Shopping in Lanzarote: Markets, Streets and What to Buy
A practical guide to shopping in Lanzarote, from Arrecife's Calle Real and Open Mall to the Teguise and Marina Rubicón markets, plus local buys worth packing.
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Shopping in Lanzarote comes down to three choices: the capital Arrecife for a proper high street and an open-air mall, resort centres for practical everyday buys, and the weekly markets where Canarian food and crafts are the point. Most of the big-name shops you will see are brands you already know, so treat markets as the place to spend your souvenir budget.
The island's geography makes this easy to plan: Arrecife sits on the east coast, Playa Honda is just south of it, and the main resorts run down the coast to Playa Blanca in the south. Teguise, the old capital, is inland in the north. If you are still weighing up the wider sightseeing picture, our guide to things to do in lanzarote puts shopping days alongside the volcanic and coastal stops.
Where shopping in Lanzarote actually happens
Arrecife holds the island's main shopping street, Calle León y Castillo, which is also known as Calle Real or Calle Mayor. Playa Honda has the Deiland shopping centre, Puerto del Carmen has the open-air Biosfera centre, Puerto Calero has a marina promenade lined with boutiques, and Playa Blanca has the pedestrian Calle Limones.
For markets, the two that matter are Teguise on Sundays and Marina Rubicón at Playa Blanca on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Everything else on the island is ordinary retail: useful for swimwear, sandals or a forgotten charger, less so for something you would bring home.
Arrecife: Calle León y Castillo and Open Mall Lanzarote
Calle León y Castillo is the capital's central shopping spine and the address to head for if you want a conventional high-street circuit rather than a mall. For a mainland comparison, our guide to shopping in alicante covers a similar high-street network around Maisonnave Avenue. Open Mall Lanzarote sits at number 156 on the same street, so the two can be combined in one trip into Arrecife.
Open Mall is an open-air complex rather than an enclosed centre, with a modern open-plan layout and communal retail space in the heart of Arrecife. That layout matters in practice: you are walking between units outdoors, so dress for the day rather than for air conditioning.
Open Mall Lanzarote in practice: 60-plus units and a 2,500 m² play park
The centre publishes more than 60 units and a children's play park of over 2,500 m², which makes it the most family-friendly shopping stop on the island. Commercial hours are 10:00 to 22:00, and the address is Calle León y Castillo, 156, 35500 Arrecife.
The trade-off is straightforward. A long daily span and a large play park suit families and rainy or windy afternoons, but this is international retail and dining rather than a craft market, so do not expect island produce here. If your priority is Lanzarote wine and cheese, put the time into a market day instead and use Open Mall for the practical purchases.
Playa Honda and Puerto del Carmen: Deiland and Biosfera
Deiland in Playa Honda is one of the most visited centres on the island and works well as a stop between the airport and the southern resorts. Biosfera in Puerto del Carmen is open-air, which suits the resort's holiday rhythm and gives you a break from the beach without a full day out.
Both are everyday shopping rather than sightseeing. Use them for supermarket supplies, pharmacy items and beach kit, and save your browsing energy for the capital or the markets.
Puerto Calero and Playa Blanca: marina boutiques and Calle Limones
Puerto Calero's promenade runs parallel to the marina and is lined with boutiques, so it suits a wander before or after a meal overlooking the water. Playa Blanca's shopping is concentrated on Calle Limones, a pedestrian avenue with plenty of shops and an easy stroll from the seafront.
If you are building a southern day around Playa Blanca, our pick of the best restaurants in lanzarote helps you slot a proper lunch into the afternoon rather than shopping hungry.
Teguise market on Sundays: the island's biggest
Teguise market runs every Sunday and is the largest on Lanzarote, and by most accounts the largest in the Canary Islands. The old capital's narrow colonial-style streets fill with craft and food stalls, and the town's historic houses open up as galleries, wine cellars, museums and restaurants for the day.
Allow more time than you think: the appeal is the setting as much as the stalls, and the streets are the reason to come. Pair it with the César Manrique Foundation if you want a half-day that mixes shopping with the island's art and architecture, or read more about César Manrique and his legacy before you go.
Marina Rubicón market at Playa Blanca: Wednesdays and Saturdays
Playa Blanca's market sets up on Wednesdays and Saturdays along the maritime avenue of Marina Rubicón, the modern marina at the southern tip of the island. Stalls focus on handmade goods in fabric, leather and clay, alongside Canarian food.
