Matagorda Holidays

Matagorda is a fun little town on the south-eastern coast of Lanzarote, a volcanic splodge in the Canary Islands. It started life as a suburb of the island’s liveliest town, Puerto del Carmen – but today it stands on its own with a two-tiered complex of restaurants and bars set around a cute town square. And there are waterside bars, too. The major sights of the island are within striking distance while the busy capital of Arrecife is literally down the road.

Matagorda Beach is part of a trio of Blue Flag beaches around Puerto del Carmen – each one is long and sandy, and packed with sunloungers and umbrellas. The bar-lined promenade behind Matagorda Beach runs all the way to the huge Los Pocillos Beach, 20 minutes’ walk away and famous for windsurfing. Puerto del Carmen’s own bustling beach, Playa Grande, is just a 5-minute drive away.

Arrecife, 15 minutes’ drive away, boasts a contemporary art museum that’s housed in an 18th-century fortress. It was renovated by Cesar Manrique, the island’s most famous architect. Within 45 minutes’ drive you’ve got 2 more of his most renowned creations. One is the Jameos del Agua, a lush garden that rises from an underground lake. The other is the Mirador del Rio, a clifftop observatory with views of the near-deserted island of La Graciosa.