Things to Do in Lanzarote Puerto del Carmen: Sights and Beaches

If you only pick a handful of things, make one of them Los Volcanes Natural Park. It is the island's protected volcanic landscape, around 6 miles from the resort in the municipality of Tías, and it is the sight that makes Lanzarote feel unlike anywhere else you will holiday in Spain. Closer to the hotels, Rancho Texas Park, a zoo about a mile from the centre, is the obvious half-day out.

The rest of the best things to do in Lanzarote Puerto del Carmen are gentler. Fariones Playa is the beach nearest the old part of town, under a mile away, while Playa de los Pocillos opens out about 2 miles along the coast. For something different, the Lanzarote Aeronautical Museum, around 4 miles away, and the aircraft landing viewpoint at Matagorda make a natural pairing, given how close the runway sits to the shore.

Puerto del Carmen itself, a town of around 30,000 people, covers the beach side of things. Fariones Playa sits closest to the centre, Playa de los Pocillos is a short way east and Rancho Texas Park is about a mile out. You can do most of this on foot or with a quick taxi, which is why plenty of people never hire a car at all.

Tías, about 3 miles away, is the municipality the resort belongs to, and several of the more interesting stops fall within it. Playa de Matagorda, roughly 2.5 miles from the centre, is the beach nearest the airport, and the Matagorda landing viewpoint is around 3 miles away. The Lanzarote Aeronautical Museum and Los Volcanes Natural Park are both counted under Tías too, so a day spent between them makes an easy loop.

For day trips in Lanzarote Puerto del Carmen is well placed: the ferry port at Arrecife is about 6 miles away, Playa Blanca about 11 miles and Corralejo about 18 miles, so a boat excursion can be added to a week without much travelling.

Rancho Texas Park is the clear family choice, a zoo about a mile from the centre, so it is easy to fit around beach time and nap times. The three town beaches, Fariones Playa, Playa de los Pocillos and Playa de Matagorda, give children plenty of room to dig and paddle.

Aviation-mad children tend to love the Matagorda landing viewpoint and the Lanzarote Aeronautical Museum, both short drives away, and the landscape of Los Volcanes Natural Park will hold older children's attention better than you might expect. In July and August highs reach 27°C to 29°C, so plan the outings for the cooler morning hours.

This page lists tours and tickets for the area, with activities offered in both Puerto del Carmen and Tías, so you can compare fun things to do in Lanzarote Puerto del Carmen and book before you fly or once you know the weather. Car hire comparison is here too if you want to reach the natural park, museum and viewpoint on your own schedule.

If you are still choosing the holiday itself, packages bundling flights from the UK, hotel and transfers are shown alongside hotel prices. With the airport six minutes away, the transfer is the shortest part of the trip. Expect prices to rise in the school holidays, so booking early for those weeks pays off.