Fuerteventura: What to See on the Windiest Canary Island

At first glance, Fuerteventura can look a bit like an endless wasteland. But I love this type of desert landscape, which hides surprises around every corner in the form of beautiful views, cliffs and beaches. It’s pretty windy in Fuerteventura and I can’t remember if I’ve even been in the sea, but either way the sea and the coastline are beautiful to look at.

Where to stay in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is a large island and where you stay will make a big difference to how you enjoy your holiday. Most tourists head to Corralejo in the north. It has the most life, restaurants, shops and just outside of town you’ll find stunning dunes and beaches. If you want tranquillity, check out El Cotillo, a small fishing village just outside Corralejo, where you’ll find turquoise lagoons and spectacular sunsets.

The southern part of the island, such as Costa Calma or Jandía, offers kilometres of sandy beaches and more tranquillity. This is a great place to stay if you want to lie by the sea and relax. It pays to have a car in Fuerteventura, as the distances between places of interest are long and buses run quite sporadically.

Day trips and experiences in Fuerteventura

A lot of trips in Fuerteventura go to places you can’t reach without organised transport or a 4×4. Booking ahead pays off especially in season, when they fill up fast.

• Isla de Lobos – return ferry – Only a limited number of people are allowed on the island per day; without a booking you might not get there.
• Jeep safari to Cofete and the west coast – The road to Cofete beach runs over unpaved tracks where a regular rental car can’t go.
• Catamaran cruise with food and drinks – A full-day or half-day trip along the coast. It sells out fast, especially in summer.
• Full-day trip to Lanzarote – Ferry plus a tour of the volcanic landscape of Timanfaya. Without an organised trip you’d have to sort out the ferry and transport around the island separately.
• Undersea cruise along the coast – A glass-bottom boat: you see the underwater life without diving. A nice option for those who’d rather not get wet.
• Buggy tour through Jandía Natural Park – An off-road ride through the natural park in the south of the island. The number of buggies is limited, worth booking ahead.

Weather in Fuerteventura

The Canary Islands are known for their pleasantly warm and fairly constant climate throughout the year. This means that you can virtually arrive there in any month and the weather will be similar. However, it varies a little from island to island.

Fuerteventura is the driest of the Canary Islands, with extensive sand dunes, desert landscape, arid land and relatively little forest and vegetation. Fuerteventura is also the windiest of the Canary Islands, with trade winds blowing from the northeast that are strongest in the summer months when they reach 20-40 km/h. The windiest is in the south of the island. Indeed, the name of the island itself can be translated as “strong wind”.

It may seem that because of the weather, Fuerteventura might not be a good choice. But for me, it’s a super island because of its difference from other destinations thanks to its volcanic landscape, it’s also ideal for lovers of water sports like windsurfing and it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the Canary Islands. And there are fewer tourists.

Things to see and do in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is all about natural beauty, although as you drive around the island you may get the feeling that it’s a no man’s land, just arid land. But sooner or later you will always come across beautiful scenery.

Corralejo Natural Park

The sand dunes (Dunas de Corralejo), beaches and volcanic landscape in the north of the island near the town of Corralejo. From here you can also see the nearby island of Lobos and Lanzarote on the horizon. The two main beaches along the dunes are Playa del Moro and Playa del Burro.

One of the most famous volcanoes in the area, which is still relatively well preserved, is Calderón Hondo. The crater is easily accessible on foot and offers beautiful views.

Parque Natural de Jandía

The natural park in the south of the island is around the highest mountain of Fuerteventura, Pico de la Zarza (807 m above sea level). A hike up this peak offers spectacular views of Cofete beach and the island’s coastline. Along the way, you can admire various species of endemic plants and wildlife.

Betancuria

The historical heart of the island and the first capital of Fuerteventura, founded in 1404. There is a very nice church of Santa María, especially when viewed from a distance, in the landscape, a small museum and ancient streets. The town lies in a valley surrounded by volcanic mountains.

Antigua

Antigua is about 20 km from the capital Puerto del Rosario in the central part of the island. It is known as one of the best places on the island where you can see the traditional windmills (Molino de Antigua) that played an important role in Fuerteventura’s agriculture.

Fuerteventura once had hundreds of windmills, which were used to grind grain and also to produce gofio (Canarian flour). Today, many of them have been renovated and serve only as monuments.

There’s the Museo del Queso Majorero, a museum of the famous Majorero goat cheese and a botanical garden of cacti and succulents, small but really pretty, as a cactus fan I was thrilled. There’s also a restaurant and a shop next to the museum.

Aloe Vera farms

Fuerteventura is one of the main places in the Canary Islands where aloe vera is grown. You can visit the local farms and learn about the healing effects of aloe vera. The farms offer tours and the opportunity to buy natural cosmetics and aloe vera products.

La Oliva

The town is famous for the historic Casa de los Coroneles, formerly the residence of the military governors of Fuerteventura. The building dates back to the 18th century and now serves as a cultural centre and gallery.

Montaña de Tindaya

The sacred mountain of the Guanches, the original inhabitants of Fuerteventura. For them, it had a sacred meaning, religious rituals were performed here. The Guanches believed that the mountain had magical properties and considered it to be a link between the human world and the deities.

Montaña de Tindaya is approximately 400 metres above sea level and is in the northwest of the island, about 20 km west of Puerto del Rosario.

One of the most important archaeological attractions at Montaña de Tindaya are the rock carvings (called podéas) that the Guanches carved on the top of the mountain. The carvings, often in the shape of human footprints, face westwards, towards the sea. In the same direction, on a clear day you can see the volcano Teide on Tenerife.

