Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura, Spain

With golden sand, cool water, and a gentle sea breeze, the second largest of the Canary Islands attracts huge numbers of sun-worshippers and water sports enthusiasts. The island itself has much more to offer, from barren desert scenery and fascinating volcanoes to colourful and characterful towns and pleasant harbour promenades.

Population:

103,200

Currency:

Euro (EUR) €1 = 100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

Emergency: 112

Opening Hours:

Shops are open from 09.00 to 13.00 and from 16.00 to 19.30. Most shops are closed on Sunday.

Newspapers:

Fuertextra
Fuerte News

The Island

Shaped like a leg dressed in plus-fours, the island's 340-km gilt-edged coast surrounds a relatively flat interior of gentle hills and sweeping plains. The unique dessert landscape and long-dead volcanoes are a sight to behold, and earned the whole island the title of UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2009.

Goat herders and fishermen once ruled the island, living a simple life of relative solitude. Nowadays, tourism is the driving force, centred around the lively resorts of Corralejo in the north, Jandía in the south, and more recently, Caleta de Fuste on the east coast.

Do & See

As well as the blue skies and pleasant temperatures, Fuerteventura has rolling waves and a rocking nightlife. Away from the shoreline, desolate roads lined with squat, round windmills link tiny villages of sugar cube cottages. Here, the population ekes out an existence producing world renowned cheese and ruby red tomatoes.

Dining

Unsurprisingly, fish is predominant in most of the island’s restaurants, especially those on the coast, with swordfish, sea bass, octopus, and limpets as some of the more favoured delicacies. Inland, the ingredients favour more pastoral palettes with goat, rabbit, gofio (roasted corn meal), and the famous Maxorata cheese on the menu. Most main dishes are served with the ubiquitous accompaniments of fiery red mojo sauce and 'wrinkled potatoes' (papas arrugadas).

Cafes

Café culture is most predominant in the quayside bars of Corralejo, Puerto del Rosario, and Caleta de Fuste. An early morning knock back of industrial strength espresso will get you up to speed in no time.