I lived for four months in Fuerteventura working remotely and I saw almost everything the island has to offer. Twice. Or maybe three times. So, if you have just a few days, I prepared an itinerary so that you don’t miss the most important spots.
This itinerary takes it for granted that you’ll rent a car directly at the airport. Without it, you can take the bus, but I don’t really recommend it, especially if you don’t stay many days. I usually rent a car at Autoreisen, which is quite cheap, but good. Or you can use RentalCars.
Where to stay: Corralejo
Most of the things you are going to see are in the northern and in the central part of the island. Therefore, I recommend you to look for an Airbnb or a hostel in Corralejo, in the upper north shore.
Corralejo is the city where I used to live and it has everything you need for a relaxed holiday and even for living as a Digital Nomad. It’s easy to find a house to rent and there are also many resorts, hotels and residences if you prefer. But not too many. I mean, it’s a touristic city, but it’s quite small and not chaotic.
It has a harbor, from which you can take a boat to Lanzarote or to Lobos, and there are two city beaches and many surf spots.
Corralejo is also full of places to eat and drink and it has a good nightlife. I highly recommend eating Canarian tapas at Pincha Cabra and Casa Domingo. You should try the typical papas arrugadas, queso frito, croquetas, pimientos del padron, albondigas, pimientos rellenos and gambas al ajillo.
For the best drinks, I suggest the Italian Agua Tiki Bar, where you can have very special cocktails, presented in a fancy way and prepared with real fruit. A mention also to LaFreddy is worth, where you can have good cocktails and smoke a shisha in a nice and relaxed environment.
If you have to work and you need a reliable Wifi, you can go to Hub Fuerteventura, the only coworking on the island. The place is nice, near the harbor and the city beach, and the community is awesome.
Day 1: North
Corralejo’s dunes
Actually, the best attraction of Corralejo are the dunes of its natural park. It’s the first thing you’ll see when you arrive in Corralejo from the airport, taking the coast highway: a few kilometers before entering the city, you will find a huge white beach on your right and an endless desert with sand dunes on your left. The road just cuts the send in the middle and you can pass through it.
I recommend stopping there, leaving your car in a parking near the road and just go walking or running on the dunes. But be careful not to leave your car on the sand! You may not be able to move it anymore, unless someone helps you pushing it.
The area with the dunes is huge, but there are dunes bigger than others. Just stop where you see there are more cars parked and where there are people already walking on the dunes. Or, anyway, just try to find out where the biggest dunes are.
You can lose yourself in the desert and even explore the area behind the dunes. If you are lucky you can encounter different kinds of animals, like my friend Dary the dromedary, an old girl who likes to walk every day across the dunes and used to come to see me. Or there are also many goats, usually chilling under a bush.
I can spend hours walking in the dunes, sometimes stopping just to feel the wind on my face, or maybe to roll down a dune, why not?
Corralejo’s beach
In front of the dunes, on the other side of the street, there are kilometers of white beaches and green water waiting for you.
Apart from the ugly Riu Beach Resort, you will just find sand and dunes. There are also areas where you can kitesurf, surf, windsurf or just swim.
The only problem is the strong wind that usually hits this part of the island, but there’s a solution: there are many rocky trenches, especially in the part of the beach closer to the city. Just find one available and lay down, enjoying your new shelter. But look carefully inside before entering, because you can easily find naked tourists sunbathing (or having sex!).
El Cotillo
El Cotillo is a small and quiet village on the northern-west side of the island, just 20 km away from Corralejo. You can reach it in 20 minutes from the main road across the inside or — and I recommend this second option — you can take the dirt road that starts from Corralejo’s harbor, follows the north coast passing for the small fishing village of Majanicho, touching many beaches and surf spots, ending up finally near El Cotillo’s lighthouse.
Following the street, you’ll reach the city center and its beautiful beaches. The most famous is La Concha, with its crystal and calm water and white sand.
If you are hungry, there are many good fish restaurants in town. I recommend having a salt-crusted fish at El Roque De Los Pescadores.
On the southern side of El Cotillo, near the coast, a bold tower stands facing the sea: it’s Castillo del Toston. You can enter it and also go to the top to see the surroundings from above.
From there, you can then take the dirt road along the coast and admire its sheer cliffs and also one of the best surf spots on the island.
El Roque
Now go back to the tower and take another dirt road towards the inside. After just one kilometer, you will reach Molino de el Roque, an old typical white windmill.
If you like to horseback riding, close to the windmill there’s a horse farm, Granja Tara, where you can take a horseback ride along El Cotillo’s cliffs. The best way to end the day? A sunset riding, for sure!
Day 2: Center
From Corralejo, just head south towards La Oliva, crossing the island on the inside part. You will then find Montaña de Tindaya, a lonely mountain considered sacred by the aborigines.
Los Molinos
Heading down to Tefia, you can take a small deviation until the small village of Los Molinos, on the west coast. There’s a little beach, a good fish restaurant and a small seaside cave you can visit.
Miradores
Following then the road to Betancuria, you’ll find some viewpoints (miradores) where you can park the car and enjoy the view.
