11 best things to do in Fuerteventura (with photos)

All the Canary islands have something different to offer to travellers: volcanoes, beaches, mountains...
Let's discover all the best things to do in Fuerteventura including

• mountains views,
• magnificent lagoon,
•  nature park covered with sand dunes
• and charming historical town. 

In this article, no ads, no sponsored posts. Just some affiliate links.
If you purchase through them, I get a commission at no extra cost to you (Disclosure).

Before I share all my favorite activities and places to see in Fuerteventura (with pictures!), below is a short video of what it looks like to explore the island of Fuerteventura in the Canary islands:

If you are still hesitating between visiting Lanzarote or Fuerteventura, check out my comparison article here.

I know it is strange but one of my favorite things to do in Fuerteventura is actually to take a boat to visit a small island nearby...

From the North of the island, at Corralejo, you can take a 15min ride to reach Lobos island.
It has landscapes like I have never seen anywhere else with many small cones of volcanic rocks. At times it feels like being on another planet, and I love that.

You can spend the whole day on the island. There are no roads and only one car for picking up trash. 
You can:

• spend some time at the beach at the bottom of a volcano, with golden sand and beautiful water
• walk all around the island to discover its surprising landscapes including a migratory bird feeding ground lagoon area
• climb to the lighthouse to get a feel for the overall island 
• or if you feel like a steeper hike, climb the volcano
• soak in shallow water at the tiny fishing village 

Book your ferry HERE

And you can see more photos and info on my complete guide to visiting Lobos island

I know many people travel to Fuerteventura to enjoy the beaches. But I really enjoyed the small mountains in the center of the island.

Fuerteventura is an old volcanic land and summits have been eroded for millions of years.
The views are like waves of red, orange and brown soils.
Viewpoints have been created to enjoy those fantastic views

I recommend renting a car to really enjoy those roads and stop as long as you want.
The driving is not really difficult. It is winding but there is always good space with one lane in each direction.
Roads have taken were in good conditions.
After the volcanoes of Lanzarote, it was for me one of the best things to do in Fuerteventura. a great change in scenery!

One of the main attractions in Fuerteventura are the sand dunes of Corralejo.
This is a fascinating protected nature park with sand dunes right by the beach.
Contrary to popular belief, the sand is not coming from the Sahara desert. It formed naturally on the island.

It has different sections to explore:

• sand dunes near the beaches,
• road between the beach and the dunes
• and the sea of dunes with the mountains and volcanoes in the background

This is a fascinating world of contrast with the turquoise water, dark volcanic rock and golden/white sand.

More pictures on my Corralejo Sand Dunes article

If you are looking for a bit of a thrill coupled with great scenery, choose one of the options to get off road and see some of the best places in Fuerteventura.
There are 4WD tours, buggy excursions and activities with different shapes of vehicles.

This way you get to see the raw (and dry) beauty of Fuerteventura.
Note that even if you rent a 4WD, most of the time the rental car agency insurance does not cover offroad driving... This is annoying!

So it might be cheaper to hire a normal car, and book excursions in Fuerteventura to get off the beaten path. Check out my excursion guide.

Of course, when visiting the Canary islands, one of the top things to do is to enjoy the beaches.
Fuerteventura has some fantastic options all around the island.

The most famous are in the South and this is where all the resorts are concentrated.
You can, for example, easily reach the famous Jandia Lagoon (photo below).
Here you won't have to fight for a place on the sand. There's lots of it. 
Kids can play in the shallow waters while the older can play in the waves.

If you decide to stay in the North of Fuerteventura, some of the best beaches are at El Cotillo.
The water is transparent, quiet and shallow. This is a great place for family.
Golden sand, turquoise water and dark volcanic rock will make for a pleasant stay.

One of my favorite places to visit in Fuerteventura, the best attractions for geology lover like me, are the Ajuy caves.
You start your exploration on an old black sand beach.
Then you walk along the cliff to see the million year old rock that used to be the bottom of the ocean. You can see all the details of the sea-bed crust. It is fascinating!

The walk along the cliff is enjoyable with beautiful rocky shapes and views.
And at the end you can walk down (via a staircase) to giant sea caves with beautiful black stone. The size is very impressive.

Contrary to Lanzarote, Fuerteventura has not kept a traditional architecture and historical rules of construction.
But if you travel to the center of the island, in the mountainous region, you can find the historic village of Betancuria.
Founded in 1404 by Jean de Béthencourt, it used to be the capital of the Canary islands. And remained the capital of Fuerteventura until 1834.

There you can find charming historical building with white walls and beautiful brown brick decors.
Those date back to after it was completely destroyed by the pirate Jaban in 1593.
At the center of town is the St Marie church and its garden. It was rebuilt in 1691.

You can even spent the night in one of the historical buildings that was transformed into a guesthouse. My room at Casa Princess Arminda had so much character, I loved it. Check out pictures and availabilities.

Another of my favorite things to see in Fuerteventura are the windmills.
I love how their white base contrast with the dark soil.
In this dry landscapes they add life to the scenery. They are very picturesque.

You can find some in many places, especially in the Northern part of Fuerteventura. Just keep your eyes open. 
Traditional windmills can be of various type, with different structures and functions: to make the flour or to pump water.
Considering how windy Fuerteventura is, it totally made sense 🙂

One of the most famous grandiose areas to see on Fuerteventura is Cofete.
It is located in the South of the island, on the Jandia peninsula.
There is only an unpaved road to get there and it is a quite long bumpy ride. 
If you have back problems, I really don't recommend going there (even with a 4WD).

I have crossed path with many 2WD doing the drive and I think they are crazy!

But once you get to the West Coast of the island, you have this magnificent view of the impressive cliffs created by landslide.
And you can get down to the beach, when generally there are giant waves.

Locals are not happy with them, as they a re a nuisance, but for travelers, those chipmunks are totally adorable!!!
You can find them by the beach (at La Pared for example).
Watch and smile but don't feed them!

There are also some in the mountains and in the volcanoes.
Sometimes you can see many of them at the same time and they almost disappear in colour with the scenery:

Finally, for something a bit different, I recommend a stop at Gran Tarajal where large walls on the side of buildings have fun gigantic pieces of street art.

The town is located on the East coast. It has a good beach with colorful houses. 
But my favorite part was exploring the streets near the beach and finding those paintings. So much fun!

And below are some suggestions to help you find the best place to stay in Fuerteventura:

• For beaches and resort town activities: Costa Calma

Costa Calma is a resort town located in the South of the island, on the Jandia peninsula.
It has its own beach and is very close to the magnificent Jandia Lagoon

Check out the best rated accommodations in Costa Calma

I stayed in an apartment at Bahia Calma Beach and was really pleased with the facilities and the access to the beach - Check out photos and availability

• For quieter family beaches: El Cotillo

El Cotillo is a smaller town on the North West Coast of Fuerteventura. It is close to a series of beaches with shallow waters which are great for kids.
And it is a great place to explore the mountains.

Check out the best rated accommodations in El Cotillo

• For restaurants and North Fuerteventura exploration: Corralejo

Corralejo is the main town in the North, facing Lanzarote. Around the port, it has a great restaurant scene.
It is very close to the famous Corralejo sand dunes.

Check out the best rated accommodations in Corralejo

I stayed a little bit out of town for easy access to the dunes with my car. Corralejo lodge has charming little studios. I was really pleased with the quality of the accommodation - Check out photos and availability