa Blanca connect the island with its neighbours, including the port of Corralejo.

Most British travellers book Lanzarote as a package: flight, hotel and transfer bundled together, with board basis ranging from self-catering to all inclusive. Given the short drive from the airport, the transfer is a small part of the trip. Expect prices to rise over the UK school holidays, so it pays to compare dates.

On this page you can compare package deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach, which helps if you were searching for Lanzarote Jet2 options alongside other operators. You can also check hotel prices, browse tours and tickets for sights like Timanfaya, and compare car hire for days out.