Exploring Fuerteventura: From volcanic landscapes to the island’s wine renaissance

The great Spanish writer Miguel de Unamuno (1864-1936) got it right when he lyricised about Fuerteventura as ‘this bony land… this red protrusion thirsting for water! Yet how beautiful it is! Yes, beautiful! But only for those seeking the innermost secrets of its shape.’

This ‘keeper of secrets’ is the second-largest island in the volcanic Canary Islands archipelago and was the first to begin rising from the ocean floor, about 20 million years ago. On the west coast at Ajuy, you can actually see the basal geological complex, which once lay just above the Earth’s mantle but has now risen to the surface.

Fuerteventura lies just southwest of Lanzarote. The closest landmass in the archipelago to the African continent, it’s blessed with year-round sunshine, more beaches than any other Canary Island (there are more than 150 of them) and – a lesser-known fact – it’s where the archipelago’s first grapevines were planted. Yes, the story of Canary Islands wine starts here.

Raw volcanic beauty

This rough guide to Fuerteventura is designed to help you appreciate the island’s stark beauty, its rugged coastline and its ancient history, along with the precious few winemakers and -growers working to revitalise its overexploited land – to show you the real island behind mass tourism’s plastic facade.

The basic route described here runs from Isla de Lobos in the north to Cofete in the south. To make the most of the guide, you’ll need a car and that rarest of gems, a designated driver.

Facing Isla de Lobos, Corralejo is the main port in the north and is a lively mix of bustling town and tourist destination. It has changed significantly in the last 10-15 years, with swathes of expats having moved there from sun-starved environs such as England and Ireland but, especially, Italy – such an influx that it has earned the nickname ‘Little Italy’.

It’s a great place to get your bearings and sample from the casual dining, tapas and seafood restaurants clustered around the harbour. For fantastic, no-fuss tapas and pinchos, and a laid-back vibe, try Gilda (@gildacorralejo) on Calle Delfín or, nearby, try lively La Pulperia on Calle Lepanto for lovely octopus tacos and a glass of house vermouth.

Small jewel

Corralejo’s expansive dunes are just 15 minutes’ walk or so from the town centre and offer a welcome escape from the hubbub – the perfect place for a sunset stroll, or to sit gazing over the water. In the near distance sits Montaña de La Caldera, the towering volcanic cone of your next destination: Isla de Lobos. This little islet between Fuerteventura and the southern coast of Lanzarote shouldn’t be missed. Ferries leave the port of Corralejo from around 9.45am for the 2km trip and return to the main island from the late morning to about 5.15pm, so you have the option to spend the full day exploring.

Plunge into the shimmering turquoise waters of the islet’s paradisal lagoons, relax in blissful isolation on its secluded beaches or take signposted hikes to observe the plants, birds, lizards and marine life of Lobos’ protected ecosystems.

Of lava and salt

By now a thirst for wine will no doubt have taken hold. Fortunately, from Corralejo it’s a 15-minute drive to the surfer town of Lajares – home to the most important winery on the island: Conatvs. The first wines released by owner Pedro Antonio Martín were from the 2015 vintage. A decade on, in May 2025, Conatvs (meaning ‘struggle’ or ‘effort’) marked a major milestone with the inauguration of a new, enotourist-ready winery, complete with wine bar and shop. Daily public tours in English last an hour and give you the chance to learn about Fuerteventura’s vinous history, tour the vineyard and stylish cellar – hewn from the lava terrain – and taste three of the estate’s wines, paired with local delicacies (from €35 per person).

Stirred by these sapid, saline wines, you then have the option of heading for the coast to El Cotillo, recently transformed from an anonymous fishing village to a vibrant surf destination. There you’ll find La Concha – the archetypal turquoise lagoon – if you’re still in a salty mood; if not, it’s time to head inland.

From hike to table

Driving south into the island’s more elevated interior, it’s just over 10 minutes from Lajares to the town of Villaverde, home to Hannelore von der Twer (hannelore@caminosano.eu). An always colourfully dressed German travel expert with a love of painter Frida Kahlo, Hannelore has lived on Fuerteventura since 1986. Now in her 70s, she knows more about the island than most natives. ‘Fuerteventura has soul – it’s not just sun, sand and sea,’ she says. ‘I like to show people what’s inside.’ Already respected for her pioneering work to promote responsible hiking on the island, two years ago she became its first unofficial enotourism ambassador.

Hannelore offers guided tours on as many as 28 hiking routes, which are to become part of an official Canary wine route programme. The established routes take in spectacular volcanoes and ravines, historic churches and other sites of interest, several now culminating with a visit to one of the island’s wineries, most of which are small-scale and otherwise not open to the public.

While in Villaverde, refuelling at Casa Marcos (@casamarcos2025) is highly recommended. New-generation Canary Island chef Dani Fajardo manages this rustic restaurant with aplomb. In this locally typical timber-roofed, lava-stone building, with lacquered old bushvine trunks for light fittings, choose from a bold menu created on a ‘zero-kilometre’ model. Dining outside on the terrace beside the kitchen garden is also an option, with the ochre tones of Montaña Escanfraga right in front of you.

To the root

Driving past La Oliva in the island’s centre-west, the next stop is one of the most beautiful towns in any Spanish territory. Founded by and named after the Norman explorer Jean de Béthencourt, who arrived in the Canary Islands in 1402 and claimed them for Spain, Betancuria is a place whose historical importance far exceeds its modest size (it was the island’s capital from 1405 to 1834). Almost hidden within a rugged mountain landscape (its concealed position once served as a defence against pirate raids), Betancuria enchants with its quiet cobbled streets, traditional Canarian houses and the tolling bells of its 17th-century Iglesia de Santa Maria.

