Puerto del Rosario is a city and municipality in Spain and is part of the province of Las Palmas within the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands. It is located on the island of Fuerteventura. It covers an area of 289.95 km². It is the largest city on Fuerteventura and the island’s capital. Population: 35,702 (as of 2010). Founded in 1713. Until 16 March 1956, it was named Puerto de Cabras (Puerto de Cabras, “goat port”).
Fuerteventura is the second largest island in the Canary Archipelago after Tenerife, the island of the sun and calm. Like the surrounding islands, it has volcanic origins. It is believed that Fuerteventura is the oldest island in the Canary Archipelago, formed as a result of volcanic eruptions that occurred many thousands of years ago.
Fuerteventura gets its name from the local wind that hardly ever dies down throughout the year: in Spanish, “el viento” means wind, and “fuerte” means strong. Long ago, Fuerteventura was covered with dense forests, but the intense naval-military history of the Canary Archipelago led to active deforestation, with the timber being used to build ships of the Spanish fleet. Pirates and war fleets of medieval maritime powers were repelled, but the island is still barren today.
Unlike Tenerife or Lanzarote, some of Fuerteventura’s beaches are covered not with volcanic black sand, but with the more familiar golden sand. Fuerteventura is a favorite island for surfers from all over Europe, as well as a wonderful place for peaceful family holidays. There are no many clubs and discos on Fuerteventura, which makes it an alternative to the nearby youth and party resorts. The main resorts are Costa Calma, Morro del Jable and Playa Matorrales, located on the Jandía Peninsula, as well as Caleta del Fuste and Playa de Corralejo.
ClimateThe beach season on the island lasts all year round. The average temperature in July is +27 °C, and in January it is about +20 °C. The ocean water temperature is +20 °C all year round. A special feature of Fuerteventura is the constant wind, which makes the island’s climate much milder than the nearby African coast.
