Fuerteventura is known to be a paradise island with more amazing beaches than any of the Canary Islands. Nevertheless, there are more things to see and do in Fuerteventura than just laying down on one of these dream beaches. We will tell you in this article where the best beaches in Fuerteventura are, but during the road trip we propose you, you will have the chance to see fascinating landscapes, picturesque villages and other incredible sights. In this post, we provide you with all the information you need to prepare your own route with the most indispensable things to see in Fuerteventura in 4 days, or if you have less time available, you can prepare your itinerary that includes the highlights to visit in Fuerteventura in 3 days.
Map of 4 days around Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura can be divided into different well-defined zones and in this itinerary, you can dedicate a day to each of them without the necessity of being too much time on the road. As we usually do, our proposed route of 4 days in Fuerteventura focuses on the natural sights (mountains, viewpoints, etc.), the best beaches in Fuerteventura and authentic villages, while we skipped theme parks and other sights we consider tourist traps.
Although Fuerteventura does not seem to be too big on the map, there are many dirt roads – for instance the one going to Cofete Beach, one of the nicest beaches in Fuerteventura -, which makes it difficult to get from one tip to another in short time. The first day in the 4-day itinerary is dedicated to the Jandia Peninsula (Península de Jandía) on the South, the second day to the mountains and villages in the interior of the island, the third day you can spend on the best Caribbean-style beaches in Fuerteventura in the area around El Cotillo and the fourth day you will spend between the beaches and sand dunes of Corralejo Natural Park.
What to visit in Fuerteventura in 4 days
Day 1 – The Jandia Peninsula
We recommend you to spend your first entire day in the Jandia Peninsula situated at the Southeast end of the island. In this peninsula, you will visit some of the most spectacular beaches in Fuerteventura and also some other incredible and lesser-known sights.
Enjoying the beaches of Jandia
Without any doubt one of the greatest things to do in Fuerteventura is simply enjoying one of the many paradise beaches situated on the Eastern shore of the Jandia Peninsula. We especially recommend you to visit several points of the Sotavento Beaches (Playas de Sotavento), a 10 km long stretch of beautiful golden sand beaches, which seem to come out of a dreamy postcard. 
These virgin beaches change their look a lot as a function of the tide. At low tide, you will find a broad sandy beach, which is perfect for a walk, while at high tide the beach is flooded by the sea and a precious lagoon is formed, which is popular amongst kite surfers. We recommend you to visit several points of this beach area such as Playa de la Barca, Playa Risco del Paso o Playa de Mal Nombre. It’s quite usual to find windy weather on these beaches, and locals have built small walls from stones that serve as protection. If the sea is not wavy, these beaches are great for swimming. 
If you prefer more urban beaches in the area, you can head for Matorral Beach (Playa de Matorral) located in Morro del Jable, the main settlement in the peninsula. Here you can find restaurants and shopping malls close to the beach, but the area has still a virgin look. It’s a beach protected from large waves, perfect for families with kids.
Exploring the Punta de Jandía Road
Coming from the interior of the island, after leaving Morro del Jable behind, the road seize to be asphalted and you will find yourself on a dirt road heading to the Southeast tip of the peninsula. This scenic ride is one of the highlights of Fuerteventura with a desolate landscape: black volcanic mountains on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The road leads to the Punta de Jandia Lighthouse (Faro de Punta Jandía), where you will feel yourself at the end of the world. 
Before arriving at the lighthouse, you will visit the small white village of Puertito de la Cruz, and here you can take a turn to the right to visit the hidden beach called Playa de Ojos or continue to Pesebre Point (Punta Pesebre) with nice views of the west coast of the peninsula. 
Getting amazed by the view of Cofete Beach and stroll alone on the seaside
From the same dirt road that connects the center of the peninsula with the Southeastern tip, you have to turn right at around 10 km after leaving Morro del Jable to climb a steep road to a mountain pass. This road – even if they say differently at the car rental agency – is perfectly passable in a normal car, and from the top you will enjoy one of the most amazing views in Fuerteventura with the whole stretch of the Western coast of the peninsula lying at your feet.
