I promised a roadtrip post about Fuerteventura a while ago so here’s part 1 of 3. Sorry for the delay: I’ve been playing way too much tennis lately and lagging behind on the driving front!
I'm prepping 3 different routes and you will be able to easily mix and match all the drives (and plan your water sports experiences around it). I’ll give you hints where to get the best Instagram-worthy views and what to eat along the way. I’m based up north in Corralejo, roughly half an hour from the airport, so all the spins will start and finish there.
Before you head off, Fuerteventura means ‘strong wind’ so layer up. From a T-shirt, shorts and cap for the day (don’t forget sunscreen), and throw a hoodie and some joggers on the back seat.
For the roadtrips I recommend a ‘hair-dryer’ convertible as you’ve got the perfect not-too-hot sunny conditions here. Unless you need to pack a couple of surfboards and other gear then obviously a bigger car (possibly a 4x4) will come in handy.
So here’s route 1:
Corralejo to El Cotillo via Lajares + the North Shore Road for a scenic off-road trip
First things first, the so called North Shore Road isn’t a readily available route on Google maps. It’s simply a dirt track road that goes from Corralejo, along the coast, all the way through Majanicho towards El Cotillo.
I’ve done it in all sorts of hire cars, but if you don’t feel comfortable on potholes and stones, take a four wheel drive, or simply stick to the main roads. In red I've more or less highlighted the off road bit I recommend for this trip.
To make it easy, start on tarmac: head west from Corralejo towards Lajares (it’s about 5min on the motorway and then another 5min on the local roads). Lajares is a popular base for surfers accessing the best northern surfing spots. Meanwhile, I like this place for this unassuming, but super cool bakery El Goloso where I usually take a freshly made juice (they allow you to pick and choose from a choice of fruits & veggies) and mix it with something from the calorie dence department. Watch out for the queues at the weekends!
After that, you’ve two options.
Option 1: continue straight to El Cotillo which is a sweet little fishing town. It’s great for a romantic stroll, quaint little streets with white washed houses with blue windows, and there’s a couple of beaches nearby for afternoon sun bathing.
Should you get hungry again, I like the cute café and bar Pitaya or there’s a cool fish restaurant with a view Vaca Azul . Recommend booking a table for the evening or at the weekend as it gets quite busy. It's the one with the blue umbrellas in the photo. right in the centre of the town.
You can then do the North Shore Road on the way back (just don’t do it late at night as it’s completely unlit and unmarked plus you’ll miss out on the epic views, so latest hit the road at 6 or 7pm to make the most of that drive and the sunset)
As I'm hungry most of the time, I recommend grabbing a take away pizza or some basic snacks from the supermarket (take a beer for the passenger ha!) if you fancy a nice sunset picnic ;-)
Option 2: I tend to head down to the North Shore Road straight from Lajares. There’s a right turn towards Majanicho on the first roundabout as you approach Lajares. First you’ll enjoy a beautiful long stretch of tarmac road (it feels like an airport runway), followed by that winding dirt track which goes all the way to El Cotillo (just be sure to turn left in Majanicho)
It's is one of my fave places to drive along on the island with some fantastic bends to test out the hire cars. I love the stunning ocean views and as a bonus, you'll pass handsome surfers and kiters along the way.
The North Shore Road takes about 20 to 30min to drive altogether - depends on the speed and how often you stop to take photos - and the Corralejo to El Cotillo route is an ideal one day road trip to explore the northern part of the island. Enjoy!
Two more driving routes coming up for you this month: south of the island and also the raw and much less touristy west.
Comments