What to do in Fuerteventura? Imagine walking barefoot on fine sand, swimming in the Atlantic, waiting for the best waves to surf, eating the freshest fish you’ve ever had by the water, or going through cute towns and villages. That’s what Fuerteventura has to offer.
This Canary Island is always great. People who want to have fun with their friends, families who want to find a quiet place for their kids to play, and people who want to relax and find themselves will all love Fuerteventura.
Plan a trip that includes various activities to get the most out of your holiday. It’s great to have a short holiday on the island. You can visit towns, take day trips to natural areas, and just do nothing in your free time, like sitting by the sea and enjoying its turquoise colours without thinking about the stresses of everyday life. Keep reading because the places and things below are what we think you should see and do on your trip to Fuerteventura.
Places you have to see in Fuerteventura
Many people will enjoy the same sights, such as natural pools, amazing caves, golden dunes, historical sites, and markets. Still, have doubts about whether Fuerteventura is the right island?
Lobos Island
If the thought of sailing excites you, picture what it would be like to go to a small paradise where you could go camping, surf, or relax on the quiet beaches without any other people.
It’s important to remember that Lobos Island is a protected place, and you need a special permit from the Island Council of Fuerteventura to visit. If you’re going on a planned trip, you won’t have to think about anything because the tour company will handle the permits and ensure the maximum number of visitors is followed (there are two daily slots with no more than 200 people each).
When you get to Lobos, don’t miss the beautiful La Concha beach, the walk up to La Caldera volcano (make sure you wear shoes that can handle the rough, rocky ground), or the Punta Martiño lighthouse. Lobos has a beach bar, but you should bring your lunch.
Corralejo dunes
This small desert is part of the Dunas de Corralejo Natural Park in the town of La Oliva. It’s a great place to spend the day getting close to nature. Birds fans will have a great time trying to find great bustards, Canarian hours, Eurasian stone curlews, and common kestrels in this area designated as SPA.
The bright blue of the sea looks stunning next to the white sand of the Corralejo dunes. It’s the perfect scene to help you feel at one with nature. The park is 2.5 kilometres long and 10 kilometres wide, and it has beaches for everyone, such as beaches where people go naked, beaches where you can do water sports (surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing), play games, and more. It’s best to bring your family to the beaches in the north. Take note of El Pozo, El Viejo, and Bajo Negro if you are travelling with kids. The water at these places is very calm and good for swimming. In the south, El Burro Beach and El Moro Beach are some of the craziest. El Burro houses the International Kite Festival.
Tindaya
Tindaya is the name of the magical mountain on Fuerteventura. It stands tall in the north of the island, in La Oliva. It has a pyramidal shape and an eroded face, and people are still interested in it because of the archaeological remains found on it. Tindaya is not very tall; it is only 225 meters high and stays 400 meters above sea level.
Many signed hiking trails go up and down the mountainside in this Natural Mountain Area of National Interest, also named a Natural Monument and a Biosphere Reserve. You should go on a guided walk to learn about the plants and animals that live in the area.
The best thing to do on a trip to Tindaya is to go to the town with the same name, which has less than 1,000 people, and see the Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Caridad, named a Cultural Interest Site. After walking, you can rest and recover at Los Podomorfos and Casa Vieja.
Jandía peninsula
The Jandía peninsula, the most southern point of Fuerteventura, has some of the most beautiful beaches. The isthmus of La Pared links the peninsula and the island. The peninsula is home to Jandía Natural Park, which has deserts, lagoons, and beaches.
It is said that the peninsula used to be an island that was joined to Fuerteventura by a volcano eruption a long time ago. In addition to the natural sights, you should visit nearby towns and beaches like Sotavento, Morro Jable, Cofete, Costa Calma, and the lighthouse at Punta Jandía.
Villa Winter
You can visit one of the strangest places in Fuerteventura here, as its past is still shrouded in mysteries that haven’t been solved. This is the name of a house built in the 1940s in a dry, out-of-the-way place. There is a story about the building that has to do with the Nazis. This idea was sparked by the book Fuerteventura by Alberto Vázquez Figueroa. There isn’t any solid evidence, but the fact that the German engineer Gustav Winter had it made and was later caught by the British secret services has helped spread the story.
The villa is halfway between the Jandía peninsula and Cofete Beach. You can visit it and walk through its big rooms, set out on two levels in a U shape, as well as its watchtower.
Piscinas naturales de Aguas Verdes
On a trip to the lovely island of Fuerteventura, one of the most important things to do is to see the natural pools of Aguas Verdes in Betancuria. You only need to bring a small lunch and water shoes to protect your feet from the sharp rocks. Right next to it, there are no bars or restaurants.
