Fuerteventura in Winter (sun, things to do, Christmas...)

Fuerteventura in winter: a good idea?
Absolutely! Here’s our guide to help you decide and plan your trip:

Fuerteventura’s winter sun, temperature and weather,
Reasons to visit Fuerteventura between December and March,
Attractions in Fuerteventura in winter,
Christmas and New Year in Fuerteventura

Our favorite car rental platform: DiscoverCars

Fuerteventura winter sun weather christmas

Content

Is Fuerteventura a winter destination? Short answers

5 reasons to visit Fuerteventura in winter

Fuerteventura in winter – Sun, heat, weather

Visiting Fuerteventura during the winter months – Tips

Winter activities in Fuerteventura

Christmas in Fuerteventura

New Year in Fuerteventura

Is Fuerteventura a winter destination? Short answers

What should you expect when visiting Fuerteventura in winter?

Fuerteventura has a lot to offer all year round. It’s often said that this is the island of eternal spring.
When it comes to winter, you can expect the following:

The days are long
the shortest day of the year still has 10 hours of sunlight (sunrise around 7:30am and sunset around 6pm).
It’s a desert climate, very sunny with little rain.
The winter sun is warm – It’s not hot like summer, but it’s warm. Especially when the sun is out. Daytime temperatures between 18°C and 24°C
Sea temperature between 18°C and 20°C
Beautiful beaches, a little less crowded than in summer (except at Christmas and Easter)
Nice hikes to do thanks to cooler temperatures.
Almost everything stays open in winter

So, is Fuerteventura a good winter destination?

Absolutely.
If you’re looking to escape the winter chill, enjoy some warmth and breathtaking scenery, traveling to Fuerteventura is a great idea.
Enjoy longer days, warmer temperatures and plenty of activities.

CHOOSING A HOTEL IN Fuerteventura

Choosing where to stay:

Choose by hotel type:

Our favorite: Hotel INNSide – See prices, photos and availability

Select by city:

5 reasons to visit Fuerteventura in winter

#1. Climate

Fuerteventura offers a warm climate in winter, ideal for escaping the cold.
Temperatures are similar to spring – around 18 to 24°C during the day.
There’s a little rain, and it doesn’t last long.

#2 – The tours and activities don’t stop

As a year-round destination, you can enjoy most visits and activities in winter too.
Boat tours, buggies…
See all activities in Fuerteventura

HAVE FUN WITH THESE activities

Dolphin watching
Boat to Lobos Island
Buggy tour
But also; surfing lessons, 4WD tour in Cofete, windsurfing, scuba diving…

See all activities in Fuerteventura ->

#3 – Fewer people (more or less)

Fuerteventura is popular, especially in summer (high season).
In winter, it’s always popular (it’s a year-round destination), but you can more easily find quieter spots.
However, the Christmas and Easter vacations are also very busy!

#4 – Surfing and windsurfing

If you want to go surfing, winter is considered one of the best times to surf in Fuerteventura, with superb waves.
The water temperature is ideal and the waves are there.

#5 – Less wind

Fuerteventura can be windy all year round. However, the windiest months are in summer.
You’ll feel less wind (especially with lower temperatures) in winter.

Fuerteventura in winter – Sun, heat, weather

Is it warm in Fuerteventura in winter?

In winter, temperatures to be expected are:

around 18 to 24°C during the day
12 to 17°C overnight.

This makes it one of the warmest places in Europe in winter.

Winter sun in Fuerteventura – how much sun can you expect?

With the climate, nothing is guaranteed.
But due to the island’s geography, most days offer beautiful blue skies.
It may rain, but not as much as the rest of Europe, and mostly in small patches. All you have to do is wait a little.

In winter, you have:

at least 10 hours of daylight,
7 to 9 hours of sunshine on winter days out of these 10 hours.

Is it possible to sunbathe in Fuerteventura in winter?

Absolutely.
As mentioned above, in December, January and February, daytime temperatures at the beach are around 18 to 24°C.
When the sun is out, due to the island’s low latitude, it’s quite warm.
And don’t forget to use sunscreen!
See my selection of Fuerteventura’s most beautiful beaches.

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Visiting Fuerteventura during the winter months – Tips

All my usual advice about Fuerteventura also applies to winter.
But here are a few special tips to keep in mind.

Best moment

There’s no better month. Just avoid the European school vacations of Christmas and Easter to avoid the crowds.

Getting around Fuerteventura in winter

In winter as in summer, I think renting a car is the best way to explore the island.
This gives you the freedom to see the most beautiful sights and stop whenever you like.
There are buses, but the frequency is not ideal.
Nothing special to think about when driving in winter. The same applies as in summer.
The roads are in excellent condition.

OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Fuerteventura

Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
A small car is all you need.
But you can also choose a larger one if you wish, as the parking spaces are rather large.
Demand is high, so book early.

See available cars ->

Read our tips

How long can I stay?

It depends on what you want to do.
To visit the main part of the island and relax on the beach, allow a week. To explore the whole island, allow 10 days to 2 weeks.
But if you just want to enjoy the winter sun, 5 days to a week will give you the boost you need to get through the rest of winter.

