Lanzarote - Playa Blaya or Puerto del Carmen?

[Anoisagusaris]

Looking at villas in either of these for a mid term break with dcs aged 10-16. I was in PdC many years ago but have never been to Playa Blanca. All like the beach and swimming in the sea, nice local restaurants and an old town vibe rather than a busy strip. So in PdC I’m only looking at places near the old town. How does Playa Blanca compare?

Please and thank you!

We’ve been to both and I prefer Playa Blanca. The town beach is small though but if you have a hire car you can get to much bigger ones. We were in PDC last summer and kinda said that was our last time there. The beach wasn’t very nice and the strip put us off. The old town was ok and has some nice restaurants. Very hilly! PB is more compact I think but it has enough. There’s a market out at the Rubicon on Wednesdays I think. There’s also a small water park that you’d get half a day out of depending on the age of your kids.

If you go to PB make sure you take the main road there and not the smaller one that goes over the mountains. You satnav might try and take you the latter way, whereas the main way is signposted

Thanks. We won’t be hiring a car….do enough driving at home!

Playa Blanca is much nicer than PdC. It is quite spread out and stretches along the coast for about 6 miles from end to end.

Three beaches. a marina and a port. I prefer the marina end and there are lots of villas at the marina and also within easy walking distance of it. I also think the marina and area surrounding it are more upmarket than some of the other areas.

I know both quite well and like them both but prefer PDC.

Playa Blanca has a better selection of upmarket hotels but PDC has better self catering.
Playa Blanca beaches are small and poor IMO compared with PDC.
PDC has a much better selection of restaurants and the main town of Playa Blanca is a bit underwhelming.
The Marina is nice at PB and the old town at PDC.

If I was going with children I'd probably choose PB as it's a family resort though not much to do on an evening outside hotel entertainment.
PDC has great live music bars. DH and I used to go every winter in the 80s before DC and have been back recently with adult DC.
We did take DC to PB once but it didn't suit us. We went back to an adults only hotel in PB and really enjoyed it.

Both resorts have fabulous long promenades, you can walk miles along the seafront. From PDC you can walk to the next resort.

If you fancy a trip up the volcano you are nearer in PB (further from the airport which is about 50E in a taxi.

Ah decisions decisions! 🙈

We’re not bothered about evening entertainment. Nice restaurants are more important….but not overly fancy ones. Somewhere with a view and a bit of atmosphere.. We tend to eat later, have a wander and an icecream.

Playa Blanca, the Puerto Ribicon side of it is much nicer and more upmarket IMO though....

*rubicon. Great for restaurants etc.

Some lovely beaches around Playa Blanca, I like Playa Dorada which is between the Marina and the old town. Great for snorkelling and spotting little fish. Nice restaurants at the Marina and in town. My favourite is an Italian place in a run down shopping center near Playa Dorada called Casale Francos. Really delicious pizza. There might be more to do at Puerto del Carmen I think that's where they have mini golf, cinema etc but depends on what activities you fancy.

PdelCarmen has continued to grow on me - love the Old Town and some beautiful villas there. We’ve found we like the series of small rocky beaches up the other end though with lovely apartments beach side where you can’t hear the traffic or bizz from the street. Wasn’t overly impressed by what i saw of Playa Blanca though they’ve done a good job of the Marina area and imagine it’s lovely at night

The restaurants in PDC old town have gorgeous views. Lots of tapas and small family run restaurant.
Beach wise the PB ones are small and man made. I've only been in winter but imagine they'd soon be rammed in summer.
PDC has long beaches with some smaller coves at one end.
Apartments Velasquez are stunning, set on the beach hidden from the main road. We stayed in a two bed apartment which was well equipped with incredible views.

I'm missing it as we were due to fly out today but had to cancel.