Yaiza Holidays
Yaiza Holidays – The prettiest town in Lanzarote
Twice voted the prettiest town in all of Spain, the picturesque village of Yaiza makes a refreshing change from modern, urban costal developments such as Matagorda and Puerto del Carmen. The resort is situated slightly inland on Lanzarote’s south coast. Yaiza centres around a quaint paved square with 17th century church, the Iglesia Nuestra Senora de los Remedios. Around this you’ll find shady cobbled streets, small, traditional-style Spanish houses painted white, trailing bougainvillea and leafy palm trees.
Yaiza borders the Timanfaya National Park, and is situated in the rolling hills of the island’s wine-region; a wine-tasting tour is a must here. A few minutes’ drive away are the Papagayo beaches; arguably the most scenic in Lanzarote, while for those interested in keeping active, there is an 18-hole golf course 15 minutes away at Tias. The beautiful surrounding countryside and close proximity to the national park make this a popular destination for walking, hiking and cycling holidays. All in all, a good choice for anyone looking to see the real Lanzarote, away from the commercialism of the bigger tourist resorts.
When to go
Arguably the best time to visit Yaiza is the spring. The temperature in April-May will be pleasantly warm but not stiflingly hot – remember Yaiza is inland, so there is no refreshing sea breeze in the peak summer months. Spring is also a good time for activities in the region such as cycling and walking due to the lower temperatures. And this period , along with the autumn months of September-October, will be considerably cheaper than the peak summer months of June-August.
Travel between September-October when the grapes are harvested and you’ll be able to get the most from a tour of the regions Wine Routes; exploring local vineyards and tasting in the wine cellars. The winter months between November-March can see some excellent weather and well as bargain deals to be had.
The weather in Yaiza
Yaiza benefits from some of the best weather in the Canary Islands. The village generally has less clouds and wind than other resorts on the island. Spring sees lovely average temperatures of 19-21C, before heating up in the summer months to 24-27C. Spring has around 8-9 hours of sunshine a day, while summer is consistently sees 9 hours a day right up until the end of August. Autumn remains pleasantly warm at 24-25C, and the winter months of November-March only cool slightly with temperatures hovering between 18-21C.
Getting the best deal
You’ll get the best deals on package holidays to Yaiza by booking up as early as possible. The cheapest priced room and hotels will always sell out fast, especially for the most popular accommodation during the peak summer months. Try to avoid travelling during the school holiday periods of Easter, July and half term if possible. Booking your holiday ‘off peak’ in either April-May or September-August will generally see you make savings, and look out for bargains on winter sun breaks between November-March. Check out our fantastic deals on holidays to Yaiza below or visit our late deals offers here.
Airport and transport need to know
Yaiza holidays begin when you arrive at the island’s sole international hub, the Lanzarote Arrecife (ACE) airport. Small but very busy during peak summer months (especially on a Thursday which is ‘change-over’ day), this airport has two terminals. Terminal 1 is for international flights, and where passengers travelling from the UK will land. Terminal 2 handles flights to the other Canary Islands. Most of the shops and restaurants at the airport are found at Terminal 1. You can fly to the Lanzarote from the major London Airports, Manchester, Liverpool, and Birmingham, as well as smaller regional hubs such as Exeter and Bristol.
Taxis wait outside the Arrivals hall at Terminal 1. They seat up to 4 people and run on a meter. You should expect to pay around €30 for a taxi for 4 to Yaiza. You can pre-book from companies like lanzarotetaxi.com. Taxis generally don’t come with a child seat, but you can request one by pre-booking in advance.
You can catch a public bus to Yaiza, although this can be a lengthy process. First, take the Transporte Interurbano de Lanzarote Linea 23 shuttle bus from outside the Arrivals hall. The bus will take you to Arrecife bus station (Estación de Guaguas), situated on the Vía Medular. It takes around 25 minutes, runs every half an hour and costs about €2. From here, you can catch a connecting bus to Yaiza (the number 6, 13, 60 or 61), which takes around 25 minutes.
Given its relatively secluded location, many people opt to hire a private car for the duration of their Yaiza holiday, to be picked up at the airport. These are fairly cheap, and can be booked through companies such as Cabrera Medina from around €110 for a week.
The best beaches in Yaiza
While Yaiza is located inland on Lanzarote, there are still some excellent beaches nearby that are easily accessible by car and bus. Some of the notable ones are those found at Punta de Papagayo, Playa Blanca beach and Playa Flamingo beach.
Punta de Papagayo
The headland of Punta de Papagayo boasts some of the prettiest beaches on the island, including Playa del Pozo, Playa Mujeres, Playa de La Cera, Playa de Papagayo, Puerto Muelas and Caleta del Congrio. Located on the most southerly tip of Lanzarote, these are small bays between 100 and 400m long of fine golden sand. The whole area has a wild, rugged feel, making them ideal for those seeking to escape the crowds of the larger tourist beaches along the south coast. You won’t find much in the way of facilities here, so be sure to pack a picnic and sunhat. A pleasant way to reach the beaches is by water taxi from Playa Blanca; alternatively you can drive, but the beaches are only accessible via a bumpy dirt track. Great beaches for peace and tranquillity.
Playa Blanca Beach
Translated as ‘the white beach’ Playa Blanca certainly lives up to its name with fine, white sands gently sloping into crystal clear water. The beach has been awarded the EU Blue Flag for cleanliness, and benefits from a central location within Playa Blanca resort, meaning there are numerous beach cafes, bars and restaurants here. This is one of the most popular beaches in the area, and is well equipped with sun loungers, parasols and public toilets. This is a great beach for families with small children.
Playa Flamingo Beach
A short walk westwards along the coast from Playa Blanca is the attractive Playa Flamingo Beach. Clean, safe and very picturesque, this beach has a number of beach bars and nearby shops to service it, despite being outside the main Playa Blanca resort area. The sand here is also fine and white and stretches for around 200m. The crystal clear waters make this an ideal spot for scuba diving.
