General Questions and Football (playa blanca)

[badger831]

We are travelling to Lanzarote in December 2010 on the 16th for a week. We will be staying in Playa Blanca.

Having never been to this part of Lanzarote I'd love any info about the area and are lots of the bars/restaurants open?

Will any of the bars be showing the Npower Championship game between Hull & Bristol on Sat 18th Dec?

What is the weather generally like at this time of the year?

What is there to do in the area?

Are there any large supermarkets nearby (we have hired a car) and are there any large shopping centres (not the touristy ones)?

Thanks for your help 

[✈ Elle ☀]

Hi Badger - and welcome to the forum!

There are many many threads all about Playa Blanca in the Playa Blanca section of this forum - so grab a cuppa and wade on through. What part of the island have you stayed previously?

Yes, the bars and restaurants will be open. That week will be strating to busy up for Christmas - so plenty going on hon. It's not as busy as Puerto del Carmen... but there's plenty happening.

The weather won't be scorching - but you'll certainly get a tan. Temps around 22 - 24 degrees celsius.

What kind of things do you enjoy doing? There's general shopping, a couple of markets, bowling, eating and drinking, dancing, scuba, snorkelling, sailing, fishing, sunbathing, off-roading, cycling, walking, swimming, and more!

Yes - plenty of supermarkets about... so no problems with food shopping... as long as you steer clear of UK brands (because of price). If you let us know roughtly what area of Playa Blanca you are staying in - then we can give you directions to the best of them.

As regards shopping centres, then no - not really... as theis is quite a small island. You can head up to Arrecife of course - which is the capital. What kind of stuff are you looking to shop for? It's not like Britain and Ireland I'm afraid... when it comes to shopping. You can get 99% of what you need, but it does involve shopping around. Lanzarote isn't like the Costas... but this is why so many of us love it.

Elle xx

[✈ Elle ☀]

Sorry - forgot a bit. Yes, you should be able to grab that game on the tellies here hon. Again... let us know roughly what part of the resort you'll be in... and we can point you to the nearest. xx

[badger831]

Hi - I think we're staying in the area of Montana Roja. We've hired 2 villas there as we've got our and another family going. We will be fancying a pub or similar that will have entertainment for 14 yr olds and adults alike. We would also like to go out one night to a nice restaurant for a meal to celebrate xmas pref with nice entertainment and good views...

As for shopping centre we visited several in Gran Canaria last year which featured clothes shops and a large Carrefour supermarket, is there anything like that nearby?

[Lincoln Nick]

Get yourself to the Wax Bar, we were there for the world cup, one of the best places to watch football. Lots of bars and restaurants for you to chose from. It was are first visit to PB, but we can't wait for our next. Have a great time............

[✈ Elle ☀]

Great tip from Nick - Wax is fab! (Good to see you popping back Nick!)

From where you're staying... head to the seafront and turn left. Keep going until you reach the large Playa Dorada Beach with all the sunbeds on it. Wax is in the commercial centre just behind it. A personal favourite of ours too!

Alternatively, if you head to the seafront and turn right... and keep going to Punta Limones (the commercial centre just slightly east of the ferry port) then you have Popeyes (under new management) and the Irish Anvil.

With all of these, you'll need to ask the staff if they're showing the game you're after.

All of those places will cater for you all.

There aren't any large shopping centres here I'm afraid. There is the Biosfera in Puerto del Carmen if you fancied a trip out for the day. No Carrefour on the island though. In Playa Blanca there is a pedestrianised area in the town centre with shops. Some bargains about on the seafront, the pedestrianised area one row back, and a few in the street one row back from that too. Do visit the Marina.... as it has some designer outlets. But do it on a Wednesday or Saturday morning, as then the market is on too.

What kind of Crimbly celebration are you after? I see you're here for a week from the 16th, so you'll miss out on Xmas Day - but if you tell us what you're after... we can probably recommend somewhere.

Enjoy!

[buckit]

I'm due over in September and was wondering if any bars would be showing games not shown on Sky or ESPN, being a West Brom fan would like to catch the Tottenham or Birmingham games. Any ideas of bars I should try who may have other Satelite receivers for these games? 

[Madstock]

There should be many bars showing most of the Premier games so you wont be disappointed (apart from seeing your team lose to Birmingham) 
Where are you staying and I should be able to guide you to a decent bar?

Welcome to the Forum btw 

Keith. (Bluenose)

[✈ Elle ☀]

Hi Buckit and welcome to the forum.

As Madstock says... give us the rough area you're staying in and we can point out the nearest for you xx

[badger831]

Los Riscos is the area if that helps...we've hired a car from orcar for the week. Is it all easy enough to find from the airport?


If we choose to go to Timanfaya are we able to do so in our own car?

Will the waterpark be open at this time of year?

What large supermarket do locals use in the area as that's were we'd prefer.

[John B]

I can't help with the football, but yes Playa Blanca is easy to find from the airport.  Head south on the LZ2 road, which goes straight there. You do drive to Timanfaya in your own car, but when you get there, you swap to a bus which takes you on about a twenty minute trip around the fire mountains.  I'm sure the water park will be open, it's warm enough at Christmas for most people to swim in the sea.  The big supermarket in the Town centre is one of the Hiperdino chain, towards the back of the shopping streets. It's fine for most things - we do most of our shopping there. Nearer the prom  are several Spar and Hiperdino Express shops, which tend to be pricier. (Think Tesco and Tesco Express)

[buckit]

Thanks Elle. I'm not that far from Playa Blanca center, up in the villas just up from the Big Red Petrol station.

[✈ Elle ☀]

Ah then you have the pick of the bunch Buckit.

Head to the Town Centre.... then the seafront.

Turn left and keep going until you reach the large Dorada Beach, and you have Wax Bar in the complex just behind it.

Or...

Turn right when you reach the seafront and keep going past the harbour, and in the Commercial Centre just past that you have Popeyes and the Irish Anvil.

Those are personal favourites - but as Madstock has said above... lots of bars along the promenade will be showing it. The only one I would be wary of is "Sweet Corner", because although it's a great location - I think the drinks are really pricey.

Enjoy! xx

[tonyp]

Elle,

I do not know "Sweet Corner". Is it a new one?

[✈ Elle ☀]

It's the bar next to Mamma Rossa's. Love the food at Mamma Rossa's... but they charge awful prices for drinks. Sweet Corner is part of the same business. You'll know it when you see it. It's on the seafront, towards the harbour end - just across the sidestreet from the tapas place with dark wood awning (Bodegon Las Tapas?)
Elle xx