In this area, which is usually not very busy, six kilometres of natural pools are great for relaxing. The water is always fresh because the sea fills them up. You can also take beautiful pictures there because the water is clear and green.
Ajuy caves
The Ajuy caves are one of the world’s 150 sites of main geological interest because of their importance for geology and palaeontology. If you are in Fuerteventura, you should plan to visit them in the morning or afternoon. The most amazing things about the caves are their sheer size and the strange shapes they have inside. They cover an area of almost 32 hectares and have been named a Natural Monument.
Lava flows along the rocks formed the caves, which were also the site of pirate deals. It’s easy to get to them; go to the village of Ajuy, eight miles from Pájara. A beautiful beach in the town has a 500-meter path that goes straight to the caves. It’s cold inside, so bring the same warm clothes and shoes with laces.
Fuerteventura’s markets
More and more people like to go to the Fuerteventura markets while on holiday. The markets are huge, and there is something for everyone. You can buy crafts, gifts to take home, and food straight from the people who make it there. What we think are some good ideas are listed below:
- Markets in Corralejo: There are three choices in this town: a traditional Canarian market in the Campanario Shopping Centre, one in the Acua Water Park, and one at Paseos del Arte, which has a more hippie vibe.
- The Lajares market: A market outside with lots of handmade goods.
- Markets in Puerto del Rosario: To get the best organic food in Fuerteventura’s capital, visit the Biosphere Farmers’ Market and the La Vega de Tetir Market.
- The market in La Caleta de Fuste: This town has two markets. One sells crafts in the town square, and the other has a wide range of goods near the bus stop.
- Market in Costa Calma: The African market, open on Wednesdays and Sundays, has great leather items.
- Market in Morro Jable: On Mondays and Thursdays, fake and handmade goods are sold in the Cosmo shopping centre.
- Market in La Lajita: Food, art, and farmers’ markets are here.
Fuerteventura markets have all the information about where to go and when they’re open.
The Fuerteventura beaches are the best
In Fuerteventura, you can find beautiful beaches for all tastes. Here are a few of our favourites.
Cofete beach
Cofete Beach, west of the Jandía peninsula and very pretty, is one of the best beaches in Fuerteventura. Its quiet, relaxing atmosphere has been kept because it is in an area that is hard to get to and away from populated areas. Four-wheel drives are the only way to get to the beach because the only other ways are through the trees.
You should plan to go on a trip and enjoy the 12 kilometres of beach next to Jandía Natural Park for a full day or at least half a day. You can go to Villa Winter, the small town of Cofete, or the Cofete cemetery.
Sotavento beach
This beach is one of the nicest and least developed on the island. The water is as clear as in the Caribbean. Sotavento Beach is on the Jandía Peninsula, close to Pájara. It’s a great place to spend the day by the water fishing and doing water sports. The beach has been the site of many surfing competitions because it is great for the sport. The Sotavento viewpoint is the best spot to view the coast, which is split into La Barca, Risco del Paso, Mirador, Malnombre, and Los Canarios.
El Matorral beach
This beach in Morro Jable (Pájara) is one of Fuerteventura’s busiest tourist attractions. It has three kilometres of fine sand, so there is room for everyone. You can relax and enjoy the vibe at the beach bars, sun chairs, and the many available water sports.
The truth is that El Matorral beach is often very crowded, but the way the people are spread out makes it not too bad. This is also a great place for children because the water is calm. Don’t forget to walk to the lighthouse at Jandía, which is in the middle.
La Concha beach
The lovely La Concha beach is in the northwest of Fuerteventura, next to the town of El Cotillo. The name comes from the shape of the beach: “concha” means “shell” in Spanish. The beach is a great place to spend a nice day because the water is calm and blue, and it’s close to town, so you can swim and eat at a good restaurant at the same time. There are also monitors and a parking lot close by. People have made small stone walls called corralitos on the sand in places where it blows hard to protect themselves from the wind.
Other well-known beaches
Some of the world’s best beaches are here. People who love long beach days and water sports are in luck. Along with the beaches of Cofete, Sotavento, El Matorral, and La Concha, many more beautiful beaches are in the north and south of the island. The beaches on and around the Jandía peninsula stand out in the southern part of the island. Some of the best beaches in the town of Pájara are Costa Calma, which has a coastline lined with palm trees, and Esmeralda, which has beautiful turquoise water and is protected from the wind.
