Guide to Fuerteventura

Beaches

Fuerteventura's beaches are the island's star attraction. If you like wild, windswept stretches of sand and a rugged, rocky coastline, the northwest coast will float your boat. This is where the surfers gather, attracted by some of the best conditions to be found outside Hawaii.

One of the most unspoilt beaches is at El Cotillo, a former fishing village which, despite becoming an increasingly popular holiday resort, retains much of its traditional charm and character.

However, for sheer eye-popping beauty it has to be the south of the island, where you'll find beaches that are so good they could even put some Caribbean ones in the shade.

One of the best, and therefore most popular, is Playa de Mattoral, which stretches north from Morro Jable on the Jandia Peninsula. It's a prince among beaches, with miles of soft, golden sand and gently shelving waters that are just perfect for safe, family swimming. It's also got a good watersports centre and a long prom lined with bars and restaurants.

A few miles to the north is the number one windsurfing spot on the peninsula, Playa de Sotavento, actually a series of lovely white-sand beaches stretching around 15 miles along the coast. Every July it hosts a leg of the Windsurfing World Championships.

Heading further north you come to Costa Calma, where you'll find another outstanding beach, particularly popular with families. On the northern tip of the island is Corralejo. The beach there is good but quite small and often busy. However, the famous white sand dunes offer the opportunity to find a secluded spot for some quiet sunbathing. A wind break, however, is a must.

Alternatively, if you really want to get away from it all, and you don't mind your sand a volcanic shade of black rather than pristine white or classically golden, head for Ajuy and Puerto de la Pena about half way down Fuerteventura's west coast. There's a coastal path that leads north from the beach offering spectacular views along the way.

Eating out

• Canaries cooking is simple and unpretentious, and Fuerteventura fare is no exception. Before the tourists came, this was a sparsely populated rural hideaway. So it's no surprise that the local cuisine is based around fresh meat, fish and vegetables, cooked in a practical, no nonsense way. You've got the traditional Canarian dishes like the famous 'papas arrugadas' - salted new potatoes, usually served with a spicy 'mojo' dip - and 'gofio' - a roasted mixture of wheat, maize or barley that's a substitute for bread, dumplings, croutons and anything else that fills out a dish. However, there are also a few typically Fuerteventuran specialities up the sleeves of the chefs' jackets. For example, the milk from the Majorero goat produces a wonderful cheese that's so good it has been awarded a prestigious 'Denominacion de Origin' certification. When it comes to dessert, it's time to throw away the diet sheet and indulge yourself. Tempting treats include 'bienmesabes' - a syrupy pudding made of almonds and honey - and 'frangollo' - made from gofio, milk and dried fruit. As for something to accompany your meal, you can do much worse that choose one of the wines made from grapes grown on the volcanic slopes of neighbouring Lanzarote. The crisp, dry whites are particularly good. Fuerteventura doesn't have any wines of its own, but does produce a punchy firewater called ron miel, a dark rum laced with honey. Typical Spanish fare aside, the Fuerteventurans, like their neighbours on Lanzarote, Tenerife and Gran Canaria, have recognised that being one of the world's most popular holiday destinations means having to offer a choice of more cosmopolitan eating experiences alongside the local tapas bars and 'menus tipicos'. Therefore, in all the major resorts you'll find everything from pizza and pasta to a good old British Sunday roast. Oh, and here's a word of advice. If you're ordering a coffee if you don't specify 'cafe con leche' you can expect an espresso that's as strong as an ox!
  
  
• Casa Isaitas, Pajara If you're taking a drive in the island's interior, stop off at this delightful 'casa rural', where you'll find a warm welcome and good, home cooked food. The restaurant and rooms are within a lovingly restored 18th-century stone house with courtyards and balconies.
  
  
• Frasquita, Caleta de Fuste Don't let the plastic tables and simple decor fool you. This is the best fish restaurant in town, and one of the best on the island. It couldn't be better situated either. It's right on the seafront and the indoor dining room looks out onto the beach.
  
  
• Poco Loco, Corralejo If you're hankering for some beef, this is the place to go. Centrally located on the resort's main street, it's an Argentinian-style steak house that caters for big appetites. That being said, you might be surprised to find that it also caters well for vegetarians.
  
  
• La Factoria, Corralejo Situated right on the old harbour, this friendly, informal Italian restaurant serves excellent pizzas and pastas in a lovely setting. The owner is from Bologna, so you can expect authentic Italian fare.
  
  
• Galeria, Costa Calma As its name suggests, this pleasant restaurant has a raised terrace with wonderful sea views. The food is cosmopolitan rather than authentically Canarian, but is nevertheless tasty and good value for money.

