Last updated: September 2026
Puerto Calero holidays offer the most exclusive and sophisticated resort experience on Lanzarote. Built around a world-class marina, Puerto Calero is a destination for those who value quality, tranquillity and excellent water-based activities over the conventional beach resort experience.
The marina at Puerto Calero is one of the finest in the Canary Islands — Blue Flag awarded, capable of accommodating over 500 vessels and ringed by consistently good restaurants and boutiques.
The resort attracts a yacht-owning and discerning visitor base that gives it a noticeably more upmarket character than the neighbouring resorts.
Puerto Calero holidays appeal to couples seeking a peaceful, sophisticated base with excellent diving and whale watching, and to those who want proximity to Puerto del Carmen’s beach and nightlife while returning to a quieter marina environment at the end of the day.
The resort is situated just 5 kilometres south of Puerto del Carmen on the island’s south coast, sharing its exceptional sunshine and sheltered conditions while maintaining a distinct and more exclusive character.
Puerto Calero holidays are for visitors who want something different from the standard Lanzarote beach resort experience.
The marina setting, the quality of the restaurants, the outstanding diving and the genuine peace and quiet of the resort at night make it a destination in its own right rather than simply a quieter version of Puerto del Carmen.
The marina complex was developed in the 1990s to a high specification and has been consistently well-maintained. The White buildings, clean lines and carefully landscaped surroundings have a quality that distinguishes Puerto Calero holidays from the sometimes-tired infrastructure of the island’s older resorts.
Puerto Calero holidays benefit from easy walking access to Puerto del Carmen’s beaches and resort facilities — approximately 5 kilometres along the coastal path, or 10 minutes by taxi.
This proximity gives Puerto Calero visitors the best of both worlds: the exclusivity and calm of the marina and access to the island’s main resort when desired.
Diving is the main activity draw for Puerto Calero holidays. The resort’s dive centres have immediate access to some of the finest dive sites on the island, including the Museo Atlántico underwater sculpture museum, which lies directly offshore.
The Puerto Calero marina is consistently rated among the best in the Canary Islands, holding the Blue Flag award for water quality and environmental management.
The harbour accommodates vessels from modest sailing yachts to superyachts, and the sight of the marina at sunset — masts, reflections, ochre volcanic hills — is one of the most attractive views in Lanzarote.
The marina promenade is the social heart of Puerto Calero holidays — a walk around the harbour arm in the early evening, with the fishing fleet coming in and the restaurants setting out their terrace tables, is the characteristic rhythm of the resort.
The marina’s commercial development is deliberately restrained — a handful of good restaurants, a wine bar, a chandlery, dive and water sports operations and a small boutique shopping area.
The absence of the souvenir shops and tourist-facing commerce found elsewhere on the island is considered an advantage by Puerto Calero’s regular visitors.
Puerto Calero is one of the best diving bases on Lanzarote. The resort’s dive centres operate from the marina with direct access to the offshore dive sites, eliminating the lengthy boat transfers that some Lanzarote dive operations require.
The Museo Atlántico — the world’s first underwater sculpture museum, located at 12–14 metres depth approximately 2 kilometres offshore — is one of the most accessible and extraordinary dives available from any Puerto Calero holiday. The 300+ sculptures by Jason deCaires Taylor cover 2,500 square metres of seabed.
The offshore volcanic topography creates excellent dive sites ranging from shallow reefs suitable for beginners to deeper walls and arches for experienced divers. Atlantic marine life — rays, moray eels, angel sharks, sea turtles — is abundant throughout the area.
PADI dive courses at all levels are available from the marina dive centres. Puerto Calero holidays make an excellent choice for diving holidays or for visitors wanting to get a PADI Open Water certification during their stay.
Puerto Calero is the main departure point for whale and dolphin watching excursions on Lanzarote. The deep waters of the Atlantic off the island’s west coast support a resident population of short-finned pilot whales — the most reliably sighted cetacean in the archipelago.
Daily whale watching boats depart from the marina throughout the year. Bottlenose dolphins are regularly sighted alongside the pilot whales, and the seasonal passage of sperm whales, fin whales and occasionally blue whales through the area makes Lanzarote one of the best cetacean watching destinations in Europe.
Puerto Calero holidays that include a whale watching excursion consistently rate it among the holiday’s highlights. The boats are designed for stability and good visibility, and sighting rates for pilot whales throughout the year exceed 95% according to the local operators.
Puerto Calero’s restaurants are among the best on Lanzarote. The marina’s compact dining strip contains genuinely good seafood restaurants, a wine bar with an excellent Lanzarote wine list, and contemporary international cuisine — all of notably higher quality than the average resort restaurant on the island.
Beyond diving and whale watching, Puerto Calero holidays have access to sport fishing charters, sailing day trips and yacht charter from the marina. The calm south coast conditions make sailing and motor boat trips particularly pleasant from this base.
A regular water taxi service connects Puerto Calero marina to Puerto del Carmen’s old harbour — a scenic and practical alternative to the road for accessing Puerto del Carmen’s beach and evening dining options.
Puerto Calero’s south coast position makes it well-placed for Timanfaya National Park (25 minutes), the La Geria wine region (20 minutes) and the Papagayo beaches near Playa Blanca (30 minutes). These three sites represent the most distinctive excursions on the island.
The full César Manrique tour — Fundación, Jameos del Agua, Mirador del Río — is a full-day drive from Puerto Calero holidays but entirely feasible with a hire car. The island’s small size means no excursion destination is unmanageably distant.
