Culture Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura has plenty to offer in terms of cultural history. How about the oldest village in the entire Canary Islands? A beautiful archaeological museum of no less than 3 floors? A mysterious Villa Winter? And much more.
Fuerteventura, cultural-historical enjoyment on a unique island
Do you want to discover the beautiful cultural-historical heritage of Fuerteventura? That is possible from our villa, both by bike and by car. The different interesting sites are often not far away from us.
Betancuria
Did you know that the oldest village in the Canary Islands is on Fuerteventura? “Betancuria” was founded in 1402 by Jean de Bethencourt, in the centre of Fuerteventura, far from the coast and hidden between the mountains because of the many pirate attacks. It is a picturesque little village with beautiful old buildings and a church, cosy Spanish restaurants and nice little souvenir shops. The green oasis in and around the village consisting of plants and many palm trees completes the whole picture.
Just outside the centre you can visit the ruins of a monastery.
In addition, there is a magnificent archaeological museum of no less than 3 floors!
As a cultural-historical enthusiast, you can spend a whole day here in Betancuria.
Two kings
From our villa you can reach Betancuria in less than 30 minutes by car over a beautiful mountain route with nice villages and magnificent views of the west and north (east) coast. You also pass the 2 ‘giants’, a statue in honour of 2 kings, one of which once ruled the north and the other the south.
The magnificent round trip from Villa Vital, via the town of Pajara, to Betancuria and then via Antigua back again (total approx. 50 kilometres) you can also do on the (racing) bike or (E)touring bike, provided that you have a good cycling condition.
Life of the (original) inhabitants
La Atalayita
Would you like to go on a journey of discovery to discover the first inhabitants of Fuerteventura? The La Atalayita open-air museum features cave dwellings in a vast lava field. Here you’ll also find an interesting information centre.
La Atalayita is just a 10-minute drive from Villa Vital Fuerteventura.
La Alcogida
The open-air museum La Alcogida is dedicated to the later inhabitants (majoreras) of Fuerteventura. You’ll find about ten houses from the majorero-time and from different people: farmer, doctor, lawyer, etc.
You’ll find La Alcogida at about 20 – 25 minutes driving from Villa Vital Fuerteventura.
Interesting musea
Fuerteventura has several interesting museums, such as the salt, cheese and mill museum. You’ll pay a few euros for each entrance. If you buy one ticket for all three, you’ll get a discount.
Salt museum (Museo de la Sal)
The Salt Museum is located in the small town of Salinas del Carmen (2 km from Caleta de Fuste). Here you can see the role salt had (and has) in the history of the island of Fuerteventura. In the past, freshly caught fish was preserved with the salt that was extracted here. Nowadays, the salt flats of Salinas del Carmen have a cultural-historical value. You can see in photographs the ways in which salt is extracted all over the world. On film you can see how the process of salt mining takes place on Fuerteventura. You can also see how salt is used in food, but also industrially.
Mill museum (Museo de los Molinos)
In the Mill Museum in Tiscamanita (5 km from Villa Vital) you can see an old mill from the inside. The museum also shows the preparation of the famous gofio. Gofio is a flour-like powder that served as a basic food for the original inhabitants of the Canary Islands (the Guances); they stirred it into goat’s milk or broth.
Cheese museum (Museo del Queso Majorero)
In the cheese museum in Antigua (5 km from Villa Vital) you can see an old mill from the inside. The museum also shows how the famous majorero cheese was and is produced.
There is also a small shop where you can buy different kinds of cheese, local liquor and handicrafts. You can also visit the shop without having to pay an entrance fee.
Villa Winter, a mystery from the war?
Villa Winter is located near the small village of Cofete, in the far south-west of Fuerteventura. The villa is surrounded by mysterious stories, partly fuelled by its very remote location.
Villa Winter was built in 1937 by German engineer and Colonel Gustav Winter, Nazi spy and confidant of Adolf Hitler. The strategic location of the villa is associated with the fact that it was used for secret military operations and as a supply station for German submarines. A beachfront cemetery near the villa also leads to speculation in this regard.
Looking for a centrally located B&B on Fuerteventura?
Are you looking for a very centrally situated B&B from where you can reach the above cultural hotspots within one hour? B&B Villa Vital Fuerteventura is the ideal location for this. We are happy to help you with the information you need to get your money’s worth as a culture addict.
