Visit Puerto del Rosario
Puerto del Rosario is the capital of the island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands.
Explore Puerto-del-Rosario
Puerto del Rosario is the capital of Fuerteventura and is a working fishing town and port. It has not traditionally been a tourist town though cruise ships do dock here for visits to Fuerteventura as do the inter-island ferries. The town is however undergoing something of a facelift in the hope of attracting more tourists in the future.
The sea front area in particular has been developed and improved and the two town beaches have both been enlarged. The harbour is the oldest part of the town and has narrow streets lined with typical Canaries-style buildings.
Puerto del Rosario is perhaps the best town for shopping on Fuerteventura and is expanding all the time.
Puerto-del-Rosario used to be called Puerto de Cabras, or Port of Goats, after the herds of goats that lived on the island. The name was changed in 1956 as islanders felt it opened them up to mockery, though there are still residents who would like to see the old name taken up again.
Puerto del Rosario means Port of the Rosary and the main church in the centre is dedicated to the Patron Saint, the Virgin del Rosario.
Worth a visit is the home of the poet Miguel de Unamuno which has been opened as a museum. The museum is free to visit and has been decorated as a typical Fuerteventura house of the 19th century. This is the house Miguel de Unamuno lived in for a few years when he was exiled from mainland Spain for criticizing the dictator Primo-de Rivera in the 1920s.
Puerto del Rosario has a town beach, the Playa Chica, which is a pleasant sandy beach with wooden walkways for wheelchair and pushchair access. The promenade which runs along the edge has had a lot of money spent upon it to make the beach area more attractive than it used to be.
A short distance to the south and with plenty of parking is the Playa Blanca which is a nice sandy beach and has a beach bar and showers, toilets and lifeguard.
Places to visit nearby
The attractive seaside resort of Corralejo is to the north of Puerto-del-Rosario. With beaches looking out over the island of Los Lobos and miles of protected sand dunes this is a lovely part of the island of Fuerteventura.
You can also catch a ferry to Lanzarote from Corralejo and explore the live volcanoes on the island.
To the south is the resort of Caleta de Fuste, also known as Castillo. This is one of the main resorts of Fuerteventura.
You can find more local travel ideas in the Eastern Canary Islands guide.
Map of Puerto del Rosario and places to visit
Puerto del Rosario places to visit
Corralejo
Corralejo is a tourist resort built around a fishing village and with a long stretch of sand dunes.
Corralejo guide
Playa Blanca
Playa Blanca is a small fishing village which has been expanded into a family based resort.
Playa Blanca guide
Yaiza
Yaiza has been voted the prettiest village in Spain several times though lucky to still be here as it is very close to the volcanoes at Timanfaya.
Yaiza guide
Puerto del Carmen
Puerto del Carmen is the most popular of Lanzarote's resorts. It has an attractive old town and harbour.
Puerto del Carmen guide
Timanfaya National Park
The Parque Nacional de Timanfaya in the Mountanas de Fuego or Fire Mountains are eerily beautiful. At the entrance you can take a camel ride up a volcanic slope.
Timanfaya National Park guide
Lanzarote
Lanzarote with its volcanic landscape is the most unusual of the Eastern Canary Islands.
Lanzarote guide...or see all our recommended places to visit in Eastern Canary Islands