The Canary Islands are a playground for Brits seeking winter sunshine- and by the time February rolls around, my family and I are in desperate need of some Vitamin D. Warm all year-round, Lanzarote is an island we return to again and again, as it ticks every box for a relaxing getaway from the UK.
Lanzarote is our favourite winter-escape to simply eat good food, relax and spend some quality time together as a family.
In saying that, there’s no shortage of activities. We’ve enjoyed island hopping, hiking, a water park, a wildlife park, glass-bottom boat trips, and a booze cruise.
We’ve been to Lanzarote four times now, and while, yes, it’s a busy island, the atmosphere is buzzing. We’ve travelled to Lanzarote both as a couple (pre-Alex!) and with our toddler.
Here are 12 tips for planning a trip to Lanzarote. If you’re travelling from the UK- these tips will be particularly helpful!
12 Lanzarote Travel Tips
1. Get to know the towns in Lanzarote
There are three main towns in Lanzarote: Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise. My favourite place to stay is Puerto del Carmen– it’s the biggest town of the three, and it’s right next to the airport.
Overall, I find the food options better, and because there are more restaurants, there tends to be more availability. There’s also a large shopping centre if you fancy getting out of the heat and into an air-conditioned building!
Playa Blanca is smaller and has a more boutique vibe. I really enjoyed our stay here, but found there were fewer food options and it was harder to get a walk-in table for a group.
We haven’t stayed in Costa Teguise yet (we love PDC), but we have done a day trip here from Puerto del Carmen. It’s only a 22-minute drive or 1 hour by bus.
2. Where to book your holiday
When it comes to booking flights or packages from the UK, Jet2 is my top pick.
If you’re travelling with kids, Jet2 offers 1x free child space! So they are a brilliant option for families.
They’re also my top pick for flights (if you’re booking your accommodation separately).
3. How to find cheap deals to Lanzarote
If you want to bag a cheap trip to Lanzarote and you have the flexibility, try booking a trip at the last minute. For example, I looked at flights to Lanzarote for January just a few weeks prior, and the cost was £160 return for two adults and one child!
Jet2 packages also tend to be cheaper if you book 1-2 weeks in advance. Many packages that cost £800 – £1000 (for 5 nights) for two adults dropped in price to £600 – £800 when booking 1-2 weeks, or even a few days in advance.
Of course, the risk of leaving it so late is that you may miss out on particular accommodation (if you had a place in mind), so the key is to be open-minded and flexible. But it’s a great way to bag a bargain if you’re on a budget!
If packages are too expensive, you could always look at booking your flights with Jet2 (they are a lot cheaper at the last minute) and look at apartments on Booking.com. I regularly see apartments for less than £500 for 5 nights – so doing it this way may work out slightly cheaper than a package.
4. Where to find up-to-date information
For the most up-to-date travel advice and reviews, join a few Lanzarote Facebook groups. There are also Facebook groups specific to Playa Blanca, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise.
5. Be prepared
Make a note of where doctors and hospitals are located, in case of any emergencies.
Always travel with travel insurance. I use StaySure.
6. Tips for staying hydrated
Drink plenty of water and pack rehydrating sachets with you. It can get very hot in Lanzarote – even in the shoulder months, and heatstroke and/or dehydration is common. I get my rehydration sachets from Amazon.
Do not drink the tap water, as it isn’t suitable for drinking. You can easily pick up large bottles of water from supermarkets and shops (such as Spar). Bottled water is cheap.
7. Using money and credit cards in Lanzarote
The currency in Lanzarote is Euros (€).
We typically just get cash out from an ATM when we arrive. The majority of the time, we pay by card or Apple Pay as it’s easier and widely accepted.
If you’re in the UK, Monzo and Revolut are online banks that don’t charge any fees when using your card in Europe. They also charge using the current exchange rate.
Both banks are excellent – I have both (I use Monzo for my everyday banking) and so does my husband- it all comes down to preference. With Revolut, you can also keep an eye on the exchange rate at home, and transfer your pounds into Euros when the rate is good!
Avoid using Amex as you’ll be charged a 3% transaction fee.
8. How to find the best places to eat
Read the reviews of restaurants before you go! Some places in Lanzarote are really hit or miss. It’s important that you read the most recent reviews in order to make a decision.
I typically only eat at restaurants with a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Google Reviews, or higher. Sometimes I’ll try something rated 4 stars out of 5 if it looks nice.
We’ve also been pleasantly surprised by restaurants with average reviews – we had a fantastic meal at a restaurant rated 3.9 out of 5 on Google, so sometimes it pays to be adventurous.
TripAdvisor is a good place to find reviews as well.
I’ve created a map of all the restaurants we enjoyed in Lanzarote – check it out below.
9. Tipping
Tipping in Lanzarote is customary. I recommend tipping 10% for a good meal.
10. Tips for travelling with kids
Lanzarote is very family-friendly, and kids are allowed in bars and pubs. There are lots of family-friendly resorts too.
We love visiting Rancho Texas with our son Alex. It’s part wildlife park, part water park!
11. Get off the beaten path
There are many hidden beaches and remote villages to discover on Lanzarote, and the best way to explore these is by hiring a car.
Car hire is inexpensive on the island, the main pickup point being the airport.
12. Explore neighbouring islands
For an extra adventure in the Canary Islands, try visiting at least one of Lanzarote’s neighbouring islands. It’s just a 30-minute ferry journey to Fuerteventura from Playa Blanca, and La Graciosa in the north is a short ferry crossing.
GetYourGuide has a variety of tours to both of these islands. We particularly enjoyed this Catamaran cruise to La Graciosa!
Do you have a question about visiting Lanzarote? Leave me a comment and I’ll try my best to answer!