After getting amazed by this view, you can continue your trip on the other side of the mountain, and you continue down to the 12 km long beach stretch, known as Cofete Beach (Playa de Cofete). This is one of the most beautiful secluded beaches we have ever seen, and it’s never crowded due to the difficult access. We remind you to be careful, if you plan to take a bath there, since the currents are very tricky and dangerous. 
Day 2 – Villages and viewpoints
The second day of your trip to Fuerteventura you can spend visiting the interior of the island. It’s a common mistake from travellers to concentrate exclusively on the beaches of Fuerteventura, since the landscapes of the interior are picturesque and you can find some really charming villages there. Before getting deep into the interior, you can visit some of the nice places on the South, Southeast and Southwest coast of the island. This will be the day in which you will spend the most time in your car, but as you will see most of these places require only a short stop. In order to follow this route, we recommend you to check out the interactive map of Fuerteventura at the beginning of this post.
Tarajalejo – a village with a nice black sand beach
Amongst the villages on the Southern coast, Tarajalejo is one of the authentic villages that are not too busy with tourism, and has quite a local vibe. It’s a perfect place to stay at, since from here you will be able to visit comfortably both Jandia Peninsula and the villages of the interior. It’s a nice low-key place to start your morning with a coffee or have a refreshing bath there.
Visit the Entallada Lighthouse
On top of a small hill in the Southeast of Fuerteventura, you will find Faro de Entallada, a quite impressive lighthouse. Apart from visiting the lighthouse itself, you can enjoy nice views of the cliffs on the seaside and mountains around. 
Relax in Pozo Negro
A few centuries AGO Pozo Negro was an important harbour, but today it’s just a small fishermen’s village with a large beach made of small rocks. You will hardly find much more life there than a few fishermen chatting near the colorful fishing boats and the cute white houses. It’s a perfect place to relax with a cup of coffee in one of the bars with terrace on the seaside. 
Taking pictures of the picturesque windmills on the island
In the interior of Fuerteventura, you will find a series of traditional windmills both in the area around Tiscamanita and Antigua. Some of the windmills that are closer to the main roads are converted into museums, so it’s better looking for one a bit further from the principal roads. 
Getting amazed with the views from the lookouts on the FV-30 road
In the center of the island there are several look-outs with amazing views of Fuerteventura. If there’s one road you should visit in Fuerteventura, it’s the FV-30, where the majority of the viewpoints are found. This road goes through the Betancuria Rural Park connecting Valle de Inés with Pájara. The most famous look-out is the Morro Velosa Viewpoint (the look-out is built by César Manrique, the famous artist from Lanzarote) and close to that, you can also check out the Guise y Ayose Look-out with sculptures of the antique kings of the island. Following the FV-30, you will also find a series of viewpoints between Betancuria and Pájara with nice views of the mountains and the oasis in the valley. 
Having a stroll between the white houses of Betancuria
If there’s one village you should visit in Fuerteventura, it’s without a doubt the charming Betancuria. Situated between mountains, Betancuria is known to be the historical capital of the island, which was founded in the 15th century by Jean de Béthencourt, the conquistador of the island. Till the 20th century Betancuria kept the title of being the administrative capital of Fuerteventura, nowadays is a calm village with beautiful white houses. The most important building is the Saint Mary Church (Iglesia de Santa María). Unfortunately, just as some other places in Fuerteventura, this village has become quite touristy with lots of restaurants with English menu inviting you inside. It’s a bit disappointing to see that. 
Enjoying the local atmosphere of Pájara
At the end of the FV-30 road you will find Pájara, a small village that seemed much more authentic to us than Betancuria with terraces filled with locals. The main attraction is the Church of the Virgin of Regla (Iglesia de la Virgen de la Regla) with nice porticoes and beautiful Aztec details, which are due to the fact that the architects were locals that had come back from their Central American adventures. The church has beautiful baroque altars, too. 
