Fuerteventura: 10 Tips for Your Trip to the Canary Island

Planning a trip to the Canary Island of Fuerteventura and unsure what to expect? In this post, we’re sharing our top tips and information about Fuerteventura to help you be well-prepared: from culinary highlights to the best modes of transportation to the most beautiful accommodation options – and much more.

1. THE BEST TIME TO VISIT FUERTEVENTURA

Fuerteventura is an ideal destination all year round, so the best time to visit depends on your personal preferences and interests.
Since the island is geographically part of Africa and on the same latitude as the Sahara, you’ll enjoy pleasant temperatures year-round.
Even in winter, they rarely drop below 15°C, which is why Fuerteventura is known as the “Island of Eternal Spring”.

From March to November, you can expect optimal weather conditions for a dream beach or swimming holiday.
Between June and October, average daytime temperatures range from 25°C to 29°C, with water temperatures from 20°C to 22°C.
During the summer months, the hot Saharan winds can even bring temperatures above 40°C.

In the winter months from December to February, there may occasionally be rain showers, but temperatures remain mild between 15°C and 20°C, so it never really gets cold.
Regardless of the season, the wind in Fuerteventura can be very strong, reaching up to 50 km/h.
Therefore, you should always pack long pants and a sweater, as it can feel noticeably cooler in the evening, early morning, or night.

2. THE CLIMATE IN FUERTEVENTURA

Fuerteventura has a desert-like, dry climate year-round. This is because the island has no high mountains, so most rain clouds simply pass by.
This means you can expect pleasantly mild average temperatures all year round. The water temperature remains constant, ranging from 20°C to 22°C year-round.
The humidity is always low due to the dry climate, typically between 15% and 20%, creating very pleasant conditions.

3. THE IDEAL LENGTH OF STAY IN FUERTEVENTURA

Like the travel time, the ideal duration of your stay in Fuerteventura depends on your personal interests. Many tourists spend between 7 and 14 days on the island, which is enough time to explore the sights and enjoy some relaxing days on the beach.

We stayed only 6 days in Fuerteventura before heading to the neighboring island of Lanzarote. Even in this short time, we were able to explore a lot of the island.
However, if you plan only 6 days, you may have to make some compromises – either with beach days or sightseeing. Still, there’s plenty to experience in that time!

4. THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

Spanish is the official language in Fuerteventura. However, due to the large number of tourists visiting the island each year, many locals also speak English.
This means you can get by easily without knowing Spanish and communicate well in English.

5. THE TIME DIFFERENCE

Fuerteventura is 1 hour behind Central European Time (CET) during both summer and winter.

6. GETTING TO FUERTEVENTURA

The Spanish island is easily accessible with convenient and affordable flights from many major cities worldwide.
Several airlines operate regular connections to Fuerteventura, and platforms like skyscanner.com can help you find and compare the best flight options for your trip.
Flight time varies depending on your departure location but is typically around 4 to 5 hours from most European cities and longer for intercontinental travelers.

Entry requirements depend on your nationality. Citizens of many countries, including the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Australia, can travel to Spain without a visa for short stays. Make sure your passport or other travel documents are valid for the duration of your visit. For specific travel and entry requirements, check with your local embassy or consulate or consult your government’s travel advisory website.

7. GETTING AROUND FUERTEVENTURA WITH A RENTAL CAR

BY RENTAL CAR

It’s advisable to book a rental car before your arrival to stay flexible in Fuerteventura. This way, you can not only conveniently reach your accommodation from the airport but also explore the island at your own pace. Rental cars can be booked easily through sites like rentalcars.com, and prices are often unbeatable. For example, we paid only around $16 per day.

There are even cheaper offers, but they usually involve very small and less sturdy vehicles. We recommend spending a bit more for a larger and more stable car, as many of the island’s most beautiful beaches and remote spots are only accessible via unpaved roads. Following the motto: the rougher the road, the prettier the destination.

A few tips for driving in Fuerteventura:

• Drive on the right, as in many countries worldwide.
• Speed limits: 120 km/h on highways, 50 km/h in towns, 90 km/h on rural roads.
• In Fuerteventura, blue lines indicate paid parking zones where you must purchase and display a parking ticket, while yellow lines signal parking restrictions—continuous yellow lines prohibit stopping and parking entirely, and dashed yellow lines indicate temporary or specific parking restrictions; additionally, avoid parking in front of waste containers, as vehicles obstructing access may be towed.
• The alcohol limit is 0.5%.

BY BUS

Fuerteventura generally has a well-developed public bus network, and according to the schedule, most buses run every 15 minutes to an hour.
However, reality can differ: it’s not uncommon for buses to be up to an hour late, which can be frustrating and time-consuming.

