Many of the guests who choose to stay in one of our villas in Playa Blanca are keen to explore the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura. And why not, as the second largest of the Canaries is home to some breathtaking beaches, as well as a host of historic little towns and villages.
The port of Corralejo is just a short ferry ride away from Playa Blanca and it’s relatively cheap to make the crossing, so there’s no excuse for not visiting Lanzarote’s nearest neighbour whilst you’re enjoying a holiday here.
Corralejo is a colourful coastal town, in contrast to Lanzarote the buildings here are painted in a wide variety of different pastel shades, giving the resort a slightly Caribbean feel. This impression is further reinforced by the proximity of some truly amazing Bounty Bar style beaches, which are so big that they are clearly visible from Lanzarote (as well as on satellite images of the island), which are located just on the outskirts of Corralejo.
Dunas National Park
Here tourists can explore the sandy expanses of the Dunas National Park, a 16km stretch of white powders and dunes that are one of the most popular attractions in the North East of the island.
Jandia Peninsula
Believe it or not though there are even bigger stretches of sand to explore in the south of the island, which is home to the breath-taking Jandia peninsula.
These beaches are located in between Costa Calma and the Morro Jable and here visitors can swim under the safety of blue flags in crystal clear turquoise waters.
It’s worth bearing in mind though that Fuerteventura basically translates as strong wind and during the period from April to August the Trade Winds can really rip across the island, which makes these beaches ideal for windsurfers but less so for sunbathers, who are better off retreating for the sheltered safety of the hotel swimming pool!
Towns and Villages
There’s a lot more to Fuerteventura than just beaches alone though, as tour of the island’s principle towns and villages soon reveals.
Antigua
Antigua translates as ancient from Spanish and that sums up this historic little hamlet perfectly, as it is one of the oldest settlements in the whole of the Canary Islands. Visitors can explore the Iglesia de la Virgen de la Antigua – which dates from the 18th Century as well as a restored 17th Century windmill that showcases local artisan craft products.
Betancuria
This is the real jewel in the crown in terms of island colonial architecture, and that’s no surprise really as Betanuria was the original capital of Fuerteventura when the island was first conquered by Spain back in the 1400’s.
The village is home to plenty of historic edifices such as the Iglesia de Santa Maria and the 15th century Fransciscan Monastery de San Buenaventura.
La Oliva
La Oliva is a pretty village located close to Corralejo – so as a result most tourist tend to pass through when exploring the rest of the island. It’s well worth stopping off here though to visit the historic Casa de los Coronels, which dates back to the 18th century.
There’s plenty more information about Fuerteventura on the official tourist website of the Canary Islands, where you can also access a detailed map.
<< Back to posts