While here, be sure to visit the Museo Arqueológico (open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm, entry free). Inaugurated in its present form in 2020 and packed with ancient exhibits, this is the place to learn about Fuerteventura’s indigenous civilisation, the Majos, a people who originated in the Berber territories of North Africa who ruled the island before Betancuria was established. Ancient Majo sites abound across the island and new ones are being uncovered all the time. The most important is Montaña de Tindaya in the island’s central northwest, with more than 300 podomorphs (foot-shaped rock carvings) around the summit attesting to its sacred significance.

Before you head south for the wild, windswept beaches and dunes of the Jandía peninsula, it’s worth a short stop in the island’s capital Puerto del Rosario, to dine at La Puipana. While most of the island’s restaurants are still in thrall to Rioja and Ribera, La Puipana is moving steadfastly against the grain. It’s another ‘zero- kilometre’ venue, with a smart, ingredient-led, Canaries-focused menu and a wine list that, improbably, is 90% Canarian wine.

Beaches and more: the emerging wine land of Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura is central to the history of Canary Island wine: the first grapevines to arrive in the archipelago from mainland Spain were planted in Betancuria in the island’s interior in the early 1400s.

The most important grape variety the European settlers brought was Listán Prieto. Other red varieties found on the island include Listán Negro (locally known as Hoja Moral), Tintilla and Baboso Negro.

White varieties include Malvasía Volcanica, Listán Blanco, Marmajuelo and Moscatel.

For wineries such as Conatvs and La Hubara, crisp, saline whites have the potential to become Fuerteventura’s signature style. Conatvs is also one of the wineries developing the red grape Majorera – a variety unique to Fuerteventura, discovered in 2016 by winemaker Alberto González.

Winemaking renaissance

It should be noted that, despite Fuerteventura’s seminal role in the viticultural history of the islands, there are just three wineries making wines under the Islas Canarias DO (Fuerteventura doesn’t have its own DO) – Conatvs in Lajares, Gavías El Sordo in Tetír and the newly minted Bodegas La Hubara in Toto – and only about 23 producing wine commercially across 26ha of vineyards.

‘It was in the 1950s that viticulture experienced a resurgence,’ notes respected local farmer and viticulturist turned winemaker Jacob Negrín of ARyGA. ‘The area that sustained the vineyards was the west-central part of the island – the Santa Inés valley and the plains of La Concepción. But long periods of drought and uncontrolled livestock grazing ended what could have been a prosperous future. Now, thankfully, it’s receiving a boost.’

Negrín makes a small amount of excellent natural wine from vines interplanted with organic vegetables in the rust-red volcanic soils of Casillas de Morales. He’s in the process of building a new bodega and hopes to be able to accommodate guests within the next 12 months.

As Negrín explains, water preservation is critical to Fuerteventura’s agricultural hopes. Crucial to any restoration is the island’s traditional farming system using gavias – fields with raised boundaries that help to capture the scant rainfall. The local association of wine-growers, Majuelo, is doing its best to educate its 120-plus members about the importance of such regenerative techniques.

One new project benefiting from this knowledge is Bodegas La Hubara in Toto. It now has 6,000 vines planted in gavias in a project started in 2021. Owner Guillermo Franquiz has built a new winery that will open to the public in spring 2026 – an important example of the green shoots emerging on Fuerteventura.

Spectacular scenery

From Toto it’s a short drive through the charming village of Pájara – stop for traditional Canary Island fare at the rural refuge of Casa Isaitas – and up through a majestic mountain landscape to the Mirador de Sicasumbre lookout. Drink in the spectacular scenery southwest towards the coastal town of La Pared and then watch the Atlantic shimmer into view as you descend. La Pared is also the name of the ancient wall that was built across the isthmus from Playa de La Pared to the tidal lagoon adjacent to Playa de Sotavento, remnants of which can still be seen. One theory goes that it originally separated the Majo territories of kings Guize and Ayoze.

Sotavento itself is a 9km-long beach of pale sand that’s definitely worth exploring. Helpfully, given its vastness, it’s split into sections. Playa de la Barca and Playa Risco del Paso are popular for kite- and windsurfers, while Mal Nombre, reachable on foot to the south at low tide, is good for a swim (check tide and conditions on the day), with calm turquoise water, gentle dunes and lava-stone windbreaks.

You’re now in full-on holiday resort territory, so tread with caution. Drive straight through Morro Jable – unless of course you’re dining at Salvaje, Marabú or El Pellizco. The original El Pellizco in Morro Jable was opened six years ago (there’s now also a bigger one in Costa Calma). Chef Rigoberto Almeida is Cuban and his food is a vibrant fusion of Cuban and Canarian influences. Local wines are offered by the glass or bottle.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, when you leave Morro Jable, take a swerve right into Jandía natural park, signposted Cofete. It’s a 15-minute drive along an unpaved road with the occasional sheer drop, but the blissfully isolated 14km-long virgin beach at the end of it is worth the effort.

If you’re the kind of traveller who likes a challenge, who is prepared to dig a little deeper, giving the package-holiday crowd a wide berth, Fuerteventura is a place whose innermost secrets are just waiting to be discovered.

How to get there

Easyjet and Ryanair operate regular flights from most major UK airports. From Fuerteventura airport it’s a roughly 35-minute drive to Corralejo in the north and Betancuria in the centre, and about an hour to Jandía in the south.

Related articles

• Wine and running: An unorthodox pairing going mainstream
• Exploring Valle d’Aosta: Italy’s hidden gem for wine and alpine adventures
• Decanter’s Dream Destination: Areias do Seixo, Santa Cruz, Portugal