Impressive volcanoes, golden beaches, unusual vineyards… Lanzarote can be visited without a car, provided you are well organized. Some places are easily reached on foot, by bike or by bus. Others, such as Timanfaya National Park, require organized excursions.
This guide will help you visit Lanzarote without a car: where to stay, transport options…
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Car-free Lanzarote: Summary
- Yes, it is possible to visit Lanzarote without a car, even if it limits your choices.
- The resort that offers the easiest way to explore without a car is Puerto del Carmen – see where to sleep
- The bus network is Arrecifebus
- However, buses do not go to the main attractions outside the towns, such as Timanfaya. But there are many organized excursions – see our selection or go directly to the list.
- Cabs also offer discovery tours
- However, driving in Lanzarote is very, very easy. Don’t let it limit your discoveries.
Is it really possible to visit Lanzarote without a car?
Yes, it’s quite possible, but with nuances. The three main seaside resorts (Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca) are well served by buses and cabs, and their centers are easily accessible on foot. On the other hand, emblematic natural sites such as Timanfaya National Park, Mirador del Rio or El Golfo are only accessible by organized excursion, with no alternative in terms of public transport.
Where to stay in Lanzarote without a car
Your choice of accommodation has a direct impact on your autonomy without a car. We recommend that you choose areas with good bus links and close to shops, restaurants and beaches, to limit your dependence on transport.
1. Puerto del Carmen: the ideal base
- Direct bus services to the airport, Arrecife and Playa Blanca
- Largest choice of organized excursions with hotel pick-up
- Bike path on the waterfront
- Well-developed local life: restaurants, shops, cabs readily available
It’s Lanzarote’s liveliest seaside resort, and undoubtedly the most convenient for car-free travel. Puerto del Carmen is home to the largest selection of organized excursions on the island, and tour operators often pick up travelers directly from the hotel.
We appreciated the density of the offer: restaurants, supermarkets, beaches and tour departures are all within walking distance or a short bus ride away. The town stretches out along the seafront, and a cycle path runs along the coast, making it easy to get around by bike. You can easily reach Arrecife by bus to access the lines serving the north of the island.
Find out more.
Our favorites: neighborhoods and hotels
- In the center, around the main beach:
Hotel Los Fariones, sumptuous – See prices, photos and availability - In Matagorda, quieter:
Hotel Aequora, for families – Check prices, photos and availability. - See our selection of the best hotels in Puerto del Carmen
- See the best-rated accommodations available.
Costa Teguise: central and well-connected
- Central location, ideal for touring the whole island
- Good bus links to Arrecife
- Las Cucharas beach within walking distance
- Organized excursions from the city
Designed with tourism in mind, Costa Teguise offers practical infrastructures: transport, shops close to the beaches. Its central position on the east coast facilitates access to all parts of the island. We find it an excellent starting point for those wishing to explore Lanzarote without a car, thanks in particular to the regular bus services to Arrecife. The main excursion agencies offer departures from Costa Teguise to Timanfaya, the Jameos del Agua cave and other emblematic sites. The wide Las Cucharas beach is just a few minutes’ walk from the accommodation.
Find out more.
Our favorites: neighborhoods and hotels
- In the center of town, around the main beach:
Hotel Barcelo Teguise Beach – adults-only – See prices, photos and availability - To the north, quieter:
Hotel H10 Lanzarote Gardens, for families – See prices, photos and availability - See all our selection of the best hotels in Costa Teguise
- See the best-rated accommodations available.
Playa Blanca: for lovers of Papagayo beaches
- Papagayo beaches accessible on foot or by cab from the resort
- Pleasant walk along the sea
- Direct buses to the airport and Puerto del Carmen
- Catamaran excursions from the Rubicon marina
Playa Blanca is our favorite of the three resorts. Its relaxed atmosphere, seafront promenade away from cars and proximity to the Papagayo beaches make it a holiday in a class of its own. For travelers without a car, it’s a viable choice, provided they accept one constraint: the resort is more out of the way, and bus journeys to sites in the north of the island are longer.
The beaches of Papagayo, on the other hand, can be reached on foot from the resort (via Las Coloradas) or by cab for a few euros. We recommend Playa Blanca if your priority is the beach, relaxation and sea excursions.
Find out more.
Our favorites: neighborhoods and hotels
- In the center, close to beaches and activities:
We like: Hotel Princesa Yaiaza, a must-see resort – See prices, photos and availability - Marina and Papagayo beaches:
We like: Hotel CalaLanzarote, adult boutique-hotel – See prices, photos and availability - See our complete selection of the best hotels in Playa Blanca
- See the best-rated accommodations available.
Places to avoid if you don’t have a car
- El Golfo: there’s no bus service to the village, and the walk from La Hoya is over 9 km on a road with no sidewalks. A magnificent place, but difficult to access without a car.
