Corralejo Nature Reserve, Corralejo, La Oliva Living History Route, El Cotillo

The island of Fuerteventura is an appealing tourist destination appreciated world-over for its long beaches with their golden sand and clear, turquoise water, in addition to its rich gastronomy and an interesting range of cultural tours. Starting out from the port in Puerto del Rosario, in the east of the island, you can drive to one of the greatest attractions in Fuerteventura: Corralejo Dunes, the fishing village, a living history route through La Oliva and the charm of the coastal town of El Cotillo.

From Puerto del Rosario to the Corralejo

Dunes 23 minutes by car from the port in Puerto del Rosario and on the north-eastern coast of the island of Fuerteventura, we find Corralejo Dunes – a stretch of fine, golden sand that is 10.5 kilometres long and 2.5 kilometres wide. This protected nature area is home to 130 plant and bird species. You have to leave your car in a lay-by and walk over the dunes. We recommend taking a towel, water, sun cream, a swimsuit (there are nudist areas too), a kite and a board.

From Corralejo Dunes to Corralejo

Barely an 8-minute drive from the Corralejo Dunes Nature Reserve is the town of Corralejo – almost at the northernmost tip of Fuerteventura. Half a century ago, Corralejo was a fishing village with low, white houses. Now the town combines its fishing past with its present marked by beaches, the new port that connects it to the island of Lanzarote and a lively urban centre with restaurants and shopping centres. A mill from the old town remains in the Plaza de la Molina.

From Corralejo to La Oliva

Living History Route Departing from Corralejo, an 18-minute drive takes us to the municipality of La Oliva, heading inland on Fuerteventura. On Fridays, you can take part in around five historic properties: the Church of La Candelaria, the Casa de a Cilla (Grain Museum), the Casa de Los Coroneles, The Casa Mané Canarian Art Centre and the Traditional Market. The theme of the route is based around the "Coroneles de Milicias", figures with great military, legal, political and financial power during the 18th and 19th centuries.

From the La Oliva Living History Route to El Cotillo

15.8 kilometres from La Oliva, we come to the fishing village of El Cotillo, on the north-western coast of Fuerteventura – a well-loved spot due to its numerous quality seafood restaurants and its beaches. North of El Cotillo, there is a series of family coves with white sand and calm, turquoise water. They include La Concha Beach, one of the most famous on the island of Fuerteventura due to the quietness, beauty and quality of it.

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Sustainability

- Never leave waste of any type lying around, including cigarette butts. Leftover food leads to a proliferation of rats and wild cats, which pose a serious threat to the fauna.
- Use the waste- paper baskets and, insofar as possible, separate and place your recycling waste in the appropriate containers.
- Do not throw any waste or other objects into the sea.
- Respect the animals. Do not bother them or feed them. If you see an injured specimen, you can call the emergency number: 112. Do not pick flowers or plants.
- Do not pick up or take away stones or any other item from the natural environment. And do not move them to pile them up into sadly famous 'towers'.
- In natural spaces and at viewpoints, do not leave the trail or the spaces designated for people to be in.
- Respect and look after the area's historic and cultural heritage, along with the public furniture and items for visitors, such as information panels or telescopes and binoculars.