Fuerteventura - Canary Islands

Fuerteventura is really the sandy beaches island

The vegetation on Fuerteventura is minimal and the beaches are really fantastic. The sand is white and the water is crystal clear.

As Fuerteventura has still not attracted mass tourism it is a fantastic place to be alone. One can walk along the deserted beaches for hours without having to meet many others.

Fuerteventura has 340 kilometres of coastline, many of which are white sandy beaches and is really an international Mecca for windsurfers.

The most popular beaches are Sotaviento de Jandía, Barlovento de Jandía and Playa del Perchel.

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Fuerteventura is the second largest Canary Island after Tenerife. Fuerteventura is also the Canary Island that is located closest to the African coast. Only 100km separates Fuerteventura from Morroco. Fuerteventura enjoys three thousand hours of sunshine a year and has more than 150 beaches, yes, 150! The average annual temperature is around 20ºC which makes the island the ideal holiday destination. Puerto del Rosario is the largest city on Fuerteventura and the capital of the island. The two main resort towns on Fuerteventura are Corralejo and Caleta del Fuste. Fuerteventura is easily accessible from the other islands in the archipelago by ferry or air. The airport is situated close to the island's capital of Puerto del Rosario.

But Fuerteventura has more to offer than sun and beaches. Fuerteventura is declared a Biosphere Reserve. The volcanic island offers magical mountainous landscapes and also fantastic sand dunes.

Fuerteventura is divided into 2 different areas: La Maxorata where most of the island's inhabitants live, and the Península de Jandía, an arid and sandy area where many fine beaches are found. The ports on Fuerteventura, Puerto del Rosario, Tarajal, Corralejo and Morro Jable are always bustling with life.

Beaches in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is the surf and sandy beaches island. As Fuerteventura has still not attracted mass tourism it is a fantastic holiday island for relax sunbathing and windsurfing

Fuerteventura has many beautiful beaches. Some of the best are: Playa de Sotavento-Jandía, Calas del Puertito, El Cofete, Playa El Dormidero, Playa de El Viejo, Playa Morro de Potala, Playa Janubio, Esquinza and Aguila, Playa El Algibe- La Cueva, Playa El Bajo Negro and Playa Majanicho.

Fuerteventura, the oldest of the islands of the archipelago, is the second largest of the Canary Islands. Its closeness to the African continent – it is approximately one hundred kilometres from the coast of Morocco - means that its climate and geography are very similar. The famous Dunes of Corralejo were formed by the accumulation of lime-based sands, derived from the remains of marine organisms which were carried to the north coast by the tides. The island, formerly known as Planaria, is surrounded by kilometres of heavenly beaches of white sand and turquoise waters, where the visitor can enjoy complete tranquillity and relaxation. Lovers of water sports such as windsurfing will find Fuerteventura to be an ideal place to enjoy sun, sea and the excellent wind systems here. The qualities of the island’s nature and landscapes have led this island to be declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

• Surface:  1,659.74 square kilometres.

• Highest point: Pico de la Zarza at 807 m.

• Protected nature reserves: 13.

- Natural Monuments: Malpaís de la Arena, Montaña Tindaya, Caldera de Gairía, Cuchillos de Vigán, Montaña Cardón
   and Ajuí.
- Protected Landscapes: Malpaís Grande and Vallebrón.
- Places of Scientific Interest: Matorral Beach.
- Nature Parks: Lobos, Corralejo and Jandía.
- Rural Park: Betancuria.

• Biosphere Reserve: The whole island.

• Typical flora: Endemic species such as Crambe pritzelii, Echium handiense, Winter’s Daisy, Jandía Cactus, succulent bush (Euphorbia balsmifera), tamarisk, and Canarian Palm.

• Typical fauna: Fuerteventura limpet, barnacles, Fuerteventura gecko, local birds (chlamydotis undulate fuerteventurae and Saxicola dacotiae), small Canary eagle, shrew, vulture (Neophron percnopterus), and local goat.

• Population: 94,386  inhabitants*.

• Capital: Puerto de Rosario.
Formerly known as Puerto de Cabras (Port of the Goats), it took over the role of capital of the island from Betancuria in 1834, due to its growth as a maritime centre.

• Municipalities: 6/ Antigua, Betancuria, La Oliva, Pájara, Puerto de Rosario and Tuineje.

• Airports: 1/  Fuerteventura Airport.

• Passenger Ports: 3/ Port of Rosario, Port of Corralejo and Morro Jable.

• Yachting marinas: 5/ Port of Rosario, Gran Tarajal, Morro Jable, Corralejo and Caleta de Fuste.

• Public hospitals: 1/ General Hospital of Fuerteventura.

• University centres: 1/ Associated Centre of the Spanish National Distance Learning University (UNED).

• Conference Halls: 3/ Auditorium of Gran Tarajal, Auditorium Insular and Auditorium of Corralejo.

• Golf courses: 4/ Fuerteventura Golf, Salinas de Antigua Golf, Jandía Golf and Las Playitas Golf.

• Museums: 14/ Handcraft Centre Molino de Antigua; Eco-Museum La Alcogida; Museum-House Unamuno; Archaeological Museum of Betancuria; Art Centre Juan Ismael; Museum of Salt; Information Centre of the Archaeological Site of the Atalayita; Museum of Grain of La Cilla; Information Centre of Los Molinos; Museum-House Dr Mena; Information Centre of the Cueva del Llano (Cave); Viewing Point of Morro Velosa; Las Gavias de Felipito El Feo; and Museum of Fish.

• Gastronomy: Goat’s meat, local cheese, local fish in spicy sauce, clams, fried moray eel.

• Denominations of origin: 1/ Regulatory Authority of the Denomination of Origin Queso Majorero (local cheese).

• Public holidays: Carnival, Procession of the Virgin of La Peña, Great Dance of Taifas on Canary Day, Religious Procession of Tuineje and Festival of the Virgin of the Carmen.

• Places of interest: Mountain of Tindaya, House of the Colonels, Nature Park of the Dunes of Corralejo, fishing villaje of El Cotillo, municipality of Betancuria, Nature Park of Jandía, Cofete, Lighthouse of La Entallada and Lighthouse of El Tostón of El Cotillo.