Fuerteventura in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

If you are thinking about things to see and do Fuerteventura because you have a short trip planned to this beautiful volcanic island, then you've come to the right place. And that's because I've taken it upon myself to research what are those activities you could enjoy while visiting this corner of the Canary Islands during a 3-day trip.

Volcanoes, picturesque villages and beaches with warm and navigable waters. All this and much more you will find in this informative compilation I have prepared for you. I invite you to continue reading if you want to know from now on what the island has to offer and to get a more concrete idea about the type of entertainment you can have on this trip.

Fuerteventura is the second largest island of all the Canary Islands. Over time it has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in the region especially among those who are looking for a more natural and ecological experience.

In fact, the entire island has been declared a biosphere reserve by Unesco and this has been a very influential factor in gaining relevance as a destination that attracts tourists, due to the favorable year-round Canary Island climate.

As the north of the island is full of natural wonders that can be very entertaining for all types of tourists I recommend that you reserve it for the first day of your visit.

Start the day at the Calderón Hondo Volcano

Throughout Fuerteventura there are more than 20 volcanoes that have formed a series of trails that are ideal for hiking and sightseeing.

The most famous of all is the Calderon Hondo Volcano and is characterized by being the tip of an extinct volcano that left in its wake a completely barren landscape with rocks of reddish hues. They are so impressive that they could easily be the inspiration for a Martian movie.

The trails to access its summit are very well marked and during the first half of the morning is an ideal time to get there. This is for the simple fact that the 40-minute hike will be much more favorable in those weather conditions.

The crater is 70 meters deep and the entire mountain accumulates about 278 meters high. Making it one of the highest points in the north of the island and an ideal place to admire in a 360 degree panorama the volcanic and sandy landscape that characterizes the north of Fuerteventura.

Using a private car to move to the rest of the day's activities is imperative, as well as to continue to reach the attractions you will visit during the rest of the trip.

Go to the port of Corralejo

Corralejo is the most developed community in the north of the island of Fuerteventura and although today there are many resorts and hotels, even the coastal areas of its port retains the architecture so characteristic of the Canary Islands. From the crater of the Calderon Hondo Volcano you would arrive in less than 30 minutes.

Historically, this has been a community of sailors and therefore it is highly recommended that you propose to have lunch the catch of the day in some of the traditional restaurants. Which abound in the area near the bay, specifically along the street of Muelle Chico or the small beach of Corralejo.

Keep in mind that this port has the largest maritime passenger traffic in the entire Canary Islands region, as it is the departure point for all the ferries that take you to Lanzarote, another island of this important archipelago. In fact, some of the best snorkeling plans in Fuerteventura usually have their departure from this location because the waters of the north of the island are very favorable for water activities.

Enjoy an afternoon at the beach in Lobos Island

Lobos Island is a volcanic islet of 6 square kilometers and 13 kilometers of coastline that is located just north of Fuerteventura between the island of Lanzarote, thus placing it in a strait called the Bocaina. It is separated from Fuerteventura by a small channel of 2 km which is known locally as El Rio or Paso de la Orchilla. This is due to its depth that does not exceed 10 meters in most of the way.

A guided tour of the island offers you tours of the small trails that at one time were home to hundreds of sea lions and that is why today the islet has received this curious name.

The most interesting thing about this small excursion to Lobos Island from Fuerteventura with a duration of 3 or 4 hours is that you will have the opportunity to do the snorkeling and scuba diving that I mentioned in the previous point. In addition, the economic savings is another interesting factor of these excursions, as the rate is around 25 euros per person, yes, not including lunches within the convenient price.

It is quite a magical moment knowing that this natural reserve has a significantly large diversity of marine fauna and flora. With endemic species and all kinds of migratory fish.

Spend the sunset in the dunes of Corralejo Natural Park

When you are back in the north of Fuerteventura you will be a couple of km from one of the most impressive natural wonders of the island. This is the Natural Park of Corralejo, a dune system that extends for several kilometers on the northeast coast of the island. It is perfectly passable through the FV-1A road, as this road passes through the middle of this desert scenery in the entire park and you will get to the middle of the route in less than 15 or even 10 minutes.