- Yaiza: a quiet, well-located inland village, but with little or no public transport, which severely limits your independence on a daily basis.
- Haria: a northern village with a pleasant but isolated atmosphere. Bus connections are rare and excursions are few and far between.
WITH OUR GUIDE PLAN YOUR DREAM TRIP TO lanzarote
All the information you need for your trip:
- 7 maps that make planning easier
- + 75 pre-selected locations
- Practical advice
- + 140 photos to help you choose
Getting to your accommodation from the airport without a car
Lanzarote Airport (ACE) is well connected to the 3 main resorts, both by bus and cab. This is one of the easiest steps to manage without a rental car.
Bus option
We advise you to check bus timetables in advance on theArrecifebus website, as frequencies vary according to line and day. Bus fares are particularly competitive: from €1.80 to €4 depending on your destination, or up to an hour’s journey to Playa Blanca.
The downside is that you still have to walk, with your suitcase, to the nearest bus stop to your hotel.
Cab option
Cabs are available directly from arrivals,
Expect to pay between €14 and €30 for the coast around the airport and €50 to €70 for Playa Blanca on the south coast.
Private Transfer Option
You can also book a private or shared transfer in advance for added convenience. View options
Getting around on a daily basis: bus, bike, walking, excursions
Once you’ve settled into your accommodation, there are several options for exploring the island without a car. Each has its advantages, depending on the type of site you want to join and your desired level of autonomy.
Organized excursions
For Lanzarote’s most emblematic sites, organized excursions are often the only car-free option, and offer the added value of a guide. We particularly recommend them for Timanfaya, Mirador del Rio and El Golfo, otherwise totally inaccessible. Most agencies offer pick-ups from the three main seaside resorts. You can book in advance on GetYourGuide to secure your place, especially in high season.
Our favourite excursions include
- Island best-of (Timanfaya, Lago Verde, Jameos del Agua, La Geria): see program and availability
- Dolphin watching by boat: see program and availability
- In the footsteps of César Manrique (Foundation, Cactus Garden, Mirador del Rio): see program and availability
- Day trip to the island of La Graciosa: see option with bus pick-up
Bus network
Lanzarote has some forty bus routes connecting all the towns. The network is efficient for travel between seaside resorts and to Arrecife, with very affordable fares (between €1.40 and €5, depending on the journey). On the other hand, it’s important to be realistic: the bus service to major tourist sites is poor or non-existent. Some lines have only 5 visits a day, making it difficult to combine several visits in a single day. We advise you to visit the official Arrecifebus website and use Google Maps to plan your journeys: it’s the easiest way to find stops and timetables.
Getting around by bike
Cycling is an excellent option on Lanzarote: the roads are new, traffic is generally calm and the terrain is not very steep in the tourist areas. The climate allows comfortable pedaling all year round, even if the island is almost devoid of shade (due to the volcanic terrain). We recommend electric bikes for busy days or longer distances, for example from Playa Blanca to the volcanoes. In the 3 main towns, you’ll easily find a bike rental company.
Getting around on foot
All three resorts are within easy walking distance. Puerto del Carmen and Playa Blanca have pleasant coastal promenades linking the beaches to shops and restaurants. On foot, you can also reach the Papagayo Beaches from the east of Playa Blanca (via Las Coloradas), which takes an additional 20 to 30 minutes. Numerous hiking trails are marked throughout the island, particularly around the volcanoes.
Attention
However, we advise you to avoid walking on the main roads linking the villages: the shoulders are often made of sharp volcanic rock, with no sidewalks.
Cabs and VTCs: when and how to use them
There are no Uber or VTC services on Lanzarote. Cabs are plentiful, with fairly reasonable fares for short distances. They’re a practical solution for one-off trips, such as to the Papagayo Beaches from Playa Blanca, or a late night return from a remote restaurant.
Some cabs also offer day-long sightseeing tours with defined stops, at a price agreed in advance: an interesting option between an organized excursion and the freedom of a rental car. Please note that off-airport fares are rarely displayed online, so check directly with the drivers.
HAVE FUN WITH THESE Lanzarote activities
- Dolphin watching
- Buggy / Quad
- Kayak excursion
- But also: Diving at the Museum of the Atlantic, Catamaran outings, Paddle excursions, Parasailing
Getting to Timanfaya National Park without a car
Timanfaya National Park is Lanzarote’s must-see, and the most challenging for travellers without a car. There are no buses on the LZ-67 road leading to the park, and access on foot is forbidden for safety reasons. The only option is an organized excursion, which is not a constraint in itself: the guide shares a wealth of information about the volcanic eruptions of 1730-1736 that formed these lunar landscapes, and access to the park is in any case supervised even for vehicle owners. We recommend choosing a combo including other sites, to make the most of the day.
