Playa Blanca
Playa Blanca map, weather and guide to the Lanzarote resort of Playa Blanca.
Playa Blanca - Lanzarote - Canary Islands
Playa Blanca Lanzarote Factfile:
Location: Southern Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain.
Population: 6,904 (2006 census).
The Area: Playa Blanca is the most southerly resort on the island of Lanzarote, in the district of Yaiza it is somewhat isolated from the more popular resorts of Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise.
Playa Blanca History: Until recently Playa Blanca was just a small fishing village, it has grown due to the demands of tourism and property development, though it is still quieter than the other major resorts. Surrounded by a barren volcanic landscape, Playa Blanca would have had just a small population up until the arrival of tourism in the 1960's. Lanzarote was originally populated by a tribe known as the 'Guanches', this local population was eventually wiped out by the Spanish invaders in the 16th Century. Periods of violent volcanic euptions and constant raids from English and French pirates in the 16th and 17th Centuries caused Lanzarote to become de-populated, and those that remained eked out a living on fishing and some agriculture. The volcanic lava has buried much of the islands early history and very little remains from these early times.
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Playa Blanca Fiestas: The town carnival is held just before Easter, the main procession takes place through the town, ending in the town square. The local fiesta is held during July, Canarian Day (Dia de Canarias), celebrating the Canary Islands independence from Spain, held May 30th.
Economy: Tourism, fishing, agriculture, Fred Olsen Ferry service to Fuertaventura.
Playa Blanca Map: Playa Blanca is located in the Yaiza district of Lanzarote in the extreme south of the island. It is the main port for ferries to the neighbouring island of Fuertaventura.
The map on the right has 'zoom' and 'pan' features which enable you to use the buttons on the top left to zoom in and get a detailed street map of Playa Blanca, or pan around to view any number of the surrounding towns and villages of Lanzarote ie Yaiza, Tias, San Bartolome, Puerto del Carmen, Arrecife, Costa Teguise and Tinajo.
Playa Blanca can be easily accessed from the LZ-2 road from Yaiza and it is about 33 kilometres from the airport at Arrecife and 37 kilometres from the capital itself (you can view a larger map here: Playa Blanca Map).
Playa Blanca Hotels: For details of hotels and accommodation in Playa Blanca check out our Playa Blanca hotels page here: HOTELS. Or view a selection of Playa Blanca holiday villas here: PLAYA BLANCA VILLAS.
Playa Blanca Weather: Playa Blanca enjoys superb all year round weather with plenty of sunshine and very low rainfall. The town can get very hot during the summer months and the most pleasant time to visit is during the winter months (November to March), when the weather is perfect for holidaying and touring the town and the rest of the island. Remember to take the ferry to Fuertaventrua which has some wonderful sandy beaches.
Playa Blanca Beaches: Playa Blanca has a decent sweep of sand and a couple of nice sandy beaches that do not get as crowded as some of its island neighbours. To the east at Punta del Papagayo you will find the lovely Playas de Papagayo, a wide, family friendly beach, with clear turquoise waters. Another popular beach is Playa Flamingo located in a quiet bay.
Playa Blanca Markets: The main street markets in Playa Blanca are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays (9am to 2pm) at the Marina Rubicon.
Playa Blanca Restaurants: View a selection of restaurants in Playa Blanca here: RESTAURANTS.
Places to Visit: Castillo de las Coloradas, 18th Century watchtower in Punta del Aguila, Los Ajaches Nature Reserve, San Marcial de Rubicón, remains of the island's first Norman settlement founded by Jean de Béthencourt in 1402.
Info: MAP - WEATHER - RESTAURANTS - HOTELS