Puerto del Carmen, human settlement in Tías, Las Palmas, Las Palmas Province, Canary Islands, Spain
Puerto del Carmen is a large coastal town on southern Lanzarote stretching for about 6 kilometers of golden sandy beaches. The settlement extends along the shore with hotels and restaurants close to the water, while the landscape rises steeply inland away from the coast.
The settlement began as a small fishing village called Tiñosa in the 16th century, thriving because of the natural harbor along the coast. It became an official port in the 1950s and transformed into a modern resort from the 1970s onward, yet maintained its character through strict rules against tall buildings.
Puerto del Carmen is named after the Virgin Mary, patron saint of local monks. The old fishing harbor remains alive today with colorful boats and narrow streets, where the connection to the sea and traditional ways are still visible.
From Arrecife, the town is easily reached by bus or taxi on direct roads through volcanic landscape. The main street Avenida de las Playas runs along the coast and makes it simple to move around on foot, by bike, or scooter.
Nobel Prize winner José Saramago lived here in exile and his house museum in nearby Tías displays his writing room and personal belongings. The island was a quiet retreat for the Portuguese author where he withdrew from the world.
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