Villas in Lanzarote

Playa Blanca in the south suits families who want calm beaches and an easy ferry to Fuerteventura. Puerto del Carmen is the choice for restaurants and a long beach promenade, while Caleta de Famara and the north-east villages suit surfers and anyone after quiet. Lanzarote is often windy, especially in summer, and you will want a car.

Where

Villas: 114
From, per week: £475
Cheapest month: July
Nearest airports: Lanzarote Airport (Arrecife, code ACE) is the only airport, on the east coast next to Playa Honda and about 5 kilometres from Arrecife. Flights from London take around four hours. Ferries link Playa Blanca with Corralejo on Fuerteventura.

Where to stay in Lanzarote

Playa Blanca (south)

Most of our Lanzarote villas are here. The town has a seafront promenade, the Marina Rubicón and small sandy beaches, and the Papagayo coves sit just east in the protected Los Ajaches area, reached by an unpaved track with a small charge per car. Ferries cross to Corralejo on Fuerteventura in around 25 to 35 minutes. Lanzarote airport is about 40 minutes away.

Best for: Families who want sheltered beaches and plenty of restaurants nearby

Not for you if: You want old-town character: Playa Blanca is a modern, spread-out resort and quiet after dark.

Puerto del Carmen and Tías

Puerto del Carmen is the island's main resort, with a seafront avenue of around seven kilometres, the big sandy beach of Playa Grande and an old harbour with fish restaurants. Villas tend to sit on the slopes above the resort or around Tías, a short drive inland. It is a popular base for diving. The airport is around 15 minutes away.

Best for: Couples and families who want a lively resort with a long beach

Not for you if: You want peace and quiet: the main strip is busy with bars and restaurants year-round.

Playa Honda (by the airport)

Playa Honda is a residential town with a long sandy beach and a seafront promenade, five minutes from the airport and a short drive from Arrecife, the island's capital. It feels local rather than touristy, with shops and restaurants used by residents. Timanfaya and the beaches of the south are both within about 40 minutes.

Best for: Short stays and late arrivals who want to be near the airport

Not for you if: Aircraft noise would bother you: Playa Honda sits right beside the airport and under the flight path.

Costa Teguise (east)

Costa Teguise has several beaches: Playa de las Cucharas is the biggest and a well-known windsurfing spot, while Playa del Jablillo is small and sheltered by breakwaters. The old town of Teguise, a few kilometres inland, holds a big Sunday market. The airport is around 15 to 20 minutes away.

Best for: Windsurfers and families who want a compact resort near the airport

Not for you if: You want calm water every day: Playa de las Cucharas is known for wind.

Guatiza and Charco del Palo (north-east)

This is a rural corner of farmland and old lava fields. Guatiza is home to César Manrique's Jardín de Cactus, his last project, and is close to the Jameos del Agua and the lush valley at Haría. Charco del Palo has no sandy beach; bathing is from sheltered coves along a rocky shore. Expect a drive of around 30 minutes to the airport.

Best for: Couples who want quiet villages, sea views and space

Not for you if: You are not a naturist: Charco del Palo is an official naturist village where clothing is optional everywhere.

Caleta de Famara and Tinajo (north-west)

Caleta de Famara is a low-key village of sandy streets at the foot of the Famara cliffs, beside a beach of around two kilometres that is one of the island's main surf spots. Tinajo, inland to the south-west, is a quiet farming town on the edge of the Timanfaya volcanic landscape. Both are around 25 to 30 minutes from the airport.

Best for: Surfers, walkers and anyone who wants wild scenery

Not for you if: You want gentle swimming: Famara faces the open Atlantic, with waves and strong currents.

When to go to Lanzarote

Lanzarote is warm all year, which makes it one of Europe's most reliable winter-sun islands. November to March is mild and sunny but the sea is cool and some days are breezy. Christmas and February half-term are busy and book up early. July and August are hot and the trade winds blow hardest, which suits windsurfers more than sunbathers. May, June, September and October bring warm weather with fewer crowds. Rain is rare at any time of year.