In the north, there are both big dunes and pretty strips of white sand. The Dunas de Corralejo Natural Park is one of the most interesting places. Finally, the beaches of Gran Tarajal in Tuineje and Blanca Beach in Puerto del Rosario are also worth mentioning.
The Fuerteventura towns and villages with the most beautiful views
Driving around Fuerteventura is fun and can lead to lovely surprises, especially when small towns appear out of nowhere in the middle of strange landscapes and beautiful beaches. They are not all required stops, but it is important to know that the ones below are some of the best.
Puerto del Rosario
Fuerteventura’s capital is a beautiful town that begs to be walked around. It is also where the island’s government and cultural offerings are located. In addition to, of course, having great motels and restaurants. In Puerto del Rosario, you can see the Unamuno House Museum, where the author spent some of his time in exile, the Juan Ismael Art Centre and the La Alcogida ecomuseum.
People who stay in the city will also be close to nice beaches where you can sunbathe and do sports like kitesurfing and surfing.
Corralejo
In a beautiful setting, the old fishing village of Corralejo captures the city life like no other. The port has many shopping malls, great restaurants, and boats. Walking through the old town at night when fish are being grilled is fun, and everyone has had a good time.
This is the place you need to go to get to Lobos Island after you leave.
Morro Jable
In the south of the Jandía peninsula, in Morro Jable, you can find one of Fuerteventura’s most popular tourist spots. It used to be a small fishing village, though. It is in the town of Pájar and has more than 8,000 people living there. In Morro Jable, there are two types of activities: those that take place in nature and those that take place in cities. If you love nature, visit Jandía Natural Park, check out its beautiful beaches, and bike around the municipality. Surely, you will enjoy El Matorral beach with its pretty tower and Cofete beach. Please add them to your list of must-see places in the area.
In the afternoon and evening, walk through Morro Jable’s old town to see all its shops and great restaurants. There will be fun.
El Cotillo
The good life in Fuerteventura can be found in the small town of El Cotillo, in the county of La Oliva. It has an old town, many shops, and some great beaches, so it does have something for everyone. El Tostón castle, which goes back to the 1400s and was built to protect against pirate attacks, is the best place to see before enjoying the clear waters of Piedra Playa or Caleta del Marrajo. The Traditional Fishing Museum, which used to be the El Tostón lighthouse, is also not to be missed.
Costa Calma
You can tell from the name that Costa Calma is where people can enjoy peace. But there are other fun things to do, like Oasis Park Fuerteventura, a park whose main goal is to protect wildlife and has shows and many other things to do. People who want to go to the beach will enjoy the beaches of Costa Calma and Esmeralda. Plus, Jandía Natural Park is close.
Caleta Fuste
People who are going with their families love this town. It is part of the town of Antigua and is known for its nice beaches with calm waves and many places to shop and have fun. There are lots of things to do in Caleta de Fuste. You can plan to see the newest films at the theatre, shop at a mall in the morning or walk along the harbour in the afternoon. There are also lively pubs and bars for people who want to have fun.
The day can be spent on the water or at the beach. There’s nothing else you could want.
Tips that will help you on your trip to Fuerteventura
Since Fuerteventura has so many sides, it’s always helpful to have some useful tips to help you make the most of your time and understand what’s happening. People will have different ideas about the island if you go there with different groups at different times. This is why we’ve put together some tips to check out our cheap Fuerteventura holiday packages, whether you’re going alone, with family, with friends, or as a couple.
There may be no better time to try water sports like kitesurfing or windsurfing than when you are going alone and like sports. Anyone can sign up for classes at dozens of schools, and they will give you everything you need. You will also have the chance to meet holidaymakers worldwide who like sports and want to have fun. Of course, routes that go through national parks are also very good.
But if you are going to Fuerteventura with your family, you should have a more laid-back plan with lots of free time so the kids can take it easy everywhere. You can go to beaches in Fuerteventura with kids because the water is calm and the sand is very fine so they can play without problems. You can also take a path on the island through towns, villages, and natural areas. There are also lots of fun things for kids to do at hotels.
You can also find plenty of choices if you go with a partner or a group of friends. A trip to Lobos Island is also highly suggested, along with enjoying the beaches, fishing, and paths through cute towns and villages. It only takes a short boat ride to get to this little paradise. Don’t forget to check out the craft shops or eat seafood at one of the beach bars on the island, just a few meters from the water.
Last but not least, don’t bring your worries home with you. The friendly Canarians, the nice weather, the delicious food, and the natural beauty of the place can do wonders to make you feel better.
