The mystery of Villa Winter
Villa Winter is surrounded by mysterious stories, partly fuelled by its very remote location. Villa Winter was built in 1937 by the 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.
There is evidence that Fuerteventura was a base for German submarines during the Second World War. There are even rumours that two complete submarines must still be in the secret German base.
There was also a plastic surgery clinic where Nazi criminals could change their appearance.
And then there was the small airport on the coast, which was frequently used at night towards the end of the war.
Gustav Winter, and his family, always maintained that Villa Winter was an ‘ordinary farmhouse’ where he wanted to retire with his family. But Gustav was a man of considerable importance in wartime Germany – at a time when his country needed him most, would he really hide away in a fortress on a remote island with the proximity of the sea and an airport runway? Would he really hide in a fortress with solid walls, spacious cellars and a kitchen big enough to feed a small army?
Location & surroundings Villa Winter
Villa Winter is located near the small village of Cofete, in the far south-west of Fuerteventura. The villa is located on a territory that has the exact shape of the island of Fuerteventura itself. And the position of the villa within this territory corresponds geographically to its true position on the island … a mirror of a mirror …
On the east side, the villa is surrounded by a steep ridge, with the Pico de la Zarza (807 m) as its highest point. To the west of the villa lies one of the most beautiful beaches in Fuerteventura, Playa de Cofete.
How to get to Villa Winter?
Villa Winter is very secluded in the southwest of Fuerteventura, near the small village of Cofete. You can reach the villa in different ways:
By car
If you have a (rented) car, then head from the old port of Morro Jable towards Cofete. This is an approx. 15 km long unpaved road, so take your time. In Cofete you will see the villa in front of you, and you drive straight on for about 1,5 km.
By bus
A few times a day there is a bus from Morro Jable to Cofete. Sometimes this goes via the small village of Puertito de la Cruz in the extreme south-west, so allow enough time for this. In Cofete you can see the villa in front of you, and you can walk the last 1.5 km.
Hiking
For the more active, there is the possibility of walking to Villa Winter. You start just north-west of Morro Jable, at the Gran Valle car park and walk north over the ridge from there. At the top you have a spectacular view of the west coast, Cofete and Villa Winter. On the way down, keep to the right and take a small path towards the villa.
The total walking time is approx. 2:00-2:30 hrs.
This is highly recommended for the hiking enthusiast.
Unique excursion to Villa Winter?
The Dutchman Hans is one of the very few who are allowed to conduct private excursions in Villa Winter. He shows you both the ground floor, the mysterious underground cellars and the outdoor areas. But also the ‘secret passage’ that he discovered together with the current occupant!
Hans can tell you the history and ‘suspicious’ features of Villa Winter in all its colours and smells, based on the facts that are there and the rumours that are still alive.
Interested in a comprehensive tour of Hans?
