At the start of December last year I was lucky enough to spend a couple of days getting some winter sun on the beautiful island of Fuerteventura.
For those of you who haven’t been, Fuerteventura is the second largest of Spain’s Canary Islands just off the west coast of Africa. Thanks to its stunning white-sand beaches, its dramatic landscapes, and its incredible opportunities for water sports, Fuerteventura is a popular holiday destination among Brits. With this in mind, hiring a car from a company such as StressFreeCarRental.com can allow you to travel the island and experience all that it has to offer. Whilst it’s agreeably a great place to visit during the summer months, its popularity increases during the winter as people hop on a plane for a welcome break from the cold weather. The all-year-round sun is definitely a selling point.
When is the best time to visit?
The great thing about the Canary Islands is they have sun all year round, making them the perfect destination no matter what time of year it is. In my personal opinion, I prefer to travel out of season, so the best time for me to visit Fuerteventura would be outside of the school holidays. Prices are a little cheaper, there are fewer people and it’s gorgeous weather.
How to get there
The only route to the island is to fly to Airport de Fuerteventura, which can be reached from most major UK airports.
The average flight time is around 4 hours and 15 minutes, which is definitely enough time for a Netflix binge and some *delicious* airplane food.
Where to stay
Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort – During my short stay on the island, I was lucky enough to stay at the Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort on an all-inclusive basis. With 9 incredible pools, several delicious restaurants and a beach club – it’s the perfect hotel for all the family. Located in the beautiful area of Corralejo, the hotel is near to some of the islands most stunning sights including the Corralejo Nationale Parque and the many volcanos of Fuerteventura.
Our Stay At Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort
During our stay, we stayed in the adults-only area of the resort which meant we had a massive suite to stay in our own private adults-only pool and a pool bar that served breakfast in the morning.
The Rooms
The rooms were well equipped with a huge double bed, a generously sized bathroom and the best bit of all – A WALK IN WARDROBE. I don’t even have one of those at home. Although we didn’t spend much time in our rooms, I spent most of it sat out on the balcony doing client work whilst enjoying all-inclusive pina coladas and I can honestly say, I’ve not had an office better than before.
The Food
We tried each of the restaurants during our stay, but the highlights had to be the all-inclusive Asian-fusion Rambutan and La Scala, where I had the most delicious steak dinner followed by a decadent caramel cheesecake. The breakfasts, although a little rushed due to the late nights, we’re incredible at both the main restaurant and the adults only pool bar.
To be honest, any breakfast that serves both churros and cava is a winner in my eyes.
The Facilities
The facilities at Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort were absolutely incredible, but as we had a short jam-packed visit I didn’t get a chance to try them all. I did, however, spend as much time as I could enjoying the adults only pool and pool bar, which was absolutely heavenly given I’d just come 5-degree temperatures in the UK.
Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real – As well as staying at the Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort, we were able to visit its sister hotel the Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real. Just a short five-minute walk away from where we were staying, it wasn’t long before we were enjoying the gorgeous views of the beach from the hotel lobby.
During our quick visit, we received a cocktail masterclass in Coco Bahia, a stunning restaurant and bar located at the end of a pier in the ocean. The cocktails were INCREDIBLE and the steak salad was the nicest salad I’ve ever eaten…. honestly.
After our masterclass and lunch, we spent a couple of hours in the five-star hotels’ spa. We were able to enjoy the pool, the sauna, the steam room and the other aspects of the spa circuit. After a busy few days, it was definitely needed and I could have slept in the sauna for hours if I had the time.
Booking With Alpharooms
As well as partnering with some incredible hotels in Fuerteventura, our trip was hosted by Alpharooms – an online holiday booking site with a great initiative.
I hadn’t heard of Alpharooms before the trip, but whilst there I learnt that you can book hotels and packages on their site from just a £20 deposit. Perfect for those who want to get a trip secured but want to be able to pay in instalments (ie me always).
