Lanzarote Ranks Among the Best European Holiday Destinations for British Families
Puerto del Carmen has been named the third-highest-rated destination for British families in a new 2026 holiday ranking – putting Lanzarote firmly in the spotlight once again.
Lanzarote has added another accolade to its growing list of reasons to visit, with Puerto del Carmen named the third-highest-rated European resort for British family holidays in a new ranking from UK travel company loveholidays.
The result places the Lanzarote resort behind Cambrils on Spain's Costa Dorada and Santa Ponsa in Mallorca, while another Canary Islands destination, Puerto Rico in Gran Canaria, took fourth place.
The findings are particularly significant for Lanzarote because the ranking was based on the experiences of UK families who had actually travelled during the 2026 summer holiday period, rather than simply being a popularity poll.
Puerto del Carmen scores highly with British families
According to loveholidays, Puerto del Carmen achieved an overall score of 4.41 out of 5.
Families were asked to rate their holiday accommodation across a number of areas, including the overall holiday experience, location, service, value for money, cleanliness, facilities and food and drink.
Puerto del Carmen performed particularly strongly for location, scoring 4.56, while its overall holiday experience received a score of 4.53. Service was also rated highly at 4.51.
For anyone familiar with Puerto del Carmen, the results may not come as a huge surprise.
The resort combines several things that British holidaymakers traditionally look for: beaches, restaurants, shops, accommodation for different budgets and plenty to do without having to travel far.
And importantly for families, there is plenty of choice.
Why Puerto del Carmen continues to be so popular
Puerto del Carmen is one of Lanzarote's main tourist areas, having grown from its origins as a small fishing village into one of the island's best-established holiday destinations.
The resort stretches along more than six kilometres of coastline, with popular beaches including Playa Grande, Playa Chica, Los Pocillos and Matagorda.
That variety is part of the appeal.
Families can spend the morning on the beach, head into the Old Town for lunch, take a boat trip from the harbour or simply walk along Avenida de las Playas and stop at one of the many restaurants and cafés.
For visitors staying in Puerto del Carmen, many of the resort's attractions can also be reached without hiring a car, which makes it particularly convenient for families.
Beaches, restaurants and activities
One of the biggest advantages of a Puerto del Carmen holiday is the choice available within a relatively compact area.
Playa Grande offers a long stretch of golden sand and calm water, while Playa Chica is popular with swimmers, snorkellers and divers. Los Pocillos provides another large beach area, and Matagorda is particularly well known for watersports.
Away from the beaches, visitors have access to restaurants serving everything from traditional Canarian food to international cuisine, along with bars, shops and entertainment.
The resort is also an important base for exploring the rest of Lanzarote.
Visitors can easily make day trips to places such as Timanfaya National Park, Teguise, Famara, Playa Blanca, the César Manrique attractions and the island's wine region.
That combination of beach holiday and island adventure is one of Lanzarote's strongest selling points.
Lanzarote remains a favourite with the UK market
The new ranking comes at a time when British visitors remain hugely important to the island's tourism industry.
Figures published by the Lanzarote Data Centre show that more than 1.04 million visitors from the UK had arrived in Lanzarote and La Graciosa by the beginning of August 2026, representing more than half of arrivals.
At Canary Islands level, the UK also remains the largest international source market. In July 2026, visitors from the UK accounted for 37% of tourist arrivals to the islands, with Lanzarote receiving around 20% of the month's visitors.
So while Lanzarote attracts visitors from across Europe and beyond, British tourists continue to play a major role in the island's tourism economy.
Puerto del Carmen isn't the only Lanzarote destination attracting attention
The loveholidays ranking focused on resort destinations rather than ranking entire islands.
Puerto del Carmen came third in the overall list, while Corralejo in Fuerteventura came seventh. The top eight destinations were all in Spain, highlighting the continued popularity of Spanish and Canary Islands holidays among British families.
The full top eight were:
1. Cambrils, Spain – 4.55
2. Santa Ponsa, Mallorca – 4.51
3. Puerto del Carmen, Lanzarote – 4.41
4. Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria – 4.40
5. Fuengirola, Costa del Sol – 4.34
6. Sa Coma, Mallorca – 4.33
7. Corralejo, Fuerteventura – 4.32
8. Benalmádena, Costa del Sol – 4.29
What makes Lanzarote different?
While Puerto del Carmen offers the traditional ingredients of a successful Canary Islands holiday, Lanzarote has another major advantage: there is considerably more to the island than its resorts.
Within a relatively short drive, visitors can move from beaches and tourist promenades to vineyards, traditional villages, volcanic landscapes and some of the island's most distinctive cultural attractions.
Lanzarote's volcanic scenery, together with the influence of artist and architect César Manrique, gives the island a character that is quite different from many other European beach destinations.
For tourists, that means a holiday in Lanzarote doesn't have to mean spending seven days beside a swimming pool.
You can combine Lanzarote beaches, sightseeing, walking, watersports, food, wine and volcanic landscapes within the same trip.
Good news for Lanzarote residents too
The latest ranking isn't only interesting for people planning a holiday.
For those of us who live on the island, the result is another indication of the strength of Lanzarote's tourism industry and the reputation the island continues to build internationally.
A high rating from people who have actually stayed here is particularly valuable because today's travellers increasingly rely on reviews and first-hand experiences when deciding where to book.
It is also a reminder of how important the quality of the visitor experience is – from accommodation and restaurants to beaches, customer service, cleanliness and the overall environment.
