If you are looking for desert landscapes and amazing beaches with a side dose of peaceful sunshine, Fuerteventura is your island. Seeing the island without a car is not impossible (maybe something to tackle on a different post…) but you can’t beat a good island roadtrip. You won’t see it all in one day, but if that’s all the time you have, keep on reading for my preferred one day Fuerteventura roadtrip itinerary.
If you are looking for a rental car, my go-to car rental company is Cicar. It’s the one I’ve always used, and it’s the only local car rental company I’m aware of.
Costa Calma: Sotavento beach
Once you’ve sourced a rental car, drive south along the coast (fv-2) towards Costa Calma. If you are starting your journey at the airport or at the island’s capital, Puerto del Rosario, you’ll be driving past the salt marshes (las Salinas), through the volcanic fields of Pozo Negro, until you reach the sandy hills of Costa Calma. The town itself is nothing but infrastructure to support tourism and is not worth a stop. The main attraction is the beach.
You know those moments when you are driving somewhere, and out of nowhere a crazy sweeping view shows up that takes you aback and makes you say ‘woooooow’ out loud like a little Toy Story alien? That’s what happens when you reach Sotavento beach. You will reach the end of the paved road and you will transition to driving on dirt and to wonder if you’ve actually gotten lost. But then the beach comes into view in front of you… and it’ll be worth it whether you are planning on going for a swim or not. Coming upon that view is one of my favourite drives on the island.
Cofete
You can continue your Fuerteventura roadtrip by driving further south to what’s arguably the island’s biggest gem. Most of the way from the nearest town (Morro Jable) is via unpaved dirt roads. You will be entering the most remote part of the island, with nothing but overly friendly goats for company, so plan accordingly. The road eventually starts ascending up a mountain range, and once it reaches the top you will find yourself at another killer viewpoint: it’s not everyday one gets to look down at a 14 km long beach ranked as one of the top 10 beaches in Europe.
Technically speaking, you are not allowed to take a rental car off paved roads… if you are going to do it anyway, make sure you are not renting a super low car or you are going to regret it
Depending on how well you are doing for time, you can continue driving all the way down to the beach. If you do so, bear in mind that it’s another 6 km via one-lane unpaved winding roads on the edge of the mountain. This is an adventure in itself and not for the faint of heart!
Lunch at el Puertito
If at this point it’s past lunchtime, you should move to the next step in the itinerary. Otherwise, you can drive on to Puerto de la Cruz, known among locals as ‘el Puertito’. This is a very, and I mean VERY, remote small village. The only things you are going to find here are a few houses and three small restaurants. However, if you’d like to get to know the authentic side of the island, this is it. El Puertito is one of the few villages on the island that remain completely untouched by tourism. The main reason I included it as a stop in this Fuerteventura roadtrip itinerary is the food though. You can’t go wrong with whichever restaurant you choose to eat at here. This is also where you will find the best ‘caldo de pescado’ (fish stew) on the island.
If driving for an hour via unpaved roads in the middle of nowhere to reach a tiny remote village does not sound appealing, head to Morro Jable instead. There are plenty of food options along the promenade.
Drive north through Fuerteventura’s interior
By this point, you would have seen some of the highlights the south of the island has to offer. For the second half of your day, I’d recommend heading north. If you are short for time, take Fv-20 through Antigua until Puerto del Rosario, and then continue on straight towards Corralejo. This is a mostly boring, but most efficient route.
Alternatively, if you do have some time to spare, take Fv-30 instead and drive through the true island’s interior: Betancuria. You’ll be driving through beautiful rolling deserted brown hills. You could also visit the village itself, stop for a coffee and wander the charming streets. This is a beautiful area of the island that is often overlooked in favour of the coast.
Sand dunes Nature Park
No visit to Fuerteventura is complete without having rolled down the sand dunes. This is one of my favourite areas on the island, and one I try to visit every time I’m home. Simply driving through the dunes is already amazing in and of itself, but I’d recommend getting out of the car and having a little wander around. Find a nice looking dune of your liking and get comfortable to catch the sunset. If you are still finding sand on yourself a couple of days later, then you know you’ve done it right. Also, please remember that you are visiting a protected natural site: leave no trace.
Corralejo
As the final stop on this Fuerteventura roadtrip itinerary, you can visit the coastal town of Corralejo. I have a love/hate relationship with Corralejo: it’s a complete tourist trap, and you’ll struggle to find a local in sight, other than those working or shopping. But it does have my favourite promenade on the island, with a beautiful little harbour, a small beach, and plenty of bars and restaurants. So I can’t think of a better way to cap a day of touring the island, than grabbing something to eat while watching the boats rocking on the ocean.
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Wow! it sounds amazing…