Lanzarote is an excellent choice for a holiday if you’re looking for fun in the sun. Its position just west of Morocco in the Canary Islands means that the weather and temperatures stay pleasant even when the UK is freezing! It’s an amazing place to be in summer if your family like things hot.
Lanzarote is a wonderfully diverse island, with almost lunar-looking volcanic slopes (perfect for blazing a trail on a mountain bike), old-world fishing villages and modern water parks that kids and adults alike simply cannot resist.
In this blog post, I’ll be talking about Costa Teguise, a town on the east coast. This town entices families with its long sandy beaches and exciting aquatic activities – perfect for kids who want to make a splash.
The Main Beach: Playa de Las Cucharas
Las Cucharas Beach is one of the big draws of this side of the island. It has lighter winds that those you’ll find closer to Puerto del Carmen in the south, and provides extra shelter which is handy for the little ones. Thankfully, the calmness of this beach means that the sun-toasted white sand mostly stays down on the beach instead of up in your face.
A Beach of Two Halves
They call Las Cucharas Beach this the most complete shoreline in Costa Teguise. The reason for this is that each side of the 650m stretch of sand offers different kinds of fun:
- Parents with young children should start with the northern side, where the reefs off the coast lend shelter from the Atlantic currents and create calm, shallow waters, ideal for smaller swimmers or those just old enough to go for a paddle.
- On the southern side, there are stronger winds and more active seas, and if you want to make the most of them, it’s a great place for surfing and windsurfing as well as scuba diving offshore (more on these later…).
- Linking the two are facilities such as sheltered gardens, shops and bars situated along the promenade – a great place to dry off, stretch your legs and maybe go for a bite to eat.
The Fishing Village: Pueblo Marinero
The main square of Costa Teguise centres around the town’s traditional fishing trade. The architecture, largely attributed to eminent local architect César Manrique, is traditional Canarian through and through, with clean lines, white walls and vibrant splashes of colour in green, blue and yellow-painted carpentry.
There’s plenty happening here for people of all ages:
- Wednesday and Friday are market days – if you come here in the evening, you’ll be greeted with stallholders selling the finest local fare and souvenirs. Why not stay for dinner while you’re there? There a number of great eateries surrounding the square.
- There are plenty of gardens for a cool walk if you or the kids need to get out of the sun for a while. The colourful gardens also provide great photo opportunities, so don’t forget your camera!
- The square is the best place in town to experience the local nightlife, with a wide range of eateries and bars set around the spacious patios.
Water Sports and Water Parks
As mentioned earlier, Costa Teguise has a wide range of aquatic activities for older kids and teens (and adventurous adults). There are plenty of places from which you can hire equipment or purchase introductory lessons, so trying out a new sport is encouraged! Try windsurfing, kayaking, paddle boarding and a whole host of other activities.
Aquapark
If you’re here between April and November, check out the local water park, offering everything from slides and pools to indoor paintball and even a 10D cinema. Watch out for potential age and height restrictions on certain activities, but rest assured there will be something here for everyone.
Where to Stay
Occidental Lanzarote Playa – A family-friendly four-star hotel less than a mile from Playa Bastian, this all-inclusive resort is brilliant for families who want to get on with the fun with none of the fuss. Boasting a great pool for the kids, they are free to splash about all day while you relax on the sun loungers.
BlueBay Lanzarote – Built with active families in mind, the apartments here are set among squash and tennis courts with additional areas for football, volleyball and basketball. This hotel also provides an outdoor pool and well-equipped gym.
How to Get There
Lanzarote Airport (ACE) is about a four-hour flight from London, and you’ll find a good selection of flights here throughout the year to cater for snowbirds and summer tourists. I’d recommend booking your transfers in advance, especially if you’ll be needing booster seats for children. The best place I’ve found for convenience, price and service is Shuttle Direct – they’ll have you at your hotel in Costa Teguise within 15 minutes.
About Shuttle Direct
At Shuttle Direct, we pride ourselves in our excellent service and easy transfers. For the best in professionalism and service, book with us today and start your holiday feeling hassle-free.
