Our trip to Fuerteventura was a little different from the other summer holidays we did here in Europe. Usually, we rent a car for the entire period, and each day we go to a different beach.
However, this time, we wanted to relax and not have to drive, so we decided we would only stay in Corralejo.
Of course, it didn’t last long, as we stayed in Fuerteventura for almost two weeks and we ended up renting a car for about 2-3 days so we could visit some parts of the island.
Fuerteventura is the second largest island in the famous Canary Islands Archipelago in Spain, approximately 100 kilometres (62 miles) long and 31 kilometres (19 miles) wide and has more than 150 kilometres of coast.
Located just 100 km off the coast of North Africa and at the same latitude as Florida and Mexico, its temperatures rarely drop below 18°C, and it has more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year.
We went to Fuerteventura in the middle of May, 2-3 years ago and I confess that the weather, although mild, was a little unpleasant because of the strong wind.
The problem is that as the wind was strong and because we were in a hotel on the dunes, we were unable to stay on the beach because the loose sand blew all the time and it was not pleasant.
The name of the island is composed by the words in Spanish: fuerte (fort) and Ventura (fortune). Traditionally, the name Fuerteventura is considered a reference to the strong winds around the island. Though, it may have referred to wealth and luck.
What I liked there, is that although it has well-developed tourist facilities, the island has not undergone the overdevelopment found on other islands, such as Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
As a result, the island is much calmer even in the summer and not packed with tourists. The resorts are suitable for families, with the south being more popular with Germans and the North with British.
The island, which in 2009 was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, has the longest white sand beaches in the archipelago and due to volcanic activity thousands of years ago, has a unique landscape.
Fuerteventura is a destination for Sun lovers, beach and warmth, as well as being very popular for water sports, especially among surfers, kitesurfers and is one of the most important places for the World Cup circuit of windsurfing.
It is divided into six regions: Antigua, Betancuria, La Oliva, Pájara, Puerto del Rosario and Tuineje.
In addition to its beautiful beaches, the island has several small rural towns, consisting of old stone houses and chapels dated more than 500 years ago.
Although there are not many tourist attractions in these small villages, there are high-quality restaurants, craft markets, cheese tasting, etc.
What to do on the island?
Besides visiting the several (and beautiful) beaches, you can:
– Take a boat trip to Isla de Lobos;
– Boat trip to Lanzarote;
– visit the Mirador Sicasumbre, the first astronomical observatory on the island with an incredible view;
– visit Morro Velosa viewpoint, considered the most beautiful in Fuerteventura, as it offers a view of the Corralejo dunes and the island of Lanzarote;
– Corralejo Natural Park and its dunes;
– visit the charming village of Betacuria founded in 1404;
– visit the Cueva del Llano volcanic caves in Villaverde;
– take a walk through Montaña Tindaya (you need permission to do it)
How to get to Fuerteventura?
Fuerteventura Airport, also known as El Matorral Airport, receives flights from Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brussels, Milan, Munich, Paris, Vienna, Zurich among many other cities in Europe.
Several airports in the UK have direct flights to Fuerteventura, including London Gatwick, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh.
Another way to get to Fuerteventura is by ferry, coming from Lanzarote, Gran Canaria or Tenerife and the ferries leave from Corralejo, Morro Jable or Puerto del Rosario.
This website here has a lot of information with the times and places of departure and arrival of the ferries.
Tips
– The voltage is 220V, and the sockets are two circular pins.
– The water is not suitable for drinking because it is a little salty.
– Most stores open between 9-10 am until 1 pm and then reopen from 5 pm until 8 pm (siesta). However, shopping malls and most supermarkets are open all day.
– Most shops in non-tourist areas are closed on Sundays.
– Most hotels/resorts have shops and small markets (like Hiperdino Express), but these are more expensive than large supermarkets, such as Mercadona, Hiperdino or Inpescasa.
– Craft markets are held at Casa de Coroneles, in La Oliva, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 am to 2 pm; in Lajares, on Saturday mornings and at El Campanario Center, in Corralejo, on Thursdays and Sundays.
– The language spoken in Fuerteventura is Spanish, although English is widely used.
– The currency is the euro (€).
Typical dishes
The cuisine of the Canary Islands is very homely, but it is nonetheless delicious, as are most Spanish dishes. Be sure to try:
– Ruffled porridge: the small potatoes are boiled in very salty water and then baked in the oven until they are wrinkled and super soft inside.
– Mojo picón: is a sauce made from olive oil, salt, local pepper, garlic and a combination of herbs and spices.
– Puchero Canario: it is a meat, vegetable and chickpea stew and its ingredients may include meat, chorizo, chicken, pork, chickpeas, corn, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, onions and garlic – to name a few of the possibilities!
– Majorero Cheese is a firm and unique goat cheese from the region.
– Gofio: in reality it is an ingredient, being a mixture of roasted corn flour and wheat flour, used in stews or used to flavour ice cream, mousses and other desserts.
– Berenjenas: fried eggplants, served with cubes of goat cheese and drizzled with honey.
And be sure to try the Ron Miel liqueur, a delicious honey rum for those who like sweet drinks. I liked it so much that I brought a bottle home!
In this post here, I explain which are the most famous beaches in the North of the island.
I hope you like it and don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family!
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