The sunsets are a spectacle and depending on the time of year you may be interested in diving into the water of its various beaches. Which are characterized by being quite crystalline and merge with several kilometers of white sand that then give way to the volcanoes of the island in the background of this whole panorama.

My advice is to stop the car at the side of the road and set out to walk the dunes on your own. First for the fact that it will be something very fun that is undoubtedly part of the things to see and do with children in Fuerteventura. That's knowing that they will have hundreds of meters to run and turn around between mountains of sand.

There are many remarkable beaches, but my recommendation is that you propose to walk the coast because it will not take too long to find a cove so natural and unaltered by man that will seem a virgin beach that has been discovered for the first time in its history.

Island coasts are usually the most attractive place for tourist focus due to the fact that they offer fun activities such as surfing or a slightly more family friendly day at the beach. However, after a day of touring beach environments such as the Corralejo Dunes or Lobos Island, it is only fair and necessary that you venture into the wonders that characterize the interior of Fuerteventura.

This volcanic island offers all kinds of dystopian and peculiar landscapes. And it is exactly this unique beauty that makes it one of the most interesting destinations of all the Canary Islands when you are looking for adventure tourism in a beautiful and memorable environment.

Remember that having a private car will be a must in order to fulfill this itinerary, as it is the best way to move one point another within Fuerteventura.

Go to Villaverde and see its beautiful mills

The mills are one of the most characteristic elements of the architecture of Fuerteventura. In fact, there are more than 1,000 arranged throughout the island for different agricultural purposes. It is not unusual that there are so many, as 800 are dedicated to the extraction of water from internal wells, while the rest are created for the grinding of cereals of local production.

Many of them have been upgraded and run an electric system, but others still retain their traditional operation. I advise you to visit those located in the town of Villaverde, as it is quite close to the capital of La Oliva and has a very traditional beauty that is surrounded by volcanic mountains. Thus creating a setting that can give you a very pleasant start to your second day on the island.

In both towns, Villaverde and La Oliva, you will have the opportunity to see what the beginning of the working day is like in an authentic Canarian village. Undoubtedly you will also have plenty of alternatives where you can enjoy a good breakfast to give you the energy you need to face the rest of the day. Mi Dulce Hogar is the bakery par excellence among the locals and when you enter it you will find a typical Canarian breakfast restaurant.

Continue south to go to the Museo del Queso Majorero (Museum of Majorero Cheese)

If you drive south on the FV-10 road from La Oliva, then change to the FV-207 and at the village of La Ampuyenta take the FV-20, you will reach the Museo del Queso Majorero in less than 20 minutes.

This institution offers a once in a lifetime experience for those who consider themselves cheese lovers. This is a place where they explain step by step the elaboration of this dairy derivative that has a denomination of origin since 1996.

For your convenience, the museum is open every day of the week from 10 am to around 6 pm. And the entrance fee couldn't be cheaper, as for many years it has been around 5 euros per person.

The whole museum is distributed along a property that represents a typical majorera house, has an impressive cactus garden and also a mill restored under all the traditional architectural patterns of the island. All these reasons make a visit to this museum even more interesting, even if you are not a big fan of gastronomy.

Take the route to the Betancuria Rural Park.

If after visiting the museum you drive to the village of antigua and if you take the FV-416 road heading north you could reach the FV-30 road. This road is very special due to the fact that it crosses the Betancuria Rural Park. However, keep in mind that having a short stop in La Antigua for lunch is advisable if you are already feeling very hungry.

This is one of the most popular driving routes on the island for the simple fact that it passes through a virgin terrain of volcanic, reddish and rocky massifs that is completely populated by chipmunks. An invasive species of rodents that somehow or other have won the hearts of tourists despite the fact that they are a risk to local agriculture.

