19 Best Free Things To Do in Fuerteventura For Families
We love Fuerteventura. We have visited three times as a family and Rhino has spent many winters over on the island in search of the perfect winter waves. You can read more about the Canaries in the 90’s in Rhino’s Surf Diary here. Fuerteventura is the oldest of the Canary Islands, sits to the South of Lanzarote and just 100km off the coast of West Africa.
It has an incredible volcanic landscape and yet some of the most beautiful beaches that we’ve been anywhere in the world. Great food, a great climate, so many things to do and a true island experience, there is something special about this island that keeps pulling us back.
Is Fuerteventura Good For Families?
Yes. It is a win-win all round and makes for a great family trip. Like I said, it has pulled us back there three times in as many years and the girls love it as much as we do. Family friendly with beaches to suit all ages and a variety of activities for all tastes too.
Getting Around The Island : Car Hire
If you are staying in one of the busier resorts, like Corralejo, Caleta de Fuste or Jandia, you can get around the local area easily enough on foot or by hiring bikes. But I would strongly advise hiring a car, even if just for a few days, so that you can get out and explore some of the many incredible places on this island. Otherwise, you really aren’t seeing the best that the island has to offer.
Car hire is plentiful on the island and can be booked in advance online or by turning up at a car hire office. Some even arrange delivery to your accommodation, not that I think this is necessary. We recommend the Canarian Car Hire Company, Cicar for honest service and competitive prices, and to avoid those extra insurance fees that they always seem to add on at the point of collection.
What Is The Best Location On Fuerteventura?
This all depends on what type of holiday you want out of your time in Fuerteventura. There is certainly a resort for all tastes.
In the North East of Fuerteventura, Corralejo is the most popular among British tourists, and has undergone extensive development over the last twenty years. There is a wealth of hotels, apartments, shops, restaurants, bars and clubs, with golden sandy beaches and beautiful blue waters.
Caleta de Fuste, South of the capital Puerto del Rosario and only a fifteen minute drive from the airport, is a quieter resort but still has a good number of hotels, apartments and restaurants, a shopping centre, with good beaches and calmer waters, as well as a sleek modern harbour.
Jandia in the south of the island is very popular with German tourists, has incredible white sandy beaches and beautiful turquoise waters, and many hotels, shops and restaurants. Apart from the beautiful beaches nearby and fantastic sand dunes, we haven’t spent that much time this far south.
For somewhere quieter, try El Cotillo, a small fishing village in the north west of the Island, popular with surfers for its proximity to great waves. There is only one all inclusive hotel here (at the moment!), a few boutique hotels and several apartments. El Cotillo is close to the beautiful lagoons of the North of the island, has some great walking trails, many restaurants and a few bars.
Best Time To Go
The one question I always get asked about Fuerteventura is “Is it windy?”
It is windier at certain times of the year, like July and August, but this helps keep the climate cool in summer. The wind is certainly not an obstacle to having a great time. Get yourself a sunny spot out of the breeze and you’ll soon be baking away and stepping up for a bit of fresh air. Here we are on Christmas Eve, in the blazing 30 degree sunshine.
To read more about Fuerteventura’s breezy climate, see this article from one of our favourite YouTubers, JP in Fuerteventura.
Essentially, don’t worry about the wind, just book it!
Things To Do In Fuerteventura For Families
There are so many things to do in Fuerteventura, it’s one of the reasons this makes for a perfect family holiday, for children of all ages, and for big ones too!
We’ve grouped them into the following categories: Active, Relaxation, Culture.
Active
Fuerteventura is a mecca for activity. Be it hiking, watersports, cycling…. it’s one of the things we love most about the island. Even better – all of these activities are completely free! Here’s our top pick of things to do in Fuerteventura with (or even without) kids.
1. Calderon Hondo
One of the best things to do in Fuerteventura with kids is….climb a volcanco and play real life ‘Floor is Lava’.
Calderon Hondo is located mid-way between Corralejo and El Cotillo and the hike is a gentle climb along the footpath on the right, which takes you to the 70m wide crater at the top. For seasoned hikers, there is a more challenging path up on the left hand side.
Our girls first climbed this aged 4 and 8 and loved seeing all the chipmunks on the way up to the top. The route takes about an hour or so, with fabulous views across to Lobos and Lanzarote when you get to the top. Don’t forget an apple for the chipmunks…and the sweets to power the kids!
2. Go Surfing or Bodyboarding
Get in the water. This island has some of the best surf in the world and also has waves for all ability levels. The water temperature in winter only drops to 19 degrees, so it’s pleasantly warm all year round.
3. Lagoons
Just to the east of Faro del Toston are some of the most spectacularly stunning lagoons we have ever seen. Pristine white sand and clear turquoise waters, these lagoons are definitely worth a visit and are the perfect place for a dip in some shallower and calmer waters.
4. Beaches
The Canaries are not known for having the world’s best beaches, but Fuerteventura proves that stereotype wrong at every turn. You’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in the Indian Ocean, or Caribbean at some of these beach spots. Just take a drive, or get on a bike to discover them. These circular stone wind shelters are pretty iconic here, and we loved making a nest inside them, and enjoying our breakfast al fresco!