Visiting the Black Caves of Ajuy
From the road that connects Pájara with the coastal town of La Pared, you can take a turn to the FV-615 road that leads to Ajuy, a small village on the coast. It’s a delightful village without too many tourists around, and it has a nice beach with black sand. If you follow the trail that starts at the Northern end of the beach, you can visit some beautiful caves, known as Cuevas Negras. These caves are not only beautiful, but had historical importance, since merchants used it throughout centuries to unload their goods from their ships. 
Sunset at La Pared Beach
To end this day full of adventures in Fuerteventura, you couldn’t desire for a nicer place than La Pared, a small village on the West coast of the island. Before getting there following the FV-605 road, we advise you to make a stop at Sicasumbre Viewpoint (Mirador Astronómico de Sicasumbre) with fascinating views of the surrounding mountains. La Pared is a small village that has beautiful beaches with precious cliffs around where the waves hit strongly the rocky walls. Being on the West coast of the island, it’s also a perfect place to watch the sunset in a fantastic natural environment. 
Day 3 – The wonderful Caribbean beaches around El Cotillo
Our favorite beaches in Fuerteventura are found on the outskirts of the small village of El Cotillo on the Northwest coast of the island. It’s a touristic village, but at the same time life goes on calmly there between the white and blue houses.
If you are a surfer – enjoy the waves on the beaches in the South
The beaches situated to the South from El Cotillo such as Piedra Playa or Playa del Águila (Eagle Beach) are famous for the massive waves you can find there. These beaches, just as most of the beaches on the West coast of Fuerteventura are not the best for taking a bath (actually they are quite dangerous), but at the same time they are amazing to enjoy the waves. This beach is always full of surfers, and we saw both novice surfers taking classes and experts enjoying the rough waves. We don’t surf, but enjoyed watching the beautiful beaches with nice cliffs around. 
Relax in Paradise, the beaches to the North from El Cotillo
The “real Caribbean” beaches of the whitest sand possible to see in Fuerteventura are found to the North from the village of El Cotillo. Beaches such as Playa de Los Lagos and Playa de la Concha are natural swimming pools with a reef protecting them for the waves. Therefore, you can swim in this beaches all year round. 
Visiting the El Tostón Lighthouse
The main road that goes to the North from El Cotillo finishes at the El Tostón Lighthouse (Faro del Tostón), which is the only building in a completely virgin environment. We love lighthouses, hence , of course, we checked it out and enjoyed the sensation of being far from civilization. It’s another perfect place to watch the sunset, and the nice white sand beaches in the area, such as Playas de Los Charcos are beautiful and due to their position are usually almost empty. If you look for a remote paradise, visiting these beaches is one of the best things to do in Fuerteventura. 
Getting close to Tindaya, the magical mountain of Fuerteventura
Tindaya Mountain is one of the mystical places of the island. Magical powers are attributed to this mountain, where according to legend sick people got cured and other strange things happened. Even if you don’t want to climb the mountain (you need a permit for that), you can enjoy nice views of it from the Vallebrón Lookout (Mirador de Vallebrón). 
Chill out in Los Molinos, an authentic fishermen village
Amongst the small fishermen villages on the West coast, Los Molinos is one of the most charming examples. It’s a calm place with simple houses where local people come to spend their weekend, and it’s a fabulous place to enjoy a glass of wine in some of the terraces with beautiful views of the sea, while you enjoy an infinite tranquillity. 
Day 4 – Desert or Ocean? – The paradise of the Corralejo Sand Dunes
On the Northeast coast of Fuerteventura you will find the Corralejo Natural Park (Parque Natural de Corralejo), situated close to the small town of Corralejo, one of the main tourist hubs of the island. Huge sand dunes of maritime origin form an extraordinary landscape on the seaside. If you plan to visit Fuerteventura in 3 days, the program of the 4th day you can move to the 3rd day and maybe skip Tindaya and Los Molinos.
Relax between the sea and dunes – The beaches of Corralejo
In this part of Fuerteventura, there’s a series of beaches situated between the sand dunes of Corralejo and the sea. You can find both more extensive and more equipped beaches such as Grandes Playas de Corralejo or you can also enjoy more secluded virgin beaches such as Playa Alzada or Playa del Moro. 
