Originally, Puerto del Carmen was a fishing village around which the first tourist area of the island was formed, marked by the inauguration of the first hotel establishment in Lanzarote in 1966. It was also an important commercial port on the island, through which products such as the «barilla» (plant to make soap in the eighteenth century), wine, tomatoes, onions, etc. were exported. Today, it continues to function as a recreational and fishing port.
Currently, Puerto del Carmen has two distinct areas. The first coincides with the old part, known until the 60s as «La Tiñosa», which is formed around the port of the same name and a residential area. The second, strictly tourist, is located around the beaches, along its lively avenue. The Plaza de las Naciones is one of its landmarks, a pedestrian area next to the magnificent Playa de los Pocillos designed by the artist Ildefonso Aguilar.
