Is Fuerteventura worth visiting: our 8 reasons (with photos)

You want to discover the Canary Islands, and you can find out why you should go to Fuerteventura rather than another.
This island near the Sahara is the second largest in the archipelago. In this article, we share with you the reasons why we love this atypical land, starting, of course, with its magnificent beaches!

This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.

Content

Is Fuerteventura worth visiting: quick answer

Reason 1: for the magnificent beaches

Reason 2: for sunny weather all year round

Reason 3: for boat tours and water sports activities

Reason 4: for the feeling of wide-open spaces

Reason 5: For fun activities on land

Reason 6: for cultivation

Reason 7: Ease of exploration

Reason 8: For the island of Lobos

Why visit certain towns in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura or Lanzarote: where to go?

Our favorite car rental platform: DiscoverCars

Is Fuerteventura worth visiting: quick answer

Fuerteventura is the ideal Canary Island if, above all, you love beautiful sandy beaches and guaranteed sunshine.
But there’s even more to discover and enjoy: wide open spaces, water sports and some fascinating cultural sites!

Reason 1: for the magnificent beaches

To start with, Fuerteventura is renowned for having the most beautiful beaches in the Canary Islands. It has plenty of big ones, with fewer tourists, so you can enjoy some of the quieter corners of the beach.

Here you’ll find..:

Huge white-sand beaches for walking or soaking up the sun
Beaches that change completely at low tide with the creation of lagoons, ideal for a quiet refresher.
Smaller coves with sand dunes
Beaches of black sand or grey pebbles

The best known is De Sotavento lagoon beach, you may have already seen it in photos, as it’s often on postcards and instagram accounts!

One of our favorites for landscape lovers is Playa del Viejo Reyes in La Pared, with its magnificent volcanic rock cliffs.

And for a surreal impression, you can also enjoy a beach in the middle of sand dunes!

And if you’re not looking for a swim or a lie down, but you like something original, explore one of the popcorn beaches, where the corals give a surprising impression!

You have a wide choice of beautiful beaches.
And for the best views, we recommend renting a car. Driving in Fuerteventura is very easy.

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:

Reason 2: for sunny weather all year round

Fuerteventura’s highest point is around 800m above sea level. This means that mountains don’t stop clouds… and it doesn’t rain.
The downside is that vegetation is extremely limited. Don’t come to this island if you’re looking for a tropical forest…
But the big advantage is that you’re guaranteed sunshine.

The weather is often described as eternal spring.
Every month of the year (yes, even in winter), you can enjoy beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures (around 20°C in winter).
So, if you need your Vitamin D fix, this is a great option for you.

Be warned, however, that it’s also quite windy on this island. Temperatures are higher and winds are usually stronger in summer.

A LITTLE MORE patience

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Reason 3: for boat tours and water sports activities

If you like to spend a lot of time on or in the water, Fuerteventura is also an excellent option.
There’s a great choice of boat tours and water sports. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to surf, now might be the time!

Here’s a small selection for you.

Dolphin watching

To start with the dolphins, we loved our boat trip from Morro Jable in the south. Not only did we see pilot whale dolphins, but we also enjoyed views of the Fuerteventura mountains, Morro Jable and its lighthouse.
Our article on dolphin watching on the island.

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!

Water sports

Thanks to Fuerteventura’s regular wind (which means you won’t get too hot), you can enjoy some great water sports:

Surfing
Windsurfing
Kitesurfing
Diving
…

WATER SPORTS IN Fuerteventura

Surf lessons – see options and possible locations
Windsurfing courses – see options and possible locations
Baptism diving – see options and possible locations

Reason 4: for the feeling of wide-open spaces

Once outside the tourist towns, Fuerteventura is very sparsely built. The environment is not hospitable, and without water, you’ll be admiring wide-open spaces. We like it that way, seeing almost nothing but nature and very few human constructions.

Among the most beautiful places to admire these immensities, find yourself:

The dunes of Corralejo
Cofete and its mountains falling into the sea
Watchtowers in the mountains
Lava rock fields
…

See our photos of the most beautiful landscapes.

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

Reason 5: For fun activities on land

And so, thanks to all these wide-open spaces, you have a huge playground.
Wherever you stay, you’ll find great excursions with varying degrees of adrenalin to have fun and enjoy the scenery.

For example, you can go on outings:

Buggy (but remember to cover your face) – see options and departure points
by e-Bike – see options and starting points
4WD – see options and departure points
…

Reason 6: for cultivation

Okay. Fuerteventura is not the richest in terms of cultural landscapes, but you can find some interesting places. We had a great time visiting them:

The old center of Betancuria, the former capital of Fuertentura, with its beautiful church.
The salt marshes, so important to the island’s development and so photogenic!
The archeological site of La Atalayita, with its houses built of lava rock in the middle of a flow.
The cheese museum, in the heart of the island, where the visit ends with a tasting session
Sculptures all over the island. The quantity is impressive!

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Reason 7: Ease of exploration

Some of you may just want to sit on a beach and discover just 2 or 3 places. Organized tours will suffice.
But if you’re a little more curious, we highly recommend renting a car to explore the island.
The roads are generally in excellent condition. There is little traffic. It’s very easy to drive and parking spaces are quite large, which is rare in Europe.

Reason 8: For the island of Lobos

Yes, talking about another island may sound a bit odd, but theisland of Lobos is a tiny volcanic pile to the north of Fuerteventura with very few buildings. It’s a magnificent reserve with several ecosystems.
In our opinion, this is one of Fuerteventura’s not-to-be-missed excursions.

Here you’ll find a large volcano, numerous small cones, a lighthouse and a surprising lagoon that is a reserve for migratory birds.
We loved walking around, exploring the different landscape types and color contrasts.
To get there, you can take..:

the 15-minute ferry – reserve your seats
a boat tour combining Lobos and dolphin watching – see program and availability – and book!
A catamaran excursion – see program and availability – and book!

Why visit certain towns in Fuerteventura

On the whole, Fuerteventura’s towns are not as historic as those on the mainland. We don’t really come to the island to visit them. But here are some of our thoughts on some of them.

Is Puerto del Rosario worth a visit?

Puerto del Rosario is the capital of Fuerteventura. But it’s also one of the island’s least touristy towns.
If you have a little time, we enjoyed our half-day with it:

All the statues along the sea and in the city
The non-touristy aspect of the city to see how the locals live
The beautiful downtown church
Wall and floor paintings
Playa Chica beach and the whale skeleton
Old lime kilns by the sea (e.g. Los Hornos de la Familia Morales).

Is Morro Jable worth a visit?

Morro Jable is quite an interesting town.
We really liked it:

The opportunity to take a very long walk along the seafront, with your feet in the sand
The vibrancy and relaxed, festive atmosphere of the Old Town
Good restaurants

But if you’re not staying there, Morro Jable is often the starting point for exploring Cofete or taking a boat out to see the dolphins!

Is Corralejo worth a visit?

Yes, Corralejo is surely one of Fuerteventura’s most interesting tourist towns.
We loved the old town by the sea, the fake popcorn on the beaches, the atmosphere, the views of Lobos Island and the nearby sand dunes.

Is Betancuria worth a visit?

Yes, Betancuria is well worth a visit. As listed in reason 6 above, Betancuria is one of the most interesting towns to visit on Fuerteventura. Its old town has a lot of charm.
See our article on Betancuria.

Fuerteventura or Lanzarote: where to go?

We love the 2 islands.
If you prefer beautiful beaches and fewer crowds, choose Fuerteventura.
If you like lots to do and volcanoes, choose Lanzarote.
See our comparison between these 2 islands.