Fuerteventura Tourism Guide - Fuerteventura Tourist Guide

Fuerteventura Holidays

Crystal clear waters, year round sunshine, beautiful endless stretches of white sandy beaches and a focus on watersports and sports hard to beat, Fuerteventura is a beach lover and watersports paradise. You get the winds here on Fuerteventura, invaluable for popular sports like windsurfing and kite surfing. The emphasis on excursions and activities is very much on sports - although it's quite possible to plonk yourself on a beautiful beach on Fuerteventura and not move for a week! It's all here - windsurfing and kitesurfing especially at hotspots Sotavento in the south and El Cotillo in the north, great diving opportunities around Gran Tarajal, Pozo Negro and Caleta de Fuste, good surfing at Sotavento, Los Caletones and Playa Bajo Negro near Corralejo and top deep sea fishing around Corralejo. There's less of a contrast in weather patterns in the north and south of Fuerteventura - no mammoth mountainous interior like Gran Canaria and Tenerife where clouds form and rainfall is heavier in the south. Fuerteventura is the second largest of the Canary Islands, but with a much lower population than Gran Canaria the third largest.

Outside of the main resorts, Fuerteventura remains largely untouched by tourism, yet much of its interior is very accessible by excellent good roads. Hop in your hire car and head out - like Lanzarote, Fuerteventura is a very popular island for car hires! (book early through weblink right or phone iknow-holidays Ltd direct on 0871 423 5056). There's two excellent golf courses on the island (both are in and around Caleta de Fuste, one of which has played host to the Spanish Open), with more planned plus plenty of opportunity for off road mountain biking in the interior. On the excursion side, catamaran sailing trips are a particular favourite here, especially south around Jandia for spectacular views of the Jandia mountainous landscape. (see the Fuerteventura excursion tours section on this website). Other sports easily available on the island include on-land kite flying which is popular on the beaches alongside kite-surfing, horse riding, jeep safaris and tennis. Fuerteventura is the perfect location for leisure, sports and activity holidays.

No shortage of blue flag beaches here on Fuerteventura either - two of its most popular resorts - Morro Jable and Costa Calma (both good Fuerteventura family holiday choices in the south of the island) are blue flag beaches. The best naturist beaches (albeit unofficial) are to be found down in the far south of Jandia at remote Cofete, or up on quiet spots on the endless white sands of Sotovento.

Moving into Fuerteventura's interior, the landscape of this Canaries Island is uniquely stark, yet hauntingly beautiful. Fuerteventura is one of the flatter of the Canary Islands, yet like all the Canaries it's marked by previous volcanic activity. The dramatic rock formations and volcanic craters, pretty interior villages and some of the more rugged coastlines of the west offering particularly a unique Guanche cave site at Ajuy will bring a smile to the face of any walker planning a walking holiday on Fuerteventura.

Fuerteventura Beaches, Windsurfing, Kite Surfing & Surfing

Fuerteventura's beaches have been described as some of the best in the Atlantic. It's not an exaggeration, and there are plenty of them too, with blue flag status, covering about 125 miles of the coast. The main resorts, all good for family holidays, include Costa Calma, just north of the Jandia region and Morro Jable in the heart of the Jandia region, as well as main resort on Fuerteventura - Caleta de Fuste close to Fuerteventura Airport. Costa Calma's beach is a real gem, perfect for both watersports, especially windsurfing and the resort offers an excellent choice of good quality accommodation and ample typical resort amenities. The blue flag beach here is cleaned daily and leads nicely into one of the best beaches on Fuerteventura - Sotavento with its white gleaming sands stretching for miles offering perfect conditions for windsurfing. The Windsurf World Cup is held here on Sotavento during late July into August annually. (see weblink right for details).

In the south, Morro Jable is another of Fuerteventura's main resorts, and popular with German visitors although plenty of British holidaymakers come here too! The beach is also known as Playa del Matorral and offers a good choice of watersports and easy access to catamaran and boat trips from its adjacent harbour. (ferries come in here from Las Palmas/Gran Canaria). To the left of the lighthouse on Morro Jable's beach, naturism is popular. Much more sheltered than Sotavento, this beach is perfect for families and for safe, sheltered swimming, although the resort is much more laid back than bustling Corralejo to the north. To the far south of Jandia 4 wheel drive is recommended (although many do the route in bog standard cars) to reach the stunning and untouched by tourism beaches of Cofete and Barlovento (must visit beaches if you're moving around Fuerteventura). Cofete's beach is about 5km of white sand and a popular naturist beach on Fuerteventura (it takes a bit of efford driving wise to get down to this beautiful beach). If you're a little troubled by the prospect of challenging driving (although easily doable) hook into one of the jeep safaris on Fuerteventura which head down this way to the edge of Jandia.

To the north the beaches around Corralejo are stunning. Again it's glorious white sands here, backed on by sand dunes which are part of the Corralejo Nature Park which is protected. The white sand dunes lining the road and beaches leading into Corralejo really do give this area an edge. Expect it to be windy on these beaches, and hidden dune sunbathing spots are popular with naturist beach lovers. Kite surfing is beginning to do a roaring trade at Playa del Burro and Playa Bajo Negro (blue flag). Within Corralejo itself the little cove beaches are nicely sheltered, and backed on by the promendade and a choice of beach bars, restaurants and cafes.

