Guide to Playa Blanca

'Most famous for its handsome harbour, Playa Blanca is a good-looking modern beach resort that hasn't lost its traditional charm.'

Playa Blanca was once a small fishing port, and you can still get a feel for its former life in and around the picturesque harbour area. Just take a stroll along the marina packed with colourful working boats and the pretty waterfront laced with olde-worlde shuttered buildings.

Yet, despite its traditional feel, the resort still has plenty of life, not to mention everything you need to enjoy a relaxing beach holiday. And talking of beaches, there are three to choose from – the main beach in town, Playa Dorada or Playa Flamingo either side of the port.

And if you're looking for that 'away-from-it-all' atmosphere, there's Papagayo, reached by a fairly rugged, pot-holed road, but well worth the effort. Apart from swimming and watersports, boat trips are Playa Blanca's forte on the activities front.

At the harbour you can hop aboard a ferry to the nearby island of Fuerteventura, famous for its Robinson Crusoe beaches and Saharan sand dunes. Or you can save yourself the overland trek by taking the sea route to Papagayo.

Alternatively, take a trip inland to Timanfaya National Park, a wonderland of volcanoes, lunar-like landscapes and fascinating rock formations.

In the evening the seafront fish restaurants beckon. The catch of the day will get your tastebuds tingling, particularly if accompanied by Lanzarote's famous papas arrugadas, potatoes boiled in salt sea water, topped with a squirt of spicy mojo sauce.

The nightlife scene here is delightfully low key, so end your evening with a nightcap at one of the laid-back music bars or one of the live shows at the hotels.

Find the cheapest late deals to Playa Blanca leaving in the next six weeks.