- Combo Timanfaya + southern volcanoes: see program and availability
- Grand Tour (Timanfaya, Lago Verde, Jameos del Agua, La Geria): see program and availability
- Volcano guided hikes: see program and availability
César Manrique’s caves and sites without a car
The sites associated with César Manrique are among the most beautiful on Lanzarote: the Jameos del Agua cave, the Cueva de los Verdes, the César Manrique Foundation, the Cactus Garden and the Mirador del Rio. Some are accessible by bus (line 9, Arrecife-Órzola), but with only 5 crossings a day, the connections are difficult. From Puerto del Carmen or Playa Blanca, the journey takes up to 2 hours with connections.
We strongly prefer organized tours, which bring together several Manrique sites in a single day, and ensure convenient handling.
- César Manrique Tour (Foundation, Mirador del Rio, Cactus Garden, Jameos del Agua): see program and availability
- North Lanzarote tour (Manrique + caves): see program and availability
Driving to the beaches of Papagayo
The Papagayo Beaches are among the most beautiful on Lanzarote, with their golden cliffs, turquoise waters and unspoilt coves. From Playa Blanca, they can be reached without a car.
- Bus 30 drops you off at Las Coloradas, at the eastern end of the resort, from where it’s a 20-30 minute walk to the beaches of Las Mujeres and its neighbors.
- Another option is to take a cab from Playa Blanca, an economical option for this short runway journey.
- Catamaran from Puerto del Carmen to Papagayo (return at sea): see program and availability
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Other sites accessible on foot, by bike or by bus
Arrecife
Lanzarote’s capital is directly accessible by bus from the three main resorts. It’s also the hub of the bus network, making it an essential stop-off point for any connections to the north or inland. We recommend spending half a day here, strolling around the natural port of Charco de San Gines, visiting the Castillo San Gabriel and discovering the central beach with its shallow waters. Find out more.
How to get there without a car: lines 3 (from Puerto del Carmen), 62 (from Playa Blanca) and 31 (from Costa Teguise).
Teguise
The former capital of Lanzarote, Teguise charms with its white streets, historic palaces and lively Sunday market. It is accessible by bus from Arrecife and Costa Teguise (line 31). The town boasts several points of interest within a small area: the Santa Barbara Castle-Museum, the church and the LagOmar House-Museum, designed by César Manrique, just a few kilometers away.
How to get there without a car: line 31 from Arrecife or Costa Teguise, ~15min from Costa Teguise.
La Graciosa
This small neighboring island, with no paved roads or cars, is best explored on foot, by bike or by 4WD cab. It can be reached by ferry from Orzola, and day trips can be organized by bus from the seaside resorts. We recommend it for its white sandy beaches, colorful volcanoes and timeless atmosphere. The ferry crossing also offers beautiful views of the Famara cliffs.
How to get there without a car: bus excursion from the seaside resorts(see program) or ferry from Orzola by bus.
Read more in our article.
Plan a car-free itinerary
The main pitfall to avoid is trying to do too much. Without a car, travel is slower, bus connections take longer, and organized excursions take up entire days. We advise you to adopt a slow-travel approach: one major excursion per day, one or two sites accessible by bus or on foot on other days, and a few half-days dedicated to beaches or local walks.
Logical groupings to optimize your days:
- Volcanoes day: Timanfaya + Lago Verde + La Geria (excursion)
- Manrique Day: César Manrique Foundation + Cactus Garden + Jameos del Agua + Mirador del Rio (excursion)
- Day at sea: dolphin watching from Puerto del Carmen or catamaran to Papagayo from Playa Blanca (boat excursion)
- Free days: Arrecife or Teguise by bus, local beaches on foot
- Island day: La Graciosa by ferry (pick-up excursion)
Frequently asked questions
Where to go in Lanzarote without a car for the beaches
If you’re looking for a beach vacation in Lanzarote, we recommend Playa Blanca. So you can choose between beautiful city beaches or the wild beaches of Papagayo.
But Puerto del Carmen is also a good option if you’re looking for beaches with lots of amenities.
Car-free Lanzarote with children
Our advice is similar to all the information in this article.
Families with young children love the seaside resort of Costa Teguise. With teenagers, Puerto del Carmen offers more options.
PLAN YOUR TRIP TO Lanzarote
- Best of
Most beautiful landscapes
Best things to do in Lanzarote
Most beautiful beaches
Most beautiful villages
Best boat tours
César Manrique’s attractions
Secret places, off the beaten track
Most beautiful hikes
- Practical advice
25 tips for a successful trip to Lanzarote
How to get around
How to rent a car in Lanzarote
Driving tips
Where to stay in Lanzarote
Best hotels in Lanzarote
Best excursions
Itineraries: 3 days – 4 days – 5 days – 1 week – 10 days
