I hesitated writing this post. At the end of the day, there are excellent travel guides and specialized blogs in which to find all the information necessary to visit Fuerteventura, but the truth is that this blog is also a family diary and, as such, our holidays in Fuerteventura had to be included in it.
When deciding where to go this summer, we hesitated a lot. After many years of accumulating a lot of fatigue (even during the holidays – for example, we went to Florida when Inés was five months old and then again when Théo was the same age), we knew that we needed a relaxing vacation.
I don’t know if you also experience this, but I find it difficult to travel somewhere on holiday and do nothing while there are things to do and see. I almost felt guilty at lying in a hammock reading a book during our journey rather than visiting the small towns, churches and museums. When you can finally pause after the end-of-year sprint, it seems that inertia encourages you to keep running, don’t you agree?
For a long time, we had longed to discover Fuerteventura’s paradisiacal beaches and landscapes, which are so different from what green Switzerland has accustomed us to. The island totally lived up to our expectations. These vacations were exactly the ones we needed: to be in contact with nature, on a spectacular beach on which to take a deep breath, let go, play with the children, walk, read, and simply exist.
That was what we did most of the time, although we couldn’t resist touring the island. Here are a few recommendations.
Where to stay
The wind in Fuerteventura isn’t a myth. As we knew this, we tried to find out where it was less windy. As we were recommended the southern coast, we opted for Morro de Jable, in Jandía. It still isn’t clear to me if we picked the wrong spot, if it was windier than at other times of the year or if it’s always very windy on the whole island, but the truth is that we had very windy days. The good thing is that you get used to the sultry weather quickly (on days without wind, we felt pretty hot!).
In any case, the beaches of Jandía seemed spectacular to us, but when we drove up north we found that the beaches there were just as beautiful.
We stayed at the Iberostar Gaviotas Park. Finding a hotel adapted for children was our main criterion. It was our first experience in an all-inclusive resort. Although this wasn’t the ideal holiday for us as parents, the kids just loved it: they had a Kids’ Club where Inés went to do crafts and play with other children (they only accept children from the age of four), there were lots of pools, shows, sports activities, etc. For those of you who have teenage children, they even have a club for them. They too seemed like they were having a blast.
The only “but” is that the vast majority of guests who stayed at the hotel were Germans. It got to the point where the staff sometimes started talking to us in German, before switching to Spanish. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t have anything against Germans. I live abroad all year, but when I return to my home country I really want to feel at home and like to be spoken to in Spanish (the Que viva España song sung in German during an entertainment show was surreal).
How to move around
My advice is to rent a car upon arrival. As our intention was to rest, we decided to rent the car only for a few days. It turned out that the taxi fare from the airport to the South was half the rental fee for a week, so it is worth renting a car.
Things to Do
I have to thank @cocagil_again for all the cool recommendations she gave us. She was of great help to us on the island.
Enjoy the sea
Fuerteventura has beaches that have nothing to envy Caribbean ones, so for me they were the biggest attraction. If you enjoy windsurfing, kitesurfing or similar sports, you are going to love it.
Go to Cofete beach
The beach is spectacular, but the road up there by a small road through the mountain is wonderful too. The aridity of the landscape and the few tourists on the beach will give you the feeling of being on another planet.
Cofete is one of the most beautiful and wild beaches I’ve seen in my life. If you can complete the visit with a family photo session, as we did, that would be amazing. I recommend @historiasminimasfotografia. She’s an amazing photographer.
Visit the island of Lobos
This is the first excursion recommended to us by @cocagil_and it’s really worth it. Isla de Lobos is an island in the North of Fuerteventura. For us, it was quite an expedition because we spent almost two hours driving there from the South, but it was great to take the boat with the children and spend the whole day there.
We visited the island fairly quickly, but you can also go there for a trekking tour. In both cases, remember to bring your own food and drink or go to the only restaurant on the island as soon as you arrive to book a table or takeaway (they don’t accept reservations by phone) because you really can’t get water or food anywhere else. Also, take snorkeling gear and water shoes to walk on the rocks.
Visit the village of Betancuria in the center of Fuerteventura
Of all the villages we visited, this one is the most worthwhile and the way up to it is beautiful. If you go, I recommend you stop at the Mirador Morro Velosa (which can be reached through the valley of Santa Inés ;). The view is impressive, but be careful not to be blown away!
Play with the squirrels
There are many on the rocks and in the bushes beside the beach. As the tourists feed them, they approach people without fear and the children were like crazy. I also advise you to go through the many vantage points to observe the birds that are on the protected beaches, such as El Matorral beach.
Visit the North of the island
We couldn’t go there because it was quite far from our hotel (actually, Fuerteventura is a fairly big island), but the area of Corralejo is spectacular.
As you can see, I have few concrete recommendations apart from enjoying nature. You may think that I’m esoteric, but I had the impression Fuerteventura is an island with very good vibrations, as if the volcanic stones transmitted a lot of positive energy. In any case, we came back home full of energy!