The manmade beach of Caleta De Fuste is perfectly adequate, sheltered and ideal for families. Caleta De Fuste is very much a family resort - and very well presented it is, with a choice of diving excursions and some very nice swimming pools here (one is directly adjacent to the El Castillo fort on the coast. You've probably one of the poorest beaches here (but by Fuerteventura's outstanding beach standards). Caleta de Fuste's family holiday amenities more than compensate. To the north west of Fuerteventura is another beach hub around El Cotillo. You get the winds up here again, perfect for kite surfing, windsurfing and some surfing. The little white sandy beaches here are a delight. Pretty Ajuy to the west is a real Canarian coastal village hotspot framed by mountains and rocks, which to one side contain the famous Ajuy Guanche caves. It's black sand here, quiet and untouched by tourism - a beautiful alternative tranquil beach location. Also, the capital Puerto del Rosario's adjacent beach - Playa Blanca deserves a plug - especially for its good waves. Surfers often pop down here.

Fuerteventura Interior - Museums & History

Touring the interior landscapes of Fuerteventura makes for some of the most pleasurable driving in the Canaries (if you've a hire car - alternatively take one of the Grand Tours of the island which weave there way through the interior. Many visitors enjoy a grand tour, (often coming over first on the boat from Lanzarote!). Car hire on Fuerteventura is highly recommended, so you can really take your time to explore the beauty of this desert island's interior. There's a good choice of museums on Fuerteventura focusing on agricultural history, religious history and the Guanche pre-hispanic settlers including the Archeological and Ethnographic Museum, Scaro Art Gallery and Craft centre in Betancuria, the Antigua Windmill Craftwork centre, the Grain Museum and Canarian Art Centre in La Oliva, and the Unamuno Museum in the capital Puerto del Rosario.

Mostly pretty arid, but with some variation - to the south is the Palm tree laden ravine - Vega del Rio de Palmas. You'll note in the centre many of what still remains an iconic feature of Fuerteventura - a scattering of windmills, most of which today are not in use and some of which date back a couple of centuries. Settlements in the interior which are particularly popular include historic Betancuria - Jean de Bethencourt (leader of the Spanish invasion of Fuerteventura) set up camp here in 1405 - the spot was well served by water and a strategic defensive position against Guanche attack. With the usual pomp and circumstance of colonists, Bethencourt named it after himself - but as you can see its been twisted to Betancuria since. Betancuria was the island's capital for a spell.

Franciscan monks set up shop here too, and you can see the monastery still as you approach Betancuria from the north. Other highlights in this historic location include the attractive Iglesia de Santa Maria dating from the 17th century, a Museo de Arte Sacro containing various examples of religious art, and the Casa Museo de Betancuria which is well worth a look particularly for its small collection of Guanche artefacts. There's some fantastic arts and crafts shops in Betancuria too - especially for ceramics! A few great Bodegas too! There's a festival here - Dia de San Buenaventura every 14th July.

Other interior hotspots in the centre include historic Pajara, with its 17th century Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de Regla, and to the north pretty La Oliva, also once the capital of the island. The Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Candelaria (covered in scaffolding at the time of our visit!) is usually the focal point of this pretty town with its notable Ecomuseum which explores the tough rural history of the island. Checkout the Rural Tourism weblink right on Fuerteventura for further details on Guanche history, museum listings and walking holidays on Fuerteventura.

Fuerteventura Golf and Fishing

Fuerteventura golf is on the up and up. Already Fuerteventura has one highly acclaimed golf course in Caleta de Fuste - the island's main resort. This course hosted the Spanish Open in 2004 and offers 18 holes/Par 70 course, with on-site club house, 3 enormous lakes and a 50 bay driving range.

Plans (and indeed building work) are afoot for four more luxury golf courses on Fuerteventura, one in Rosa del Lago just north of Fuerteventura's capital Puerto del Rosario, another in the Jandia Peninsula, another around the Vinamar Barranco in the Pajara region - this will serve the Playas del Jable area and finally El Faro de El Cotillo to the north sees building work currently underway (2006) on its golf course.

Fuerteventura obviously has plans to push itself as a top Canary Islands golf holiday hotspot - to compete with both Tenerife and Gran Canaria which currently have a good selection of golf courses. For relaxing golfing holidays, Fuerteventura is a good choice!

There's an excellent fishing equipment hire and shop at the El Castillo Shopping Centre in Caleta de Fuste! Gone Fishing, Centro Comercial ""El Castillo"" Local B, El Castillo, Costa Caleta, 35610, Antigua, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands. Tel/Fax ( 34) 928 160 149. The hotspot location for Fuerteventura fishing - offering numerous deep sea fishing trips available - is Corralejo and its harbour to the north. Fishing trip companies line Corralejo's harbour, so you've plenty of choice!