The first one is Mirador de Morro Velosa, which entrance is protected by two giant statues. From there you can appreciate an almost endless succession of rounded hills that unfolds in front of your eyes. Inside, you can learn about the geological past of this volcanic island, see an excellent model of the island and stop for coffee.
Passed Betancuria, you can stop at Mirador de Las Peñitas, from which you can admire a green oasis in the middle of the desert. The underground river that flows beneath the Las Peñitas ravine emerges through a man-made dam and creates a small lake that is dotted with native plants.
The next viewpoint is Mirador de Risco de las Peñas. Apart from the nice view, you can encounter many squirrels, greedy for your food and attention. And also many crows.
Natural Monument of Ajuy
Once you reach Pajara, take the road to the fishing village of Ajuy all the way to the sea. The black sandy and pebble stoned beach of Ajuy waits for you. Enjoy it, but avoid to bathe because it’s dangerous for the strong currents: this beach is nicknamed Playa de los Muertos (Beach of the Dead) for a reason!
Take then the dirt track along the cliff starting from the right side of the beach, where you can admire the fossil dunes of calcarenite and different layers of rocks formed in the abyssal sea-floor of the oceanic crust 100 million years ago. These are the oldest rocks in the Canary Islands, where you can see ocean sediments and fossils of marine gastropods.
After about 20 minutes of walking, passing by some ancient lime kilns and some nice viewpoints, you will eventually get to the Cuevas de Ajuy: two giant caves connected between them. Enter and explore them, reaching the deepest accessible point.
Playa del Jurado
Not everyone knows that from the same path that leads you to the caves, there is a deviation that brings you to another track upwards and keeps on following the cliff towards the north. After about 2 kilometers, you will arrive at Playa del Jurado, a secret beach with a particular volcanic rock formation arc-shaped.
Day 3: South
From Corralejo, take the main highway FV-1, heading south. After about one hour and a half, you will reach Costa Calma.
Playas de Sotavento
After Costa Calma, a series of large and long white beaches extend for kilometers. My favorite is the last one, Risco del Paso, where the change of scenery with the tides is spectacular: a seemingly never-ending sandy area at low tide and a lagoon salt-water lake with an enormous sandbank like a hill in the middle at high tide.
It’s ideal for swimming, but also well known for kitesurfing and windsurfing.
Punta de Jandia
If you keep on driving, you’ll arrive at the last city in the south: Morro Jable. Pass through it and follow the road that, going out of the city, will soon turn into a dirt track entering the Jandia Natural Park, where you will notice the wildness of the landscape and the scarcity of any human traces for kilometers.
Be careful: the road is made up of dirt and rocks. It runs for many kilometers, with difficult sections, but it is surmountable if skilled. Tourist guides usually recommend to rent a 4×4, but we did it many times with a normal car.
Follow the track along the cost and, after about 18 km, you’ll reach the Punta de Jandia lighthouse, the southernmost point of the island.
One kilometer before the lighthouse, there is a crossroad with another road along the coast. If you take it, you will reach a second smaller lighthouse: Punta Pesebre. Along the way, you’ll also find an abandoned aerodrome, which is supposed to be built by Nazi during World War II.
Cofete
Now drive back for 12 km on the same road you came from and turn left at the crossroad, following the sign to Cofete. After 8 km more, you’ll get there.
Cofete is a small village near a 12 km beach that extends under huge spectacular volcanic cliffs. A visual feast of endless golden sand, wild seas and a wonderful sense of freedom.
Enjoy a walk, have a bath and admire the massive breathtaking mountains, where it’s all nature expect for a house: Villa Winter. It was built by Gustav Winter, a German architect, and it was supposed to be the last shelter for Hitler.
Day 4: Lobos Island
From the harbor of Corralejo, you can take the ferry and reach Lobos, the small island in front of the city, in just 15 minutes. There are many ferry companies: just pick one. I suggest to check the timetable the day before and get the tickets for the first available departure, so that you have the entire day to explore the island. Bring food and water, as there’s just a small restaurant.
Once there, get a map at the interpretation center and start your trip. I suggest hiking following the path on the east side, headed to the lighthouse that you’ll reach in about an hour, enjoying the volcanic landscape along the way. This can be the place where to stop and have a sandwich, contemplating the ocean and the island of Lanzarote.
Follow the path from the lighthouse towards the south again, among black volcanic rocks and some green bushes and plants, and you will find a crossroad. Take the path on the right and hike to the top of the Montaña de la Caldera, an ancient volcano 100 meters high, from which you have an overview of the whole Lobos, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
You can conclude your trip following the track to Playa de la Concha, a little beach closed in a cove, where the water is green, calm and warmer than usual. Now you can relax, swim and wait for the ferry.
Last thoughts
Fuerteventura is not as green and adventurous as Tenerife and Gran Canaria, but it has its hidden gems, if you know where to look. Anyway, I hope this itinerary helped you to plan your journey.
Of course, there are more things you can do: from visiting the small villages in the interior to having a stargazing night with professional astronomers in the darkest point of the island. It’s up to you!