Where to stay in winter

The whole island enjoys the same climate.
So there’s no better place to stay in winter.
It all depends on the type of city and accommodation you prefer, and on your criteria.
Just be aware that swimming pools are not always heated…
The 4 major seaside resorts are:

Corralejo in the north – see our hotel selection
Caleta de Fuste la centrale – View our hotel selection
Costa Calma – see our hotel selection
Morro Jable to the south – see our hotel selection

See our article on where to stay in Fuerteventura

Winter activities in Fuerteventura

What is there to do in Fuerteventura in winter?
Almost the same things as in summer. See our full article on the 21 best attractions.
Here are just some of the highlights.

Enjoy the beaches

Of course, when visiting the Canary Islands, one of the best things to do is enjoy the beaches.
Fuerteventura has fantastic options all around the island.
The most famous are in the South. For example, you can easily reach the famous Jandia Lagoon (photo above).
Here, you won’t have to fight for a place on the sand. There are a lot of them.
It’s an impressive place, especially from the slightly higher vantage point.
Younger children can play in the shallows, while older children can play in the waves.

See our list of Fuerteventura’s most beautiful beaches.

Visit the island of Lobos

From Corralejo in the north of the island, it’s a 15-minute journey to the island of Lobos.
The island has scenery like we’ve never seen anywhere else, with many small cones of volcanic rock. Sometimes we felt like we were on another planet, and we love that.
Book your boat

Find out more about things to do on the island.

Dolphin watching

We love the whale and dolphin watching tours. Sightings are never guaranteed, but in this corner of Fuerteventura, the chances are excellent!

There are tours in catamarans, speedboats and more traditional boats.
We chose the more classic boat for its comfort and the ability to move around on board. We enjoyed it very much:

See program and availability – and book!

Explore Betancuria and the mountains

We recommend renting a car to take full advantage of these roads, and stopping for as long as you like.
Driving is fairly easy. It’s twisty but there’s always a good gap with a lane in each direction. The roads we took were in good condition.

Not-to-be-missed viewpoints:

Mirador Corrales de Quize (with giant statues)
Mirador de Las Penitas
Mirador Risco de las Penas
Mirador Sicasumbre

Unlike Lanzarote, Fuerteventura has not retained its traditional architecture and historic building codes.
But on this road, you can find the village of Betancuria.
Founded in 1404 by Jean de Béthencourt, it was the capital of the Canary Islands. And it remained the capital of Fuerteventura until 1834.
Find out more about Betancuria.

Getting lost in the sand dunes of Corralejo

One of Fuerteventura’s main attractions is the Corralejo Dunes Park.
It’s a fascinating protected natural park with sand dunes right next to the beach.
Contrary to popular belief, sand does not come from the Sahara desert. It formed naturally on the island.
It’s a fascinating world of contrast with turquoise water, dark volcanic rock and golden/white sand.

Read our article

Adventure

If you’re looking for a little thrill coupled with stunning scenery, choose one of the options to get off the road and see some of Fuerteventura’s best spots.
There are buggy rides and activities with different types of vehicles. These are the most popular excursions on Fuerteventura.
This way, you can see the raw (and dry) beauty of Fuerteventura.

See all options

And much more…

There’s plenty to see and do in Fuerteventura.
See the 21 best things to do in Fuerteventura(in this article) or my selection of hidden gems(in this article).

Christmas in Fuerteventura

What’s Christmas like in Fuerteventura?

Fuerteventura is a popular Christmas destination, but not as popular as the other main Canary Islands.
But you’ll still find festivities, decorations, delicious food…
For example, there’s a Christmas market in Corralejo.

What are the official vacation dates around Christmas?

In Fuerteventura you can enjoy..:

December 25
January 1st
January 6

On these days, many shops are closed.

Is it warm in Fuerteventura for Christmas?

The weather’s not hot, but it’s warm. You can wear a t-shirt during the day.
All you need is a sweater for the evening.
On average, there are 9 hours of sunshine out of the 10 hours of daylight.
There is little rain.

Christmas decorations

Because of the mild climate, you won’t find many traditional fir trees, but mostly artificial ones.
They are traditionally decorated with baubles, Christmas lights, snowflakes, bows, wreaths and more.

The Christmas atmosphere is very much in evidence.
You’ll hear Christmas music.

If you go for a walk, you’ll also see many nativity scenes.

Christmas events – Epiphany

Christmas Day is, of course, a day of gathering.
However, Christmas festivities last until January 6, the day of the Epiphany.
The island’s biggest holiday is King’s Day, on January 6, when children receive their presents.
This festival refers to the day when the three kings visited Jesus with gifts.
On the 5th, the Kings make an appearance in every town on the island, riding camels for the Kings’ Parade.

Food

Of course, no tradition is complete without food specialties.
Most hotels will serve a typical British, German or Irish Christmas meal.
Most restaurants also serve classic dishes: fish, tapas…

New Year in Fuerteventura

New Year’s Eve in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura celebrates New Year’s Eve just like anywhere else in the world.
One special feature is that Spaniards eat twelve grapes at midnight, one at each strike of the bell.
Almost every restaurant on the island offers a special meal on New Year’s Eve, which ends at midnight.