Salinas del Carmen

Salt Museum. The traditional salt pans and museum are on the east coast of Fuerteventura, about 15 km south of Puerto del Rosario and near the resort of Caleta de Fuste.

Salinas del Carmen was founded in the 18th century and was one of the main centres of salt production in Fuerteventura. At its peak, hundreds of tonnes of salt were produced here every year, mainly for preserving fish and other foodstuffs. Today, Salinas del Carmen still produces salt in the traditional way (by evaporating sea water in shallow pans), just as it did hundreds of years ago.

Cuevas de Ajuy

The sea caves of Ajuy are some of the oldest geological formations in the Canary Islands, some parts of which are up to 70 million years old. They are made up of black volcanic cliffs.

A coastal path leads to the caves from Playa de Ajuy beach, offering breathtaking views of the dramatic cliffs and ocean. The path is well signposted and on foot. The caves themselves are accessible and it is normal to walk inside. It is said that the caves were formerly used as a refuge for pirates who hid their treasures here.

Fuerteventura is often referred to as a beach paradise. It has some of the largest and most beautiful beaches in the archipelago, lighter than Lanzarote, larger and less crowded than Tenerife and Gran Canaria. The beaches are mostly sandy, with fine golden or white sand, and have shallow seas, making them ideal for swimming, windsurfing, kiteboarding and other water sports.

• Playa de Cofete (south of the island) – one of the most beautiful and wild beaches in Europe is on the Jandía peninsula, surrounded by mountains. A dirt road leads here from Morro Jable and there aren’t many people here, the sea is wild and it’s more for admiring the natural beauty than swimming.

• Playa de Sotavento (southeast of the island) – 9 km long sandy beach with shallow lagoons. It is one of the best places in the world for kiteboarding and windsurfing, and the World Championships are held here.
• Playa de Esquinzo (north of the island) – a smaller beach hidden among the cliffs, an unpaved road leads here, so it’s not too crowded. It’s more for surfers, there are bigger waves and surf.
• Playa de El Cotillo (northwest of the island) – near the village of El Cotillo is popular for its natural lagoons formed by lava cliffs, small pools are ideal for children and lava barriers protect the beach from wind and surf. It’s a popular spot for snorkelling and watching the sunset.

• Playa de La Concha – a beautiful beach with calm waters near El Cotillo.
• Playa de Ajuy (west of the island) – a completely different beach, there is black volcanic sand. It is in a small fishing village and there are sea caves that you can visit. But the sea is wild here, it’s not for swimming.

What to taste in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura has specialities of Canarian cuisine such as local queso Majorero cheese, papas arrugadas with mojo sauce. Goat meat and fish soup are common. And of course you can get classic Spanish cuisine, tapas, paella or a glass of sangria everywhere.

Excursions from the island

While you’re in Fuerteventura, it’s worth thinking about trips to the surrounding islands, especially Lobos and Lanzarote, where you’ll see a completely different landscape.

The island of Lobos

The small uninhabited island is between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. The island has only 4.5 km². The nature is quite untouched and it’s a good place for a walk.

Boats come here from Corralejo, the journey takes less than 20 minutes. The ferry (people only, no cars) comes here several times a day, ideally you should go in the morning and come back in the afternoon. I recommend booking a return ticket in advance, especially in high season.

Lobos is a nature reserve and therefore there are restrictions on the number of visitors. You must apply for permission to enter the island in advance online at lobospass.com. It’s easy and free, you just need to have it and you can’t buy it with the ferry.

Lanzarote

Ideally, you should set aside a full day (or more if you have more time) in Lanzarote and leave early in the morning. Better still, take the car straight away so you can explore Lanzarote. Ferries run between the islands from Corralejo.

The main attraction is Timanfaya National Park with its dramatic lava fields and volcanic cones. As well as the natural lava caves of Jameos del Agua and Cueva de los Verdes, transformed by artist César Manrique. For cactus fans, there’s the Jardín de Cactus, a botanical garden with thousands of cacti, much larger than the one in Antigua, Fuerteventura.

Where is Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is one of the Canary Islands, which are in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 100 km west of Africa (Morocco). The Canary Islands, although off Africa and far from Spain, belong to Spain. Fuerteventura is the second largest island of the archipelago (the largest is Tenerife).

Fuerteventura is closest to Lanzarote, which is about 12 kilometres to the north and can easily be reached by ferry. The journey between the ports of Corralejo and Playa Blanca in Lanzarote takes approximately half an hour.

The second nearest island is Gran Canaria, about 100 kilometres to the southwest. There are ferries here several times a day, with a 2 to 3 hour journey between Puerto del Rosario in Fuerteventura and Las Palmas in Gran Canaria. It makes sense to fly here from the same towns, it only takes 40 minutes.

How to get to Fuerteventura

The easiest way is of course by air. You land at El Matorral airport (FUE), which is about 5 km from the capital, Puerto del Rosario.

There aren’t that many direct flights, and they tend to be pricier. So the alternative is to fly with a connection, ideally via the Spanish cities of Madrid, Barcelona or Malaga. You can even split the flights and spend two days in mainland Spain. Another option is to fly to one of the other Canary Islands (best Lanzarote or Gran Canaria) and continue from there by ferry or a short inter-island flight.

And if you’re travelling for longer and you’re a roadtrip fan, you can also take a ferry from mainland Spain, specifically from Huelva or Cádiz. The ferries usually don’t go straight to Fuerteventura, so you’ll have to change at Gran Canaria, for example. But that’s a small thing in the context of such a big trip.