Climbing a large sand dune to enjoy the view
The Corralejo Natural Park contains sand dunes, some of them are up to 50 metres tall, and of course if you have never been to the Sahara or other sand deserts (or even if you have already been to), climbing one of these large sand dunes is one of the most essential things to do in Fuerteventura. From the top you can enjoy amazing views of the coast with beautiful golden sand beaches. 
Excursion to Lobos Island
For those who love snorkelling, the best place to visit in Fuerteventura is the small Lobos Island. This tiny island at merely 2 km off the shore of Fuerteventura is a natural reserve, and it’s worth walking in its trails to experience the local flora and fauna. Nevertheless, the major attractions of the island is found on the coast. Playa de la Concha is one of the nicest beaches in Fuerteventura, whereas the crystal clear waters of Puertito are widely famous for being the best place to do snorkel in Fuerteventura. The trip to the island takes only 15 minutes and there are several boats every day to take you there. The price of the return ticket is 15 €.
We finish here the itinerary with the best things to see and do in Fuerteventura in 4 days. As said before, you can do this itinerary in 3 days with the highlights of Fuerteventura, if you lack time.
Useful information to travel to Fuerteventura
How to get to Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura has an international airport connected to several destinations in the Spanish mainland and also in Europe (mostly in the UK and Germany). From the neighbouring island of Lanzarote you can also take a ferry that will take you from Playa Blanca to Corralejo in around 40 minutes, whereas from Gran Canaria ferries connect with Morro del Jable in the South (the trip takes about 8 hours).
How to move around in Fuerteventura
Public transport is quite limited on the island. It’s indispensable to rent a car, and you can do that at the airport or in the main tourist areas. We recommend you to take the insurance with full coverage, since there are several dirt roads you will visit, which are not in the best possible condition.
What and where to eat in Fuerteventura
If you don’t want to spend too much on food, the best thing to do in Fuerteventura is to rent an apartment with kitchen, and therefore you can cook at home for dinner. If you want to try local food, we recommend one of those roadside restaurants you can find everywhere, where they cook stews from goat meat. Our personal recommendation is the Los Pinchitos Restaurant in Lajares, very close to El Cotillo.
Where to stay in Fuerteventura
The best way of exploring the island without losing too much time is dividing your stay into two parts and spend the first half somewhere in the South and the other half in the North. We usually don’t recommend big resorts, which are not great to get the authentic vibe of the island. We spent the first part of our stay in Tarajalejo, a nice coastal town, which is perfectly located to travel around both Jandia Peninsula and the interior of the island. On the North we prefer El Cotillo to Corralejo, since the latter is completely overrun by British tourism. You can always find the best hotel deals in Fuerteventura here.
Other tips for your visit to Fuerteventura
The name of the island does not lie, Fuerteventura literally means a place with strong winds, therefore you always have to consider wind and waves, when you plan your day. It’s obligatory to check out the weather forecast, since the strength of wind and waves can change a lot between different points of the island, and hence it must be considered to adapt your route to that, especially if you plan to spend time on the beach.
In many places of the island, you will find a lot of squirrels that come to you while you sit down to eat your sandwich or whatever. Signs already warn, please don’t feed these animals, since they are not even native animals of the island (they were brought by a Spanish couple to the island in the 1970s) and they carry a lot of viral and bacterial diseases.
This is the end of our guide with the most important things to see and do in Fuerteventura in 3 or 4 days. We hope that if you follow our guide with the interactive map, you will not miss out on any of the highlights in Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura is one of beautiful beach island with a lot of unforgettable memories I have. The sunny beaches and extraordinary landscapes on the seaside are very beautiful. While reading your article all my memories are coming back in front of my eyes thanks for sharing. finally, you captured a wonderful pics.
Thanks Jon!
Great write up and very interesting and informative. I’m visiting Fuerteventura in February for just 4 days and this road trip sounds ideal. Can I ask how many nights you stayed in each place before moving on. Thanks.
Hi Damon! We spent a couple of nights in the South (in Tarajalejo) and another 2 nights in the North (in El Cotillo). This was ideal to explore the island without spending too much time on the road, and we also didn’t want to move on to a different accommodation every day.