Fuerteventura

While the rocky, volcanic valleys and sprawling mountains of the interior offer a magnificent untamed natural beauty, the towns that hug the coastline of blindingly white sands have been developed to cater for tourists. Those on the west coast are not easily accessible, while the north, south and east coasts cater for marine sports and sunbathers. In the south, the stunning coastline that runs all the way around the Jandía Peninsula stretches for 13 miles from Morro Jable to Costa Calma. The two are connected by a bus but given the right tide, you can walk the entire way along the beach. North of the island the towering sand dunes and crystal-clear waters just outside Corralejo were declared a nature reserve in 1982: the seas around are particularly good for summer snorkelling and dolphin and shark watching. The town attracts mainly British tourists and retains something of its fishing village past in the old quarter with narrow streets leading to a seafront promenade lined with restaurants and bars. More authentic Spanish bars can be found on Calle La Ballena further on towards the port, where big game fishing yachts and sleek catamarans jostle with the ferries to Lanzarote and Isla de Lobos. The newest resort is Caleta de Fuste, a family-friendly development of low-rise apartments and shopping centres. It is built round a busy little port with a small aquarium and is the departure point for sea excursions. Away from the two main towns, the rest of the island is well worth exploring. Visit the capital, Puerto del Rosario, to see the unusual concrete sculptures of molluscs along the embankment; the inland village of Antigua for its 200-year-old windmill; La Oliva for its excellent art gallery, Centro de Arte Canario (Casa Mané, +34 928 868 233); El Cotillo for its picturesque harbour and 18th-century fortified tower; and Betancuria, former capital, where you’ll find a delightful restaurant on the beautiful terrace of the Casa Santa María.

Local history

Very little has changed on the island since the Spanish conquest of the 15th century until tourism arrived about 25 years ago. In the 1960s the then Spanish dictator, General Franco, allowed tourism into the Canaries and in 1965 the first tourist hotel was built in Jandía soon to be followed by an airport. However, although Tenerife and Gran Canaria benefitted from the tourist boom in the 1960s, it wasn’t until the 1980s that the first wave of tourists arrived in Fuerteventura.

Local politics

The island is split into six municipalities: La Oliva, Puerto del Rosario, Betancuria, Antigua, Tuineje and Pajara. The biggest industry, by far, is tourism and roads and other infrastructure are being updated. Other industries are tomato farming, fishing, goat farming and cheese making.