Best Place to Exchange Money in Lanzarote

Where to change money in Lanzarote

The Banco de España points people to banks and exchange businesses, which it supervises, and says rates are free and move daily, so two counters can quote quite different sums. We could not confirm a named exchange office in Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise, Playa Blanca or Arrecife from two sources, and Aena lists none at the airport. Bring some euros from home and use a debit card for the rest.

• Euronet 360 cash machines, César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport - Aena lists four machines in Terminal 1, on the ground and first floors, and one on the ground floor of Terminal 2. Check the charge on screen before you go ahead.

Changing money at the airport

César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport (ACE) is about 10 minutes by bus from Arrecife, the capital, and handles arrivals for Puerto del Carmen, Costa Teguise and Playa Blanca. With only Euronet 360 machines on Aena's pages and no exchange desk, a card is the realistic way to get euros on landing.

Buses leave from the ground-floor arrivals area of both terminals. Line 22 to Arrecife runs on weekdays, roughly every 40 to 50 minutes from 5:30 until 23:00, and line 23 covers Arrecife and Playa Honda at weekends. For the south, line 161 runs to Puerto del Carmen, Puerto Calero, Yaiza and Playa Blanca every 30 to 60 minutes, line 61 makes a single 22:30 departure from Terminal 1, and line 162 adds two trips around midnight. Aena prints no fares and sends you to Arrecife Bus for prices.

ATMs and cards in Lanzarote

Spanish rules say any cash machine must warn you of a charge and its amount, and give you the chance to cancel. Even so, the Banco de España notes that your card issuer may also charge for a foreign withdrawal and that the exchange rate itself carries a margin, so the screen shows only part of the cost. We found no published owner's fee for foreign cards.

Asked to pay in pounds or euros, choose euros. Which? explains that paying in pounds hands the retailer control of the rate, and Canarian Weekly gives the same advice for cash machines. Cards are accepted in most shops, restaurants and hotels, and phone wallets are increasingly common, but keep a few notes for small bars and markets.

Paying for transport in Lanzarote

La Voz de Lanzarote reported in March 2024 that the Cabildo's intercity buses would take bank cards from 1 April 2024, after readers were fitted to 62 vehicles and tested on routes that included the airport lines 22 and 161; the island's transport councillor said the change answered a need of residents and tourists alike. We could not confirm it on the operator's own site, so carry some coins and small notes as well.

If you will ride often, the General Bonus card from Arrecife Bus costs EUR 2, takes 10 per cent off standard fares and needs no paperwork. Top it up with EUR 5 to EUR 50 on the bus or at the office in Arrecife bus station. The last line 161 bus to Playa Blanca leaves the airport at about 21:30, so plan late arrivals around lines 61 and 162 or a taxi.

Good to know

• Spaniards do not expect tips: a couple of euros after a good meal is generous, and more than 10 per cent would be seen as excessive.
• IGIC, the islands' own sales tax, has a general rate of 7 per cent rather than the 21 per cent VAT charged on the mainland, and bar and restaurant prices must already include it.
• Puerto del Carmen is the island's liveliest resort for nightlife, Costa Teguise is much calmer, and Playa Blanca is often suggested for families.
• Cash is still widely used in smaller towns, so keep some euros on hand even if you mostly tap a card.