5 Charming Villages you Need to Visit on Holidays to Fuerteventura

1
5 Charming Villages you Need to Visit on Holidays
to Fuerteventura
2
1. El Cotillo  Northwest
This is most likely one of the most unique places
of the island. A sentence encourages us in our
journey Viva la Virgen del Buen Viaje long
live the Virgin of good journey, Patron of the
town, whos name can be read on the cliffs of the
small harbour. Located in the northwest corner of
Fuerteventura, El Cotillo is the ideal place to
enjoy delicious fresh fish in any of the charming
restaurants overlooking the ocean. The contrast
of its beaches, which are only a few miles apart,
is appealing view for all visitors. Southward
from the town, turning left into the entrance
road, youll find a number of wild and attractive
beaches Piedra playa, Playa de la Escalera,
Playa del Aljibe, Playa de la Cueva, Playa del
Aguila and Playa de Esquinzo, are all located on
steep cliffs and usually have a strong beach
break.  These beaches, along with Flag beach in
the East coast, are a Mecca for windsurfers and
kite boarders of the island.
3
Before arriving to the above mentioned beaches
youll encounter the Tostón tower, it is a wide
and flat fortress , built in 1790 as the first
line of defence against invading pirates. It is
currently open to the public and usually has
interesting paintings and photography on display,
while offering a nice view from the roof, which,
at sunset, is a unique spectacle. In the
opposite direction, heading north of Corralejo,
we find another totally different landscape. Here
the beaches are quiet and dont have cliffs.
Instead, one will encounter small lagoons that
change to become beautiful tide pools among the
reefs. The sand here is white, as opposed to the
golden hue of the southern beaches, and the waves
break well before reaching shore, thanks to outer
reef formations. Further down this coastline
stands the Tostón Lighthouse in the Bocayna, the
channel that separates Fuerteventura from
Lanzarote. This lighthouse, which recently became
a Fishing Museum, is located in the north western
part of the island, at a place known as the Whale
tip. Here lies a vast shallow reef whose rocks
have witnessed several ships running aground,
even after the construction of the first
lighthouse here, in 1897.
4
2. Lajares Inland North
Halfway between Corralejo and El Cotillo this
charming village demands a visit, whether to
escape other tourist areas, visit the craft
market on Saturdays, to do some trekking around
its volcanoes, or just a stop along the way to
eat and visit some of the art studios. Another
must-visit town is Lajares, a unique town,
located in the interior of the island, it is the
crossroads between beaches, volcanoes and the top
surf spots in the north. On both sides of the
main road there are shops, surf schools, surf
like bars and restaurants. It also has a Canarian
wrestling ring. In the south there are two
windmills and the Church of Our Lady of the
Miraculous, who is honoured in local celebrations
(Las Fiestas).
5
3. Pájara  Central Inland
We then arrive at Pájara, which has the Church of
the Virgin de Regla, built in the 18th century,
which holds among its various decorations an
Aztec porch, as well as two large baroque altars
to see on the inside. The influence for the Aztec
designs comes its builders heritage, Spaniards
who had returned after living in the lands of
Mexico. The church is housed in a pleasant plaza
shaded by large, leafy trees and surrounded by
bars and good restaurants.
6
4. Ajuy  West coast
About 7 kilometers from the town of Pájara, and
on the west coast, we find the small fishing
village of Ajuy, located in Puerto de la Peña.
There are several points of interest here,
restaurants, the beach and the Caves of Ajuy.
Here lies one of the best places of major
geological interest in the Canary Islands,
because you can see the oldest rocks in the
archipelago. These rocks are the remains of
ancient magma chambers from which expelled the
lava that formed the islands over millions of
years. Inside these caves, ships carrying goods
and provisions for the islands would load and
unload their cargo. These are accessed by a road
that begins at the north of the beach, and after
a short walk you will come to two gigantic
interconnecting caves. We can also see an old
lime kiln, fossilized dunes and a viewpoint that
hangs over 20 meters above the sea.
7
5. Betancuria  Central Inland
Founded in 1405 by the Norman conqueror, Jean de
Bethencourt (hence the name of the town, this was
the ancient capital, Betancuria). Despite its
location in a valley it did not escape pirate
attacks, in 1593, the pirate Jaban reduced
everything, including the church of St. Mary, to
rubble and ashes. Betancuria was the capital for
some time, until people began to leave the town
due to lack of fertile soil. In 1834 Betancurias
status started to decline and handed the job to
La Oliva, who in turn gave it to Puerto del
Rosario. The historic character of the Village
determined the location of the Sacred Art Museum
and the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography,
where you can admire pieces of great historical
and artistic value, such as idols of fertility, a
frieze discovered near La Oliva, and numerous
agricultural implements. The islands craft
centre is next to the museum, documenting
traditional arts and skills.
8
The Church of Santa María de Betancuria, now
fully restored, houses the Museum of Sacred Art.
Highlighted inside is the altarpiece from the
second half of the 17th Century, rich Moorish
crafts, especially that of the sacristy and the
choir and Baptistery. The Hermitage of San Diego
and Conventural Church deserve a special mention,
here you can still see the foundations of the
former first Franciscan convent of the Canary
Islands, where San Diego de Alcalá lived. Wrapped
in an aura of history, these buildings exude the
flavor of epic conquest.
9
For more Details
Visit our Website
https//www.canaryislandsinfo.co.uk