Costa Teguise Guide: Beaches, Windsurfing and Getting There from Lanzarote Airport

Costa Teguise is the calmest of Lanzarote's big resorts. It was designed in the 1970s with input from the artist Cesar Manrique, and it shows: low white buildings, a seafront promenade, and five sheltered beaches instead of one long strip. The main beach is a windsurfing centre, the small coves are sheltered enough for children, and the whole resort is flat and walkable.

Lanzarote gets more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year, and Costa Teguise is warm in every month. This guide covers the beaches, the airport trip, and a day plan that uses the promenade.

Figure 1: A palm tree and the volcanic hills behind Costa Teguise. The cover photo shows the resort edge and the dry Lanzarote landscape.

Getting there from the airport

Costa Teguise sits about 16 km north of Lanzarote Airport. A taxi takes about 20 minutes and costs about 25 euros in the day, from 06:00 to 22:00, and about 28 euros at night or at the weekend. Official metered taxis run 24 hours a day from Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Never agree a price with an unmarked car.

The bus is the cheapest way. Take bus 22 or 23 from the airport into Arrecife bus station, about 1.40 euros, then bus 1 from Arrecife to Costa Teguise, about 1.40 euros. The whole trip costs about 2.80 euros and takes about 60 minutes. Bus 1 runs every 20 minutes on weekdays and hourly at weekends. Contactless cards are not accepted on Lanzarote buses, so pay cash or use a Bono General travel card. Pre-booked transfers cost about 15 to 35 euros. Uber does not operate in Lanzarote.

The five beaches

• Playa de las Cucharas: the main beach, a 650 m stretch of fine white sand, sheltered by two large breakwaters. The windsurfing centre of the resort, and the home of the PWA World Windsurfing Tour in June.
• Playa del Jablillo: the best beach for families and calm swimming, and good for snorkelling. Small, sheltered, and close to the centre.
• Playa Bastian: the local favourite, and the most natural of the beaches. Quieter than Las Cucharas, with calmer water.
• Playa Ancla and Los Charcos: smaller beaches along the same promenade, with sand and rock pools.

All five beaches run along one continuous 5 km seafront promenade, so you can walk from one end of the resort to the other without a car. The promenade is flat, and it links the beaches, the restaurants, and the Pueblo Marinero square.

What to do

• Windsurfing and water sports: Las Cucharas is one of the best windsurfing beaches in the Canaries. Lessons and hire sit on the beach, and the trade winds are strongest in summer.
• Pueblo Marinero: the whitewashed square of restaurants, bars, and shops, with a market. The best place for an evening walk and tapas.
• Day trips: a hire car is the best way to see the island. Timanfaya National Park, the Cactus Garden, and the old capital of Teguise are all short drives. Teguise is about 15 minutes inland, and its Sunday market is the biggest on the island.
• Walking: the resort is flat and walkable. The promenade runs 5 km, and the lanes behind it hold the restaurants and shops.

A day in Costa Teguise, with the airport trip priced

Morning: swim at Playa del Jablillo, the calmest beach, then walk the promenade to Las Cucharas and watch the windsurfers. Lunch in Pueblo Marinero. Afternoon: hire a bike or walk the promenade to Playa Bastian, then swim again before dinner. The whole day is on foot, and the only transport you pay for is the airport trip.

Airport trip, compared: a taxi costs about 25 euros in the day and takes 20 minutes. The bus costs about 2.80 euros and takes about 60 minutes, with a change in Arrecife. A pre-booked transfer costs about 15 to 35 euros. For two people with bags, the taxi is the easy choice. For one person travelling light, the bus saves about 22 euros.

Figure 2: Playa de las Cucharas, the main beach of Costa Teguise and its windsurfing centre.

Best time to visit

Lanzarote is a year-round destination. January and February are the coolest months, at 20 to 22 degrees, and the cheapest. March and April run 22 to 23 degrees, with the driest weather and the lowest humidity. May and June run 24 to 26 degrees, with the sea at 19 to 21 degrees, and the best value. July and August run 27 to 31 degrees, with up to 11 hours of sunshine, and the peak crowds. September and October run 24 to 26 degrees, with the sea at its warmest, 22 degrees in September. Spring and autumn give the best balance of weather and crowds.

Practical tips

• Carry cash for the bus: contactless cards are not accepted on Lanzarote buses. Pay cash or use a Bono General card.
• Book a hire car for day trips: the resort is walkable, but Timanfaya, the north, and the Manrique sights need a car.
• Expect wind: the trade winds are strongest in summer. They suit windsurfing and can make the beaches breezy.
• Swim in September: the sea is warmest in September, at 22 degrees, and the crowds are thinner than in August.
• Stay near the promenade: the resort is flat, and the promenade links every beach. A room near it means no transport at all.

Sources: Selectum Lanza Costa Teguise guide for the 16 km airport distance, the 2.80 euro bus trip, the 25 and 28 euro taxi fares, the 650 m Las Cucharas beach, and the 3,000 hours of sunshine; Seek Holidays for the 15 to 20 minute airport drive and the March to June and September to November season. Fares change. Check the current bus times before you travel.

Frequently asked questions