This is the easier market to reach if you are staying in the southern resorts, and it leaves the rest of the day free for the beach or a walk along the marina. Folkloric music and traditional dress are part of the atmosphere rather than a formal show, so arrive without a tight schedule.
What to buy: wine, goat cheese, mojo, aloe vera and crafts
Lanzarote's most distinctive purchases are edible. Lanzarote wines carry a Denominación de Origen, and the island's whites from volcanic vines are the bottle to look for; goat cheese and mojo picón are the other two staples to pack. Aloe vera products are widely sold and make a light, practical gift.
Craft stalls at Teguise and Marina Rubicón are where handmade textiles, leather and pottery turn up, and the market setting lets you compare before buying. Skip the generic souvenir shops in the resorts for these; the difference in quality is usually obvious once you have both in front of you.
Opening hours and timing: Spanish shopping rhythms
Open Mall Lanzarote trades from 10:00 to 22:00, which is later than most British shoppers expect and useful if you want to shop after a beach afternoon. Market days are fixed rather than flexible, so build Sunday around Teguise and Wednesday or Saturday around Marina Rubicón instead of hoping to fit them in around other plans.
Spanish eating rhythms shape a shopping day as much as opening hours do: lunch runs from about 1:30pm to 4pm and dinner starts around 8:30pm to 9pm. A market morning followed by a late lunch works far better than trying to shop through the early afternoon. If you are visiting in august, expect the resort centres to be at their busiest and shop early.
Common mistakes: chasing brands and missing market days
The most common mistake is expecting a full British high street. Outside Arrecife and the resort centres the offering thins quickly, and even in the centres many shops are brands you can find in any European city. Plan local purchases around markets, not malls.
The second is overpacking. Lanzarote's markets sell textiles, leather and pottery worth carrying home, so leave a little space and weight in your case rather than filling it before you arrive. If your trip runs into september or october, the resort crowds ease and market days stay the same.
Where to eat around a shopping day
Market days feed you as well as stock you: Teguise and Marina Rubicón both have food stalls selling Canarian cooking, including papas arrugadas with mojo and cheeses. Eat at the stalls around 1:30pm to 2pm, when the market is still busy and lunch is genuinely due.
In Arrecife, the Open Mall site lists restaurants as part of the complex alongside the shops, which makes it a workable lunch stop if you are combining Calle Real with the mall. For a wider shortlist across the island, our Lanzarote Attractions: 6 Visitor Guides page covers the sights to build the rest of the day around.
Plan Your Shopping Day
Choose your day by what you want to buy. Want local food, crafts and atmosphere? Go to Teguise on Sunday or Marina Rubicón on Wednesday or Saturday. Want practical purchases with children in tow? Open Mall Lanzarote in Arrecife, open 10:00 to 22:00, has over 60 units and a large play park.
Build the shopping day into a wider plan rather than making it the whole trip: an hour or two in the capital or a resort centre pairs well with a volcanic or coastal stop. A short lanzarote itinerary helps you see how a market morning and an afternoon sight fit together.
Explore more Lanzarote guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest market in Lanzarote?
Teguise market, held every Sunday in the old capital in the north of the island, is the largest on Lanzarote and is often described as the biggest in the Canary Islands. It fills the town's narrow streets with craft and food stalls, and local historic houses open as galleries, cellars and restaurants for the day.
Where is the main shopping street in Lanzarote?
Calle León y Castillo in Arrecife, also known as Calle Real or Calle Mayor, is the island's main shopping street. Open Mall Lanzarote is at number 156 on the same street, so you can combine the high street and the open-air centre in one trip to the capital.
What days are the markets in Lanzarote?
Teguise runs on Sundays, while Marina Rubicón at Playa Blanca runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Both are fixed weekly days rather than something you can shift, so plan other activities around them.
Is Open Mall Lanzarote worth a visit?
It is worth it if you want everyday retail, food and a large children's play park in one open-air place. The centre has more than 60 units and a play park of over 2,500 m², and trades from 10:00 to 22:00. For local crafts and food, the markets are the better use of your time.
What local food and crafts should I buy in Lanzarote?
Look for Lanzarote wine with Denominación de Origen, goat cheese, mojo picón and aloe vera products. For crafts, the market stalls at Teguise and Marina Rubicón sell handmade textiles, leather and pottery, and the choice is wider there than in resort souvenir shops.
Sources
Notes for eating well in Spain
Optional updates to our guides.
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