When the bus does arrive, though, it impresses with its unbeatable price. For example, the route from Morro Jable to Esquinzo costs just $1.20.
For comparison, a taxi ride for the same distance is around $6 to $8. Tickets can be easily purchased directly from the bus driver. You can find a schedule and routes at tiadhe.com.

BY TAXI

Another option to get around Fuerteventura is by taxi. You’ll find at least one taxi in almost every town, and in larger towns, especially in tourist areas, there are several fixed taxi stands.

Taxis operate on a so-called province system. This means that a taxi can only pick up passengers within its own municipality, identified by a colored, diagonal stripe on the vehicle's side. The taxi can, however, take you to other municipalities but cannot pick up new passengers there. For example, a taxi from Corralejo cannot pick up guests in Gran Tarajal, though it can take you there.

The price per kilometer varies by time of day and day of the week, ranging from $0.50 to $0.60, with a minimum fare of about $3. Note that the return trip is always included in the fare.

8. HOTELS & ACCOMMODATIONS

The entire Spanish island of Fuerteventura is well-equipped for tourism and offers everything a traveler’s heart desires.
There’s a wide range of accommodations, from budget to luxury hotels, Airbnb options, hostels, and private rentals.
We stayed in a charming little apartment  in Corralejo that we booked through booking.com.

The area or region you choose for accommodation depends entirely on your interests.
On popular booking sites like booking.com or Airbnb, you’re sure to find the perfect place for your stay.

9. THE CULINARY SIDE OF FUERTEVENTURA

Although Fuerteventura belongs to Spain, the island’s culinary variety differs significantly from the mainland. Thanks to its proximity to the sea, fish dishes are an essential part of the traditional cuisine. But meat dishes, paella, and a wide variety of delicious tapas are also very popular across the island.

A typical and widespread dish is papas arrugadas with a spicy red sauce. These are small boiled potatoes cooked in heavily salted water and served with the spicy “mojo” sauce.
Mojo is made from fresh garlic, vinegar, oil, and local spices. This sauce comes in various versions, including mojo verde (with parsley and coriander), mojo picante (with paprika and Spanish peppers), mojo palmero (a milder version of the classic mojo), and mojo de queso (with cheese and caraway).

Another island specialty is Gofio, a type of bread made using the same methods as hundreds of years ago. This salty or sweet bread is baked with ingredients like wheat, corn, or barley flour. Queso blanco, a goat cheese, is also a traditional dish on the island and is often served as tapas. Our recommendation: try Queso blanco with mojo or cactus jam – simply delicious!

Of course, Fuerteventura also offers numerous sweet treats. Typical island desserts include almond cake (turrones), caramel pudding (flan), nougat cream dessert (Maripepa), and almond cream (bienmesabe), a sweet dessert made from milk and corn (frangolio).

10. OTHER IMPORTANT TIPS

• Don’t drink tap water: The tap water on the island mainly comes from salty seawater and is heavily chlorinated, as it rarely rains in Fuerteventura.
  Therefore, it’s not advisable to drink tap water. You can buy larger drinking water containers in supermarkets. Drinking sustainably without plastic can be challenging on the island.
• Avoid Nudity: While topless sunbathing is common at some tourist-heavy beaches, it is generally not well-received by locals. Naturists can find specific beaches designated for nudity.
  When visiting churches, make sure to avoid wearing short shorts or sleeveless dresses, as this is considered inappropriate.
  In general, Spain places great importance on proper attire—casual or beachwear is not suitable for restaurants or shops in city centers.
  However, Spaniards are usually polite enough to overlook such lapses.
• Opening hours: Fuerteventura has no uniform opening hours. These are strongly influenced by the traditional Spanish siesta, which lasts from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
  In tourist centers, some shops, especially supermarkets, stay open throughout.
  Most other shops are open from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm, with Saturday hours usually until 2:00 pm. Shops are generally closed on Sundays, except in tourist areas.
• In our post, „Fuerteventura in 7 Days – Our Highlights & Tips", we’ve summarized the most exciting sights and highlights of the island. Be sure to check it out!

USEFUL LINKS & RECOMMENDED TRAVEL GUIDES FOR YOU

• Discover the best accommodations
• Find affordable flights at skyscanner.com
• Find affordable rental cars at rentalcars.com
• The best Travel Guides for Fuerteventura
• Unique Excursions to Experience in Fuerteventura

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Note: This blog post contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or purchase something through these links, we earn a small commission. There is absolutely no change to the price for you.