Day 5: The Heart of the Island

After breakfast, we set off again right away. Today we wanted to explore the center of the island.

Our first stop was the Museo del Queso Majorero, a cheese museum located on a spacious estate in a beautifully restored finca.

Here you can learn everything there is to know about cheese production. You’ll get to know different breeds of goats—I had no idea there were so many—and you can even try your hand at milking a plastic cow.

You’ll also find out which types of cheese are produced on Fuerteventura and how they differ. Alongside information panels, there are also various models on display.

One section is dedicated to the island’s flora and fauna. Modern touchscreens and video clips enhance the interactive experience.

There’s even an old general store you can visit, as well as clay pots that were once used in cheese production.

The grounds also feature a windmill that you can explore inside and climb to the top of. From there, you have a lovely view over the whole estate.

The museum also includes a cactus garden—some of the plants are several meters tall. The variety of shapes is impressive. We nearly disappeared between these giants.

There’s a small restaurant on-site where you can sample different types of cheese—a must for cheese lovers.

Next, we drove to Puertito de los Molinos on the island’s west coast. This small, romantic fishing village consists of only a few houses.

It’s surrounded by rugged cliffs where the waves of the churning sea crash dramatically.

From here, you can hike along the impressive coastline, with repeated views of the jagged cliffs.

Our next stop was the former island capital, Betancuria.

This village in the island’s interior is considered the most beautiful on Fuerteventura. I had already been here during my first visit in the late 1990s and fell in love with the romantic village back then. This time, I have to admit, I was rather disappointed.

Yes, Betancuria is beautiful. Unfortunately, that beauty is now heavily commercialized.

There’s nothing truly authentic left here. All the buildings have been lovingly restored, the most beautiful flowers bloom along the paths, and the cobbled streets give the place a particularly romantic flair.

But the downside is that the village is now overrun with tourists.

Locals can only be found in the service sector.

Countless often quite upscale restaurants are well frequented, despite their size.

You constantly have the feeling that there are simply too many people, and that it’s not doing the village any good. The peacefulness is gone, and that’s a real shame.

But as I said, Betancuria is beautiful—and if you’re aware that you won’t find any trace of Spanish everyday life here, you’ll probably still be enchanted by the picturesque village.

I especially liked the small square with the fountain. The white church with its charming inner courtyard also exudes a peaceful, contemplative atmosphere. And in the many souvenir shops, you’ll find just about everything your heart desires.

Today, Betancuria is best regarded as a kind of museum village. It gives a good impression of what life was once like in this traditionally agricultural region.

We strolled through the village’s narrow alleys for quite a while. Unfortunately, it then started to pour, so we dashed back to the car and continued on to the Barranco de las Peñitas viewpoint. From there, you have an impressive view of several peaks in the area. Unfortunately, dark clouds still hung in the sky.

Not far from there, we reached another viewpoint—the Mirador del Risco de las Peñas. By then, the weather had improved, so we had a much better view here.

A short time later, we reached Pájara. The village lies about 10 km from the coast, in a valley surrounded by mountains.

Unlike Betancuria, everything here felt real and authentic again. The typical Canarian architecture is enchanting.

Charming stone houses and whitewashed buildings define the village’s character. Shady trees offer a great place to take a break.

Fragrant plants in every imaginable colour round out the picture. The romantic parish church is especially worth seeing.

We first wandered through the village’s cobbled alleys and enjoyed the tranquility. Later, we ordered café con leche at a cozy little bar. We took another short break in the park and soaked in the beautiful surroundings.

By now, it was already getting late again, and time to return to the hotel.

After freshening up, we were quite hungry. Dinner, as always, was a dream. We ended the evening at the hotel bar, where there was live music that night.