Puerto Calero holidays have a distinctive accommodation character. The resort was planned as a high-quality marina development and the hotels here reflect that ambition — fewer options than Puerto del Carmen but consistently higher quality.
The Secrets Lanzarote Resort and Spa is the flagship property — an adults-only five-star hotel with an exceptional clifftop position and panoramic sea views. It consistently rates among the finest hotels on the island and anchors the luxury end of the Puerto Calero holidays market.
Several boutique hotels and villa complexes are found in the residential areas above the marina. These offer a quiet and private base with easy walking access to the marina’s restaurants and dive centres.
The absence of budget accommodation in Puerto Calero is deliberate — the resort has maintained an upmarket character by restricting the type of development permitted. Visitors seeking the most luxurious Lanzarote holiday will find Puerto Calero the natural choice.
Puerto Calero benefits from the sheltered south coast position, with the cliffs above the marina providing additional protection from the north-easterly trade winds. The result is very calm conditions at the marina and in the water immediately offshore — ideal for diving year-round.
Average temperatures and sunshine hours match the rest of the south coast — 19°C in January, 28°C in August, with over 300 sunny days annually. Puerto Calero holidays in the off-peak months offer significantly better value at the luxury hotels without any deterioration in weather quality.
The whale and dolphin watching trips operate year-round. Common dolphins and pilot whales are present throughout the year, while sperm whales are more frequent in winter. Puerto Calero holidays in the cooler months combine excellent wildlife watching with uncrowded conditions and competitive hotel rates.
Puerto Calero is approximately 20 minutes from Arrecife Airport by road and 10 minutes from Puerto del Carmen. Taxis are the main transport option from the marina — the resort is small enough that a car is useful but not essential for guests staying at the marina’s hotels.
Car hire is recommended for those planning to explore Timanfaya and the wider island.
Currency is the Euro. UK visitors to Puerto Calero require no visa.
English is spoken throughout the marina’s restaurants, dive centres and boat trip operators. The calm, upmarket atmosphere and outstanding natural setting make Puerto Calero holidays among the most distinctive on the island — a genuine alternative to the mass-market south coast resorts for those seeking quality over entertainment volume.
Lanzarote’s mild year-round climate means Puerto Calero holidays are viable in every month. Winter guests benefit from uncrowded marina dining, competitive hotel rates and the best sperm whale sightings of the year on the offshore whale-watching routes.
Lanzarote Airport (ACE) is approximately 20–25 minutes from Puerto Calero by road. Direct charter and scheduled flights operate from UK airports year-round, with a flight time of approximately four hours from London.
Taxis and pre-booked transfers serve the resort. Car hire at the airport is recommended for Puerto Calero holidays, as the marina itself has limited public transport connections and a hire car significantly expands what is accessible on the island.
| Location | South coast of Lanzarote — 5km south of Puerto del Carmen |
| Airport | Arrecife (ACE) — 20–25 mins transfer |
| Flight time from UK | Approx 4 hours direct |
| Time zone | WET (UTC+0) — 1 hour behind UK in summer |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| Best months | Year-round; particularly good Oct–Apr for couples |
| Best for | Couples, diving, whale watching, luxury marina, tranquillity |
| Beach | No sandy beach — access to Puerto del Carmen’s beaches 5km north |
| Marina | Blue Flag award marina — 500+ berths, excellent restaurants |
| Highlight | Museo Atlántico underwater sculpture museum directly offshore |
When booking your Puerto Calero holidays, always check that your tour operator carries the right financial protection. Search4Sun lists holidays from a wide range of UK operators — standards vary, so we recommend doing your own due diligence before you pay.
Look for ABTA membership, ATOL protection or ABTOT cover — these schemes protect your money if an operator ceases trading before or during your holiday. For a plain-English guide to what each scheme covers, read our holiday protection guide.
For last-minute Puerto Calero holiday deals, check LastMinute.com for availability and pricing from UK airports.
Yes — book a flight-inclusive package through a UK ATOL-licensed tour operator and your money and repatriation are fully protected. All operators listed on Search4Sun carry full ABTA protection.
See our holiday protection guide for a full explanation of ATOL and ABTA coverage for your Puerto Calero booking.
Puerto Calero does not have a sandy beach within the marina resort itself. The coastline is rocky, and the marina is the primary waterfront attraction.
However, Puerto del Carmen’s Playa Grande — one of Lanzarote’s best beaches — is just 5 kilometres north and reachable by coastal path, taxi or water taxi.
Puerto Calero holidays combine the marina’s exclusivity and restaurant quality with easy access to Puerto del Carmen’s beach when a sandy swimming day is desired.
Puerto Calero is one of the best diving bases on Lanzarote, with direct access from the marina to the Museo Atlántico underwater sculpture museum and the island’s offshore volcanic dive sites. The marina’s dive centres run PADI courses at all levels and daily guided dives.
Puerto Calero holidays for divers benefit from the short boat transfer times to the best dive sites compared with other Lanzarote resort bases.
Puerto Calero is primarily suited to couples rather than families with young children. The lack of a sandy beach within the resort and the quieter, more sophisticated atmosphere make it less suitable for families seeking a classic beach holiday. Families are better served by Puerto del Carmen or Costa Teguise.
Older children and teenagers interested in diving or whale watching will, however, find Puerto Calero holidays rewarding for those specific activities.
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