Boat Trips from Fuerteventura to Lanzarote and Isla Lobos

Los Lobos Island, situated between north Fuerteventura and southern Lanzarote is a designated nature reserve and haven for sea birds and for its high population of seals, indeed the island is named after the seals - Lobos del mar (sea wolves). Day trips by boat from Corralejo on Fuerteventura to Los Lobos island run daily from Corralejo harbour. It's an excursion highly recommended for birdwatchers and walkers. Sea birds such as Cory's Shearwater, Puffinus Assimilis, Osprey and Gulls nest in the cliffs on Los Lobos.

A network of well marked paths exist on Los Lobos Island, ideal for a days walking! There are around 130 species of vegetation on the island, hence its protected status, and many of these species are endemic. A boat trip to Los Lobos should be on any keen birdwatcher or walker's itinerary on Fuerteventura.

The express ferry from Corralejo on Fuerteventura to Playa Blanca in South Lanzarote seems to be getting quicker and quicker - they've now (2006) got it down to a 12 minute crossing! This makes day trips between the two Canary Islands simple, and indeed many Grand Tour excursions of Lanzarote commence early morning with the boat trip from Corralejo. Easy as pie to enjoy the fascinating volcanically moulded landscapes of both Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, whether your staying on either. Most Grand Tour excursions of Lanzarote departing from Fuerteventura pick-up from all the main Fuerteventura resorts!

Two fast ferry providers (Fred Olson & Naviera Armas) offer express trips running from Fuerteventura to Lanzarote daily at the following times from Corralejo, Fuerteventura and return from Playa Blanca Lanzarote - Fred Olsen from Corralejo - 07.45am (except weekends and Bank holidays), 09.00am, 11.00am, 13.30pm (except weekends and Bank Holidays). 15.00pm, 17.00pm, 19.00pm. And the other way from Lanzarote - 07.10 (except weekends and Bank holidays), 08.30am, 10.00am, 12.30pm (except weekends and Bank holidays) 14.00pm, 16.00pm, 18.00pm. Naviera Armas run from Corralejo daily at 08.00am, 10.00am, 12.00pm (except Sundays), 14.00pm (except Sundays), 18.00pm, 20.00pm. And from Lanzarote at 07.00am, 09.00am, 11.00am, 13.15pm (except Sundays), 15.00pm (except Sundays, 17.00pm and 19.00pm. Contact the Iknow-Holidays Booking Line direct for fast and easy pre-bookings.

Fuerteventura Tourist Information Offices

Fuerteventura Tourist Board (weblink right), Avda. Constitucion, 5, Tel: 928 53 08 44/ 85 16 09/ 85 20 16. Open Mondays to Fridays, 8am to 2pm. There is also a rather good Tourist Information Office at Fuerteventura's El Matorral Airport. Tel: 928 86 06 04. Open in Winter from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 8pm, Sundays 10am to 5pm. In the Summer Monday to Saturday from 9am to 7pm, Sunday 11am to 3pm.

Puerto del Rosario Tourist Information Office, Avenida Maritima de Puerto del Rosario, Opening hours are Monday to Friday from 09.30 to 13.30 and from 16.30 to 19.00. Saturday from 09.30 to 13.00.

Tourist Information Office in the region of La Oliva include one in Corralejo, Tel: 928 86 62 35. Opening times: Monday to Friday: 8.30 to 14:30, Saturday: 9.00 to 12.00. Tourist Information Office Muelle de Corralejo, Tel: 928 53 71 83. Opening times: Monday to Friday: 8:00 to 14:00, Saturday: 8:00 to 12:00.

Tourist Information Office in the region of Antigua include one in Caleta de Fuste - Centro Comercial Castillo Centro, C/ Dos Avenidas, s/n, Tel: 928 16 32 86. Opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00 to 15:00. Tourist Information Office in the Pajara region include one in Morro Jable, Centro Comercial Shopping Center, Jandia Beach Local 88, Tel: 928 54 07 76. Open Monday to Friday: 9:00 to 15:00, and another Tourist Information Office at Centro Comercial Shopping Center, Jandia Beach Local 88. Tel: 928 54 07 76. Open Monday to Friday: 9:00 to 15:00.

Fuerteventura Market Days & Fuerteventura Shopping

Corralejo Market (based at the Baku Waterpark complex) is every Monday and every Friday from 8am to 2pm.

Caleta de Fuste Market is every Saturday from 8.30am to 2pm.

Jandia Market is every Thursday from 10am to 2pm. Antigua Market is held every second Sunday of the month from 10am to 2pm.

Some of the best arts and crafts shopping is available on Fuerteventura, at cultural craft centres at Tefia and Betancuria for example. There's some pretty chic surf gear shops in Corralejo, and check out the market stalls and specialist shops around Corralejo old town and harbour too! There's a good selection of perfumeries, electricals and more in the top resorts on Fuerteventura, including Corralejo, Costa Caleta and Caleta de Fuste, Costa Calma and Morro Jable. If you really want to shop till you drop, consider taking a trip to Las Palmas, the capital of Gran Canaria via Morro Jable or Puerto del Rosario harbours - by boat. Day trips to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria are due to get a lot quicker once they complete the southern tip harbour work at the end of Jandia! Flying to Gran Canaria via Binter Airlines is also another option!