Geo Travel Blog

Playa Blanca is situated on the southern tip of Lanzarote, and enjoys the best weather and beaches on the island. No surprise, then, that it has become a huge draw for many families, with holidaymakers coming from the UK, Ireland, Germany and mainland Spain.

The enormous increase in the popularity of Playa Blanca has led to a big increase in the building of holiday villas, as well as residential complexes (known locally as residencias), over the past 10 years. Many families prefer the freedom and facilities of self catering in these villas, many of which have their own private pools, so we thought this was a good time to provide a brief review of the various areas of Playa Blanca to help you choose the best area to stay for your next holiday there.

In summary, Playa Blanca has three main areas, as you travel from the North of the town to the South:

Marina Rubicon, a relatively new marina development, which also acts as the gateway to the National Park of Papagayo

Playa Blanca Central: villas in this area give easy access on foot to three excellent beaches, plus the whole town with its wide range of shops, bars and restaurants

Montana Roja: situated to the south of Playa Blanca, and comprising many of the newest and most luxurious villa developments in the area.

Marina Rubicon area: the Marina is only been built for 5 years, but has quickly become well established thanks to occupation by a good choice of high quality designer shops and restaurants. Marina Rubicon is really upmarket with a capital U. You can choose holiday villas in Marina Rubicon and the areas close by that range from from duplexes to 3 or 4 bedroom luxury villas with their own pool. There are also some great apartments very close to the Marina, many with balconies and a view of the boats and the sea beyond the Marina.

Playa Blanca (Central): choose from town centre apartments, some of which enjoy beautiful views of the sea and neighbouring islands, or from some excellent villa developments within easy walking distance, most of which have full tourist licenses. Some of the better known names include Las Casitas, Las Brisas, Casas del Sol, and Puerto Chico. Many of these were built in the early days of Playa Blancas development as a resort, around the mid 1980s. The villas tend to be slightly smaller and semi detached, and share a communal pool. Nevertheless, they are very well managed and equipped, and very popular, since the town, beaches, port and many bars and restaurants are all within easy walking distance.

Montana Roja: much of Montana Rojas development has happened since 2000, spreading around the base of the mountain, on the two easterly ocean view sides of it. A plan is also in place for a golf course on the currently undeveloped sides of Montana Roja in the future. There are many holiday villa developments around Montana Roja; some of the most popular are Vista Lobos, Carlos Park, Parque del Rey, Atlantic Gardens, and Faro Park which sub divides further into the developments of Finisterre, La Goleta, Carabela and Los Alisios.

The emergence of all of these villas in Playa Blanca, and around it, have put pressure on the facilities offered in the town, but the Ayuntamiento de Yaiza (the local authority responsible for Playa Blanca) has worked hard in recent years to improve and expand on the facilities. As a result, holidays in Playa Blanca have remained very popular despite the recession.