Things To Do In Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura has many attractions that visitors will enjoy. There are lots of historical villages housing beautiful churches, traditional dwellings and museums. The main town on the island, Puerto del Rosario, has a stunning harbour and excellent restaurants and bars.

Puerto del Rosario

This is the busiest town on the island and can be found on the western side. Efforts have only been made recently to take advantage of the booming tourist trade and even today, goats are thought to outnumber people. The stunning harbour has recently been rebuilt and features some excellent examples of traditional architecture. The home of the exiled poet, Miguel de Unamuno - now a museum - can also be found at the harbour. The area offers excellent souvenir shops, cafés and bars.

La Oliva

From the 17th to the 19th century, this village was the home of military governors and the capital of the island. The governor’s townhouse, Casa des Coroneles, has been renovated and is now open to the public. In the centre of the village, there is a stunning church which features a painting of the Last Judgment, a Baroque-style painting by Juan de Miranda. The village is also home to an art gallery exhibiting work from local artists.

Betancuria

This village takes its name from the Spanish conqueror, Juan de Bethencourt, and it was his headquarters throughout much of the 15th century. The centre of the village is dominated by the striking Santa Maria Church. On the drive from Betancuria to Pajara, there are spectacular views and plenty of viewpoints at which you can stop and admire them.  From the 17th to the 19th century, this village was the capital of the island and home to the military governors. The governor’s townhouse, Casa des Coroneles, has been renovated and is now open to the public. In the centre of the village, there is a stunning church which features a painting of the Last Judgment, a Baroque-style painting by Juan de Miranda. The village is also home to an art gallery exhibiting work from local artists.

Tefia

This is a village very close to Puerto del Rosario. It is home to a settlement of traditional peasant lodgings including houses, farms and workshops, giving visitors a fascinating insight into Fuerteventura’s past.

La Lajita Zoo and The Oasis Park Garden

La Lajita Zoo is home to a small selection of animals and offers a parrot show, horse rides and camel safaris. In the village surrounding the zoo, there are many seafood restaurants and bars. It is a great day out for children and will keep them entertained for hours.

The Oasis Park Garden: is located in the town of La Lajita and is a stunning example of botanical gardens. The gardens cover a vast area, which takes at least two hours to walk around. It is one of the few places on the island where you will find greenery and trees in abundance.

Jandia Nature Reserve

Parque Natural de Jandia is located in the town of Pajara and is an area full of contrasts. The reserve is a mixture of sand dunes and vegetation. It is one of the most valuable examples of natural wildlife in the Canaries. Many animals and insects can be found here including kestrels, stonechats, hawks, Egyptian vultures and lizards.

Beaches

The beaches in Fuerteventura are some of Europe’s best. The flat beaches of Jandia in the south of the island are popular with sunbathers, as are the beautiful golden sand dunes of Corralejo in the north. These areas are also popular with people looking for walking trails, with many excellent trails originating in Corralejo, offering spectacular views of the surrounding landscapes. The walk to El Cotillo is renowned for its beauty, and for the less adventurous, the walk along Corralejo’s promenade, through the great sand dunes, is wonderful. All of Fuerteventura’s beaches accept nudism and many visitors are attracted to them for this reason.

Museums

There are many interesting museums to be found in Fuerteventura, all revealing different aspects of the island’s past. The Archaeological Museum displays artefacts from Aboriginal culture and fossils found on the island. It is a fascinating insight into the first settlers on the island and how they lived. The Museum of Religious Art and Relics in Betancuria displays works by local artists through the centuries. The Antigua Windmill Craft Centre (Centro de Artesanía Molino de Antigua) now houses a museum, which is complemented by the mill and beautiful gardens. The old maize mill displays the traditional equipment that would have been used in the production of flour. There are also small galleries here exhibiting paintings and archaeological relics.