5. Walking (El Cotillo Coastal Walk)
We try to spend as much time as possible outdoors when we visit in winter, to make the most of all the sunshine. There are loads of walks to choose from, even with little ones in tow and plenty of rocks to explore on the beaches. In El Cotillo, you can walk the entire coastal route, starting at Playa del Castillo, passing Castillo de El Toston, around the new harbour, the old harbour, following the coast to Los Lagos beach and through to La Concha beach, stopping off at one of the many cafés en route.
6. Sand Dunes (Dunas de Corralejo / Sotavento de Jandia Beach)
A natural feature of the landscape here, there are some spectacular dunes around the coastline. Check out the Dunas de Corralejo or the Sotavento de Jania and get those little legs climbing!
Relaxation
7. Lajares
On your way down from Calderon Hondo you can head to the village of Lajares. A quaint, traditional village with a relaxed vibe, there are some great cafés, like El Galoso bakery, and restaurants to grab a bite to eat and watch life go by. There is also a brilliant playground near the square for the kids to burn off some energy.
8. Lajares Artesanal Market
A craft market is held every Saturday in Lajares, on the square by the playground. If you climb Calderon del Hondo in the morning you can mooch around here in the afternoon after a spot of lunch. Beautiful handmade art, craft, jewellery, sunglasses, beauty products….A very pleasant way to spend an afternoon. It is located in the main square, next to the playground.
9. El Cotillo Old Harbour and Sunset
One of the best places to watch the sunset. Our girls loved playing around on the cobbled streets and steps as we sat, beer in hand to watch the sun go down. Some lovely restaurants along this street too, with perfect views.
10. Sottovento, El Cotillo
A fabulous Italian restaurant, with excellent food, even better service and a sunset view. A perfect spot at any time of the day but especially when booking a sunset table here. Enjoy the apéritif!
11. El Pinar de Betancuria
At an altitude of 450m, this is a great picnic spot to cool off on the trip to Betancuria and take in lunch. With a playground for the little ones, picnic tables and barbecues for all to use, it is a quiet and calming spot to take a break.
12. Corralejo Marina
A short five minute walk out of Corralejo, the marina moors hundreds of boats of all sizes. A pleasant place for a stroll around, this is also the site for many paid boat trip across to the nearby islands.
Cultural
13. Faro del Toston
Drive to the most northwesterly tip of the island to visit the El Toston Lighthouse. Take a stroll around in the wide open space and soak up the sunshine on your face. You can walk here from Playa la Concha or drive right up and park in the car park. Inside you can visit the Museum of Traditional Fishing.
14. Betancuria
Fuerteventura’s old capital and heart of culture. There is a great play area at the bottom of the hill which leads up to the main town centre and churches. Filled with beautiful colourful blooms, it’s the perfect place for a day out. Take in an authentic Canarian lunch for a truly cultural day out.
15. Stunning Views
The views on the drive through Betancuria are simply stunning. Travelling inland from the coast, the landscape turns greener and driving through the peaks of the mountains feels a bit like you’re in some kind of film set. Stop off at the viewpoints of Morro Velosa and Mirador de Guise y Ayose for breathtaking scenes from the top of the island.
16. Windmills (Los Molinos)
You’ll pass many picturesque windmills on your travels around this island, some of them dating back to the 18th Century. Farmers made the most of the island’s wind to grind their corn and some of the best examples of these traditional stone windmills can be seen in Villaverde and Tefia. A charming piece of local history.
17. Los Rejes Majos -Three Kings Parade – January 5th
One of the things we love about spending Christmas in Fuerteventura is the way that Christmas starts on the 24th December and the celebrations continue until the 5th January, Three Kings Day, or Epiphany. The island goes all out for this celebration, with parades of Kings and camels, and all sorts of characters pass through the towns on their floats, throwing sweets out to the children watching from the streets. Parades take place in towns all over the island, including Corralejo, Caleta de Fuste, Puerto del Rosario, Morro Jable and Costa Calma.
18. Fuerteventura International Kite Festival (11-14 November 2021)
This festivals has been running in Fuerteventura for over 30 years and now draws tourists from a whole host of international countries. Hundreds of kites fly in the winds above Corralejo’s Playa del Burro and make for a fun day out for the whole family.
19. El Cotillo Music Festival (July) and Fiesta (August)
Whilst El Cotillo is a quiet fishing village and offers a break from the usual tourist heavy resorts elsewhere in the island, the place goes into full on party mode for 10 days at the end of August with the annual Fiesta! There are some traditional events, like the fisherman’s procession at the old harbour, traditional Canarian music and the Virgin Ceremony, where boats take to the water to transport the statue to the church in El Roque, to loud music being played until the early hours. Similarly, in early July, a weekend long music festival is held at Playa de la Concha.
That’s it for our Family Rhino round of up free things to do in Fuerteventura. We hope you enjoy your trip to this beautiful island and found this blog post useful.
For more on Fuerteventura, check out Koko’s story Fabulous Fuerteventura, for a child’s perspective or for some classic shots of the island in the 90’s, dive into Rhino’s Canarian Dreaming.
