The Avenida de las Playas is the six-kilometre seafront promenade that defines Puerto del Carmen — a wide pedestrian boulevard running parallel to the beaches, paved in patterned tiles, lined with low whitewashed buildings, palms, restaurants and bars. It is one of the more pleasant resort promenades on the Canary Islands, in large part because of the local ordinance — pushed by César Manrique in the 1970s — that prevents any building from rising above three storeys.
Cyclists, joggers and rollerbladers use the dedicated lane in the morning; in the evening the avenue fills with families on holiday taking the obligatory before-dinner walk. The eastern third, between the old harbour and the Playa Grande, is the busiest and loudest at night, with sports bars showing English football and live music. The western stretch towards the Pocillos is calmer and more residential. Easy to walk end-to-end in around 90 minutes.