Things to do on the North Side of The Island
1. Mehari Experience Dune Buggys – On the second day of our trip we got to go on a Mehari Experience. The tour involved visiting the Fuerteventura volcanos, the surf town of El Cotillo, the El Cotillo lighthouse and the famous Corralejo Sand Dunes – the best part? We were driven around in the most adorable little buggy.
This experience was definitely the highlight of the trip for, so much so, I have a whole blog post dedicated to the experience coming soon.
2. Visit The Volcanos – As part of our Mehari Experience tour, we went to visit one of the popular Fuerteventura volcano craters. The views on the drive up to the volcano were some of the most stunning views of the north of the island, but the best part was once we arrived.
After the *very* short walk up to the crater we were created by loads of little chipmunks. They were honestly the cutest things ever, taking nuts out of our hands as we fed them. I definitely felt like a chipmunk whisperer as we all stood around feeding the herd of them that surrounded us. I almost forgot we were standing at the edge of what used to be an active volcano…
3. Wander Around The Sand Dunes – Located just a short walk from our hotel, the sand dunes are a must-see for anyone visiting Fuerteventura. Having only seen the very disappointing sand dunes at Barmouth beach I was a little apprehensive but as soon as we arrived and started climbing to the top I knew they were on a whole other level.
The views from the top were amazing and the white sand beach was absolutely captivating. I could have stood there for hours, despite the fact the sun was setting.
4. Take A Surf Lesson At The Beach – On our third day on the island, we spent the morning learning how to surf with Surf School Fuerteventura. As a plus size traveller I was definitely worried about taking part but once my nerves subsided I had the best experience. I even got to ride one wave!
The whole experience was made 100x better (if that’s at all possible) by the post-surf cocktails we enjoyed at the hotel’s local beach club.
5. Visit A Spa – As I mentioned above we were lucky enough to spend the afternoon enjoying the spa at the Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real. It was a great end to an action-packed trip and I’d recommend it to anyone visiting the island.
6. See An Aloe Vera Plantation – Although we didn’t get a chance to do this during our trip, we did get to see lots of aloe vera plants as we were driving around. Before visiting the island I had no idea it was even grown in the Canary Islands, so I’d definitely love to learn more about this on my next visit.
Food and Drink
During our short time in Fuerteventura, we had the opportunity to try a couple of their local dishes. My favourites were:
Papas Arrugada – These little bites of heaven were small potatoes that had been cooked in sea water. The potatoes are boiled until the water is gone, meaning they’re left with an incredibly delicious salty coating. Served with tasty red and green pepper sauces, I could literally eat a 100 of these and not get bored.
Croquettas – Croquettas is a typical Spanish dish, meaning we ate a lot of them whilst in Fuerteventura. My favourites are Iberico ham and cheese.
Fried Aubergine with Honey and Cheese – (Pictured above) I’d NEVER have thought of these three things being a delicious combination but what can I say? Spanish food is my weakness.
Honey Rum – Finally we were given a shot of the most delicious Canary Island honey rum to try whilst we were in El Cotillo. Definitely, a must-try when you’re visiting the island.
Booking Your Own Winter Sun
Alpharooms (alpharooms.com / 0114 407 0241) offers seven nights in Fuerteventura from £741 per person based on two adults sharing
Staying at the four-star Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort on an all-inclusive basis, flying from London Gatwick on 21 January 2019
You could also bookAlpharooms (alpharooms.com / 0114 407 0241) offers seven nights in Fuerteventura from £641 per person based on two adults sharing
Staying at the four-star Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort on an all-inclusive basis, flying from London Gatwick on 11 February 2019
*Excluding airport transfers.
Return airport transfers with Holiday Taxis to Suite Hotel Atlantis Fuerteventura Resort in a Private Minibus (5 – 8) is £70 one way.
Having wanted to visit the Canary Islands for as long as I can remember, I can honestly say it was even better than I was expecting. Fuerteventura, I will DEFINITELY be back.
Kirsty Leanne
xoxo
