Four go to Fuerteventura (2026) – Day 2

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Day 2 – Tuesday 10th March

Morning all! Welcome back, and thanks for following my Blog! 👍

We’re in Fuerteventura with great mates, Paul & Sue. Last time we were all together, was in here Corralejo, back in January, 2024, and we had a great time. This year, we’ve timed the break to coincide with the annual Corralejo Carnival that runs from the 5th until the 15th March. For 2026, the headline celebrations include: the Grand Parade (Cabalgata) on Saturday, March 14th, with other major events including the Drag Queen Gala, Adult Queen Gala, and something unspeakable with sardines! 😮 

Our home for this week is at Las Marismas Hotel in Corralejo, and we’ve bagged a one-bedroom apartment each with a bed (obviously!) & breakfast for the duration of our stay. We also hired a car at the airport to give us the flexibility to explore more of the area.

5.30am: Up with the lark this morning to see if the Hotel’s internet connection had improved (preventing me from posting last night). It hadn’t! The first hour was therefore spent trying various tethering configurations using my phone and tablet. Oh joy! Just what I didn’t expect! 😡. By 6am, we were sorted, and Day 1, although late, made it to the webiverse.

8.45am: We took the short walk from 1105 to the main centre of activity – and brekky!

There was a slight chill in the air, but it was pleasant enough.

9.04am: First stop this morning was breakfast – and based on last night’s meal, expectations were high. We were earlier than planned, at just after 9, where we discovered the restaurant already very busy. Just like last night, there was plenty of choice, including a dozen different types of cereals, fresh fruit, doughnuts in various shapes and sizes (and colours!) and of course, for the Brits especially – the Full English. Featuring sausages that looked like sausages but didn’t quite taste the same (still delicious though!), fried or scrambled egg, the obligatory baked beans, fried tomatoes, but sadly, no black pudding (which I suspect got ‘lost in translation’). Toast, croissants with a wide selection of jams completed the menu together with ‘Continental’ for those wishing a lighter persuasion. Finally, fresh tea and a bean-to-cup coffee for the true lightweights! 😉

10.35am: Well, that was leisurely, taking 90 minutes for breakfast! We must be on holiday!! 😉 The only downside? It was so busy, we were limited to a table right by the entrance door that was permanently open – and we experienced the famous local ‘breeze’, first hand! 🥶

The ‘planning committee’ met and our first full day was sorted 😉🙂. On the list for today:-

• Drive to El Cotillo
• Back to the Hotel
• A wander into Town
• Have a beer (or 5!)

11.45am: We agreed to meet in Reception before taking the short walk to where we’d left the car overnight. Today was also about attempting to locate the Hotel’s free and very secure car-park when we return.

El Cotillo

“El Cotillo is a charming fishing village located on the west coast of Fuerteventura, known for its stunning beaches and laid-back atmosphere”.

So, we took the 40 minute drive to El Cortillo. Again, I took the wheel and Sue did the navigating. It was another leisurely drive on the pothole-free route, taking us about 40 minutes tocover the 20 kms.

Initially, by way of experimentation, we simply drove from one end of the town to the other, just soaking up the views. Actually there was nothing spectacular to see, but it was good to see a blue (ish) sky and the Sun attempting to break through.

We then parked the car that required all my three-point-turn seventeen-point-turn skills (not easy in the ‘tank’!), but Sue was on the ball acting as wingman and preventing an insurance claim! Cheers Sue! 👍

At this point, we had nowhere particular to visit in mind – a general ‘mooch’ – once we got into the town. It was warmer than the forecast, or it certainly felt that way. After a while, we then switched to ‘moochless mode’ with just a single place, recommended by Jo & Janet – El Goloso De Cotillo, located on the western tip of the island. It’s a coffee and cake outlet where legend has it, people queue around the block, especially for their coffee!

So, just our luck that today, of all days, their coffee machine was broken! 😕. Still, the cake went down a treat!

2.29pm: As the shop said hello to the coffee repairman (who’d just arrive), we said our goodbyes and took a final wander around the Town taking in the views.

Weatherwise, it was very warm, punctuated by the stiffest of breezes that made us feel glad (and a bit smug) that we’d brought extra clothing – observing plenty of others in shorts and tee-shirts freezing their bits off! 🥶🥶

I didn’t feel the Town had the most exciting of architectural designs, where BLUE was (maybe understandably) the predominant colour! Elsewhere, looking out to sea, the colour of the water was complemented by the whiteness of the waves crashing on the rocks. It was all dramatic stuff – an experience that inspires poets to put pen to paper or send ‘part-time’ swimmers scrambling back to the changing room! 😉

2.15pm: Last on our exploration list today was the famous Castillo de El Toston (although it seems to be known by a few names). Plenty more information HERE but in short:-

• Recognised as an artistic monument in 1949
• Built on the ruins of another around 1700
• Two floors
• Similar structures to be found in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote
• Nowadays used as an exhibition space

Just time to stare at a skinny whale adjacent to the Tower and marvel at some of the brave swimmers.

2.32pm: We’re now all ‘cultured out’ (and more than a little wind-swept!), so it was back to the car and the journey back to base.

3.20pm: Just time for a short siesta before our walk into Town later.

An Evening in Corralejo

6.00pm: We took the 25-minute walk into the main drag that included the famous ‘Music Square’. As we got closer, you could feel the buzz of the Town as more and more (and more) people filled the streets, bars and restaurants. For us, we were in search of a good meal – and that was easy-peasy in these parts! 👍

Restaurante Sotavento

6.31pm: We settled on ‘Restaurante Sotavento‘ – where we ate last time we were here. Whilst Paul & Sue chose ‘Seafood Paella’, Ann and I opted for the ‘Meat Grill’ plus a jug or two of Sangria.

Not surprisingly, the portion sizes were truly massive. In our case, enough carnivore creations to feed at least six people – maybe even eight! 😋😋

Sue and I forced then down a dessert (it would have been rude NOT to!) 😮

According to our Waiter, he made this himself – Mousso Del Golfio. I’d not heard of it before but it involved sugar, cream and lots of other banned substances. Err, ‘yes please!’. Officially it’s a traditional, creamy dessert originating from the Canary Islands, known for its unique, toasted flavour. It is made from gofio, a flour produced from toasted grains (usually wheat or millet). AllI know is that it went down a treat! 😋

8.55pm: Time to settle up and head back to the Hotel. We left Paul & Sue to wander around the Town, whilst we took a slow walk back to the Hotel. Along the way, we took a few shots of Corralejo by moonlight…

9.55pm: That had been a very enjoyable wander back to base. In spite of the busy traffic, the numerous e-scooters and the dozens (and dozens) of people around, we felt perfectly safe, and it was easy to see why so many Brits come here time and time again for their holidays. Oh, and the food prices too! We enjoyed two jugs of Sangria, four Mains and two Desserts for 120 Euros (that worked out about £26 per head!)

10.15pm: All this eating and drinking has worn us out (I know: ‘poor loves‘!! 😉). Night-night 💤💤💤💤. It’s another late, late Breakfast tomorrow! – see you Wednesday for our next instalment 👍