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Cruises to Fuerteventura

17 Reviews
Fuerteventura (Photo:JackCo/Shutterstock)

About Fuerteventura

The island of Fuerteventura is the second largest of Spain's Canary Islands -- 665 square meters -- and is the closest to the coast of Africa, with Morocco just 65 miles away. Around 100,000 people call Fuerteventura home, yet the goat population exceeds the number of humans. The islanders say Fuerteventura has the best climate of the Canary Islands making it a great stop to include on your cruise to Spain. It certainly does not rain much, and the island has no permanent rivers, although dry riverbeds suggest that the skies open at least occasionally. The island is mountainous but offers good beaches and it's heaven for windsurfers, thanks to strong and steady winds on the south coast.

Tourism is the biggest industry on the island, and Fuerteventura has been a destination for package holidays since 1968. Today, the principal resorts are in the south and the north, while Puerto de Rosario, the small capital and the place where your ship docks, is located on the northwest coast.

Puerto del Rosario was known as Puerto de Cabras (port of goats) until 1956, when it adopted its current and more pleasant name, port of the rosary. The town has two notable sites, the home of the exiled poet Miguel de Unamuno, which is now a museum. The other is the culture center (Casa de la Cultura), where exhibitions, plays and concerts are held. However, planners recognize the need to develop the town to make it more attractive to visitors, and there are plans to build a municipal park and a quarter to serve the tourist industry.

Although tourism started in Fuerteventura quite late, there were many earlier visitors. These included the guanches, a people who came from Africa and who were the first humans to inhabit the island. In 1352, missionaries from Catalonia landed on the island, but they left after only a few years. In 1402, the Norman knight Jean de Bethencourt landed there under the sponsorship of the king of Castile. His force of 63 quickly conquered most of the island, although the mountainous interior took a little bit more work to bring under Bethencourt's control. Unlike in the cases of many islands conquered by Europeans, other powers showed little interest in Fuerteventura, and it has always remained under Castilian and, following the reconquista of 1492, Spanish rule.

Puerto del Rosario, the main town, has little to offer and so it pays off to explore rather than stay in the town. You can get a good glimpse of this island in just a day along scenic drives through its mountainous inner regions, where there are few signs of human activity. Expect to find great sand dunes, swimming and other outdoor activities.

  • More about Fuerteventura

  • Why go to Fuerteventura?

  • Fuerteventura Cruise Port Facilities?

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Celebrity Infinity
Celebrity Infinity (Photo: Celebrity)

11 Night
11 Nt Canaries, Morocco, Spain

1,607 Reviews
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Celebrity Infinity
Celebrity Infinity (Photo: Celebrity)

12 Night
Canaries, Morocco & Spain

1,607 Reviews
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Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria (Photo: Cunard Cruise Line)

15 Night
Europe - Western Cruise

560 Reviews
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Le Dumont d'Urville
Le Dumont d'Urville (Photo: Ponant)

7 Night
Transatlantic Cruise

9 Reviews
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9 Night
Mediterranean - Western Cruise

42 Reviews
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Cruise Critic Favorite

9 Night
Mediterranean - Western Cruise

54 Reviews
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Cruise Critic Favorite

9 Night
Mediterranean - Western Cruise

42 Reviews
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14 Night
Europe - Western Cruise

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12 Night
Europe - Western Cruise

560 Reviews
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18 Night
Europe - Western Cruise

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17 Night
Europe - Western Cruise

560 Reviews
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More about Fuerteventura

Why go to Fuerteventura?

Pros:

Fuerteventura is a scenic island with lots of outdoor activities and historic sights to explore

Cons:

There's not a lot to do in the main town, so you should plan to venture out a bit

Bottom Line:

From beaches and tiny villages to art galleries and shops, there's a lot to choose from in Fuerteventura

Fuerteventura Cruise Port Facilities?

The town center surrounds the pier, so it is a very short walk to shops, cafes and banks.

Getting Around?

By Bus: There town has regular bus service. A 30-minute ride to the resort of Corralejo in the north (bus No. 6) will cost you 3.10 euros. The bus arrives once an hour.

By Taxi: Taxis are found on the quayside. Agree to a fare with the driver before venturing far outside town.

By Bicycle: You can hire a bicycle at FuerteBike, bookable through most hotel reception desks on the island. (629 362 795)

By Car: You can rent a car from local companies Cicar (928 86 05 77),

Avia Car (928 54 09 29) and Pepecar (902 99 66 66).

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

The euro is the currency. Several ATMs are located in Puerto del Rosario and at resorts. For updated currency-conversion figures, visit www.oanda.com or www.xe.com. Banks are open from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., but travel agencies and most hotels also have currency-exchange facilities. Credit cards are widely accepted. When paying by credit card, you may be asked to show your passport.

Language?

The island is part of Spain, and the locals speak Spanish, but many people in the tourist industry speak English, as well.

Where You're Docked?

Your ship docks in Puerto del Rosario, the capital of the island that has around 40,000 inhabitants. The harbor is the oldest part of town and is predominantly an industrial area. A new cruise ship pier was constructed features a rebuilt promenade with cafes and a tourist information center. Work is underway to construct a new marina, as of 2014.


Fuerteventura Cruise Reviews
Did transfer to corelejo - loved the kontiki bar on the beachRead More
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db51
A very dry island but the sunniest of the Canary islands. An excursion brings you to some interesting points. We had a wonderful guide, a Belgium native who lives on the island for a long time. Read More
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cruiserzoetermeer60
Quite interesting.Read More
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jdohants
Recommend going on a organised trip.Read More
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Eurolord

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