10 Best Things to Do in Corralejo

The best way to experience Corralejo Natural Park's great desert-like sand dunes is by buggy. Not only does it provide an exciting sightseeing tour with wind-in-hair moments, guided buggy tours can also provide you with insights into the volcanic landscapes surrounding the area, as well as nature and wildlife. Note that the natural park is home to cute chipmunks that occasionally come out to check out if you’ve brought any nuts with you. Most of the dune buggy tour operators are based in downtown Corralejo. Bring sunglasses and scarves for the ride because the sand gets everywhere. 

This small, palm-lined town square is at the heart of Corralejo, from where you can explore the mini side streets that connect to it. This tiled square with a large star motif at its centre is bright and sunny in the summer. There are only a few shops and cafes around its immediate border, but you can find plenty more, including tapas bars and a variety of restaurants just down the street connecting to the smaller Music Square. A short walk east leads you straight down to the sandy coast of Playa Corralejo. 

Part of the striking Corralejo Natural Park, Playa Grande offers beautiful natural sceneries with the ever-changing, desert-like sand dune landscapes bordering the vast blue North Atlantic. By day, different sections of the long beach offer different features – some with lifeguards on duty, bars and sun loungers for rent. Kids will love running up and down the dunes, playing in their massive 'sandbox'. You can sunbathe, swim, or simply relax and enjoy the view with little to no crowds. Most of the coastal stretch is good for families, but note that some sections are clothing-optional. 

Around 10 minutes’ drive south of downtown Corralejo, the pristine and often uncrowded coast of El Burro (Glass Beach) offers you a small slice of paradise among the vast sand dunes of the Corralejo Natural Park. This 300-metre-stretch of white sand is one of the go-to spots for surfing. It’s particularly popular for kitesurfing, thanks to the steady winds from the North Atlantic. Glass Beach even plays regular host to the international Fuerteventura Kite Festival, which takes place in November each year. 

There’s a buzzing craft market held every Thursday or Sunday in the middle of the small courtyard of El Campanario shopping centre in downtown Corralejo. On other days, the shopping ambiance here is low-key. Even if you’re not looking for handicrafts, fashion items or souvenirs, you can enjoy a good sightseeing walk through the colonnaded walkways and around the fountain, with plenty of spots to sit and relax over coffee. Find the bell tower that you can climb up to for spectacular views over the complex and the whole town.

As Corralejo’s main water park, Acua Water Park offers splashing fun apart from the beach. It has a collection of over a dozen slides and rides, each suiting different ages and thrill levels. Among them are the Splash Race Track, a wave pool, and a wide slide that a whole family can slide down together on. There are also a fast and lazy river, and 2 sets of tall and straight slides can help satisfy your need for speed, reaching up to 30 km/h. 

This idyllic island is a great day trip out from Corralejo. You can enjoy a return boat ride from the harbour for around €15. It takes around 15 minutes to reach Isla de Lobos, and the ride over the blue Atlantic waters itself can be spectacular. There’s a lovely cove with a wide sandy beach on the island’s southern coast. Overland, the tranquil volcanic island features exotic, lunar-like terrain. Some glass-bottomed boats offer snorkelling tours off its waters with excellent visibility. 

Fuerteventura locals are known for their goat farming heritage, and you can expect authentic traditional delicacies using goat meat to be a top offering at restaurants and tapas bars. One to try is the richly marinated goat stew known as guiso de cabra. There are plenty of spots in Corralejo where you can try out the stew alongside other varieties of Canarian dishes. Right off Plaza Patricio Calero in downtown, there’s Pincha Cabra on Calle la Milagrosa, which serves its stew in a hot pan.

Head down to this bistro in downtown Corralejo for a well-varied selection of tasty tapas. It may be small but the ambiance is somewhat refined. If you’re unsure what to go for, they have tasting menus for around €20. You can select ingredients from either the sea, land, or a set featuring typical Canarian delights. Tastings with wine pairings are also available, with different wines accompanying the set of five generously portioned tapas on a large tray. Vegetarian and vegan tapas are also available. 

You can find most of Corralejo’s bar scene around the town’s northern seaside, south of the Puerto de Corralejo marina. They come in an eclectic mix, ranging from wine bars to cool spots overlooking the beach, and there’s a good variety of street-side Irish pubs offering cold beers closer to the centre of town. The beach street of Calle de Lobos is a good bet, lined with Latin bistros and even an Indonesian surf-themed bar with a large terrace overlooking the pier.