If you are interested in the subject, there are several museums on this route highlighting the Archaeological Museum of Fuerteventura which is dedicated to showing the ethnographic past of the region or the Museum of Sacred Art which is focused on religious art that characterizes the Catholic identity of the Canary Islands.

The Mirador de Las Peñitas and the Mirador del Risco de Las Peñas are ideal spots to park the car and get out to enjoy panoramic views of this particularly beautiful area.

Finish the afternoon in the picturesque village of Ajuy

A couple of km from the FV-30 is the village of Ajuy, on the west coast of the island. You can get there if you take the FV-621 heading north, after driving about 3 minutes on the FV-605. The truth is that you would be at the main beach of this village in less than 20 minutes from the viewpoints I mentioned in the previous point.

Ajuy has a public parking area and that will allow you to walk freely through the few streets of this picturesque fishing village. It is hidden among cliffs and the most characteristic theme of its beautiful geography is the black sand beach that was formed thousands of years ago as a product of volcanic activity in the region.

Ithas some sea caves that are accessible from a relatively short path and is a perfect opportunity to enjoy the sunset on the second day of your visit to Fuerteventura. That's just before returning to the streets of Ajuy to enjoy a dinner consisting of the best products of the catch of the day.

Some boat trips in Fuerteventura usually include this section of the west coast of the island in their itinerary. I tell you this as a way to highlight the beauty that makes Ajuy stand out among other towns in the region as a destination worth visiting.

The south of this island has a tourist potential just as significant and even greater than the entire northern region that is characterized a little more by the volcanic environment that I have mentioned to you from the beginning of this itinerary that I have prepared for you.

In fact, the best surf lessons in Fuerteventura usually take place in the Jandia Peninsula. The truth is that this region of the island could be your favorite among the things to see and do in a 5 days visit to Fuerteventura if you like sports activities and focused on mass tourism.

Don't forget to follow up with your rental car, as you will need it for these last stops of your short, but fun Fuerteventura island sightseeing.

Start the day visiting the Costa Calma area

Costa Calma is the corner of the Jandia Peninsula where most of the resorts are located for mass tourism. As you can imagine, its beaches are quite beautiful, with shallow waters and really the whole locality functions as a kind of gateway to the rest of the region of Jandia.

I advise you to visit this place for the fact that it is a good place to have breakfast at one of the many hotel buffets before continuing driving to the south of the peninsula. You can choose between those that are closer to the beach, such as the R2 Rio Calma Hotel & Spa & Conference, or those that are closer to the FV-2 highway, such as the Royal Suite Hotel.

Afterwards you will go to the Mirador de Los Canarios

If you continue driving the car for 25 minutes along the FV-2 there will be a point where you will reach the crossroads of Barranco de Los Canarios. There you can start driving in the direction of the Mirador that bears the same name, which is an excellent decision, as you will arrive at a point that offers panoramic views over the entire peninsula.

These views will be specifically focused on the Natural Park of Jandia, which with its small mountain range cuts the peninsula in two. Leaving the beaches of the north coast with an enviable and practically virgin geography that looks like something out of a fairy tale.

End the day by visiting Morro de Jable

By this point of the trip is very likely that you are already worrying about choosing an entertainment that will bring you tranquility and good experiences before having to return to Fuerteventura airport to take the flight that will take you back home.

Morro Jable is perfectly suited to these desires and requirements, as it is one of the most important tourist spots on the island and is only 15 to 20 minutes from the viewpoint that I mentioned. It offers you a vibrant and varied gastronomic offer that will help you enjoy your farewell Fuerteventura. The Rayon beach bar is one of the most famous restaurants among tourists, but you can also choose to have lunch and dinner in some of the restaurants of the Riu Palace or Riu Calyso Hotel.

There are several spots in town worth visiting, such as the port, the lighthouse right in front of the Playa del Matorral with nudist sections and the life-size monument to a cetacean. Which steals all the glances of the thousands of tourists that visit this picturesque but modernized community.