Nightlife

• Fuerteventura doesn't have the buzzing nightlife scene you'll find on Tenerife or Gran Canaria, with many visitors preferring a quiet night with a meal and a few drinks to an all-out rave. However, there are plenty of lively bars, as well as enough discos and clubs to cater for those who like to bop and boogie into the early hours.
  
  In the capital, Puerto del Rosario, entertainment after sundown follows the Spanish model, with many locals and tourists spending a couple of hours in the waterfront tapas bars before even thinking about dinner. As for the clubs, which are mostly in the town centre, they don't really get going much before midnight, often pumping out the latest hits until dawn, accompanied by laser and light shows.
  
  The next liveliest place is Corralejo, where the after dark scene centres around the Centro Commercial Atlantico on the main street, Avenida del Generalissimo Franco.
  
  For a more relaxed atmosphere, the northern end of the avenue has open air bars and cafes, some of which provide traditional Spanish music.
  
  In the other bigger resorts, there's a mix of venues, including karaoke bars, British and Irish-style pubs and a few discos.
  
  One way to be sure of some lively evening entertainment is to visit Fuerteventura during Carnival time, just before Easter. As with the other Canary Islands, the place comes alive with colourful processions and celebrations, even in the smaller resorts and villages.
  
  If you prefer a more sophisticated evening out, theatre and ballet productions are regularly staged in Puerto del Rosario and Gran Tarajal. Puerto del Rosario is also a good place for jazz, with local and visiting bands playing at venues around the city. Alternatively, seek out one of the flamenco bars for a bit of traditional Spanish hand clapping and foot stamping.
  
  
• Camelot, Puerto del Rosario One of the most popular places in town, this is a Medieval themed bar and disco, which has a wall of video screens, DJs and occasional live music.
  
  
• Rosie O'Gradys, Corralejo Opened in 1995, this Irish-style bar has a typically convivial atmosphere, good home cooking, live music every night – and, of course, barrel-loads of Guinness and Caffrey's. It's also got a big screen TV which shows all the latest sporting action.
  
  
• Waikiki, Corralejo It may not be Hawaii, but it's close enough. Attracting its fair share of surf dudes, as well as clubbers and party animals, this fun, friendly place is located right next to the beach. The pizzas are good and there are plenty of colourful cocktails to choose from.
  
  
• Bar Mencey, Costa Calma If you're looking for an authentic Spanish atmosphere, along with traditional music, this is the place for you. You'll be able to hold a conversation without shouting over the disco, and you can also have a game of pool, darts or table football.
  
  
• Surf Inn, Morro Jable Attracting a young, hip crowd, this laid back surfer dude's bar provides a variety of diversions to accompany the drinking, including darts, backgammon and Jenga. Alternatively you can just sit back, relax and watch surfing and snowboarding videos on the big screen TV.

Shopping

Few people come to Fuerteventura with shopping on their minds. However, if you do fancy a spot of retail therapy to complement the sunbathing, there are plenty of places to spend your euros. Prices are reasonable due to a lower sales tax than the mainland.

What's more, this is a duty free island, so there are real bargains to be had on spirits, perfumes, aftershaves and some electrical goods. Not surprisingly, the place to find the best shopping is the capital Puerto del Rosario.

The two main shopping thoroughfares are the Leon y Castillo and Avenida Juan de Betancourt, while the newest addition to the retail scene is Las Rotondas, a large mall with a range of shops selling clothes, electrical goods, home wares, food, jewellery and more. However, it's also worth getting off the main drag into the backstreets, where you'll find some interesting little craft and curio shops.

Fuerteventura's two biggest resorts, Corralejo and Caleta de Fuste also have a range of shops, selling everything from suntan cream to souvenirs. They're mostly concentrated in commercial centres in and around town, for example the Atlantico centre in Caleta de Fuste, which also has bars, restaurants, a bowling alley, an amusement arcade and a multiplex cinema.

If you're looking for more traditional souvenirs or gifts, Fuerteventura's wide array of arts, crafts and cottage industry products will give you lots of ideas. Hand-made lace, embroidered linen, glazed ceramics and leather goods are all good buys.

Then, of course, there are the famous Canary Islands cigars, which are extremely good quality. There are plenty of small craft shops in and around all the major resorts.

Or why not visit one of Fuerteventura's colourful, atmospheric markets where you can shop side-by-side with the locals? There's one for nearly every day of the week. Head to Corralejo on Mondays and Fridays, Puerto del Rosario and Jandia on Thursdays, Fuste on a Saturday and Costa Calma on a Sunday. No excuse then not to find a bargain.