Sights, Fuerteventura
As well as the unspoiled beaches, this majestic island offers some unforgettable sights to see. To taste local history, visit the impressive exhibition of the restored stately home, La Oliva and delve deep into 18th century culture. If you’re more interested in viewing fantastic scenery, head to the magical Tindaya Mountain, to experience fantastic panoramic views and over 300 archaeological engravings.
Casa de los Coroneles
Casa de los Coroneles is a stately home located in La Oliva in the north of Fuerteventura. Once the seat of the island’s colonel, the home is now a museum.
The building is set in a very isolated location, although coach trips do run to it for tourists to visit the site. Once there, visitors can wander freely around the Casa de los Coroneles, taking in the splendour of the building, which was believed to be constructed way back in 1740. Those who are interested in architecture cannot afford to miss paying a visit to Casa de los Coroneles while in Fuerteventura; this is one of the finest examples of Spanish architecture to be found anywhere in the Canary Islands.
The inner courtyard is delightful and the roof terraces also offer superb views of the surrounding countryside – Casa de los Coroneles is set in the wilds, surrounded by mountains. There is also an indoor market selling fresh vegetable, bread and cheese.
Castillo de El Toston
To experience some true local history and culture, you should be sure to pay a visit to Castillo de El Toston. This site was once one of the most important coastal defences in Fuerteventura and is now host to various contemporary exhibitions.
For a very reasonable entrance fee, visitors are free to walk around the battlements and take in both the history of the building and the various works of art to be found inside and outside the imposing structure of the Castillo de El Toston.
The sculptures and works of art located in and around Castillo de El Toston are not to be missed for the art lovers among your party. The battlements are located right beside the ocean, so, aside from the exhibitions, the views that Castillo de El Toston offers of the beaches of El Cotillo is well worth paying the entrance fee, too.
Chipmunk mountain
Although only a hill in reality, Chipmunk mountain is, nonetheless, home to a great many families of wild chipmunks. While they may be wild, the chipmunks are actually very friendly and love it when visitors feed them. Chipmunk Mountain may be sometimes referred to as its alias, Montana Blanca, so don’t worry that you may have arrived at the wrong destination if you heard it being called this name.
Located near the local harbour, you can walk up Chipmunk Mountain or take the road train up to the top if you don’t feel like walking. If you are interested in wildlife, this location in Fuerteventura will be a dream come true. There is probably nowhere better in any of the Canary Islands to observe these delightful creatures in their natural habitat. Chipmunk mountain also offers a great sea view from the top, where you can look out and see the local harbour and beyond.
Los lobos island
Los Lobos Island is easily accessed from the main island of Fuerteventura, being located just one mile north of the mainland. Los Lobos Island is incredibly popular for day trips from Fuerteventura, particularly if you have an interest in flora and geology.
This is the ideal place to come and be at one with nature; the island is sparsely populated and has certain restricted areas to protect the landscape from human impact. There is, however, a sandy beach with lagoons to be explored and a sandy beach for sun lovers to catch some rays.
The island is also home to a great selection of seafood restaurants, which serve only the freshest ingredients, cooked to perfection. Lobos Island does have a small fishing port, so many of the catches end up being served in the local eateries. If you are looking for somewhere quiet to relax and explore, look no further than Lobos Island.
Punta Jandia
Punta Jandia is an active lighthouse, which can be found on the south-west side of Fuerteventura, on the Jandia peninsula. This is one of the oldest lighthouses to be found anywhere in the Canary Islands, being completed way back in 1864.
The tower stands tall at 19 metres and is a spectacular sight to behold at any time of the day or night, but particularly in the evenings, when the beacon is shining brightly out to sea, helping to illuminate the whole coastline. In fact, the light can be seen for 22 nautical miles.
Aside from the lighthouse, the nearby village is home to a selection of local shops and restaurants for visitors to enjoy. There is also a small beach on hand for those who fancy taking a stroll on the sand, or who have children that want to play in the sea.
Salt Museum
The Salt Museum in Fuerteventura is located at the entrance of Las Salinas del Carmen, a small fishing village to the east of the island. It was originally opened in 1910 and has been a museum since the late 1970s.
The Salt Museum is divided into two sections: there is a modern interior building, where visitors can experience and audio-visual presentation on the vital role salt plays in humanity, as well as how salt is used and the salt of the Canary Islands. There are also videos about how salt is obtained.
The second area of the museum is to be found outside, giving you the chance to see and learn more about the fully working salt line that is still in operation, there. Visitors leave the Salt Museum feeling enlightened after learning so much more about a common household commodity we use every day. This is a fascinating day out for the whole family.
Tindaya Mountain
Tindaya Mountain was considered to be a sacred place by the pre-Spanish local population, but thousands of tourists still make pilgrimages to see it every year, even today. The mountain sits in the north-east region of Fuerteventura, nearby to La Oliva. Standing tall at 400 metres, Tindaya Mountain seriously stands out in Fueteventura’s landscape, which is typically dry and flat.
There is a path for visitors to view the mountain up close, which can be found on the south-west crest of Tindaya. Once believed to have magical properties, visitors can gaze in awe at more than 300 engravings in the shape of a foot at the base, which boast a great archaeological importance.
A small village can be found at the base of Tindaya Mountain, where you can browse some local shops and eat in the restaurants, where the local staff are very friendly and serve great food.
Villa Winter
Villa Winter is a villa close to the village of Cofete, which can be found on the Jandia peninsula on the southwest of Fuerteventura. Built in a very remote part of the island, only a dust track leads to it, although this does make for a very scenic drive.
Villa Winter has a somewhat tragic history, which involves connections to Nazis; the main conspiracy theory revolves around the villa’s tower turret with an electric lantern, which is believed to have been used to signal German U-boats. However, today, this just enriches the building’s history and tourists from all over the world flock to Villa Winter each week.
Close to Villa Winter are some beautiful beaches, so it’s well worth a day trip out to Cofete so you can take in the villa and then stroll on the nearby sands. The villa itself offers a stunning view of the ocean.