← Maratón de Corralejo·Day trip

El Cotillo: Lagoons and Sunsets on the West Coast

A fishing village on Fuerteventura's west coast, with shallow lagoons for calm swimming, an old defensive tower and some of the island's best sunsets, by way of the craft village of Lajares.

DurationDay trip
TransitCar, about 25 minutes from Corralejo via Lajares; local bus also runs
DepartsCorralejo

After the Maratón de Corralejo: El Cotillo

The Route: Corralejo → Lajares → El Cotillo → Corralejo Logistics: Hire car or local bus via Lajares, about 25 minutes. Flat walking around the lagoons. Marathon Month: December Duration: Day trip

Corralejo ──(about 15 mins)──> Lajares ──(about 10 mins)──> El Cotillo ──(about 25 mins)──> Corralejo

The Maratón de Corralejo is run along the island's north-east coast. The west coast, 20 km away, is a different Fuerteventura: fewer hotels, rougher sea and a village that still fishes.

December on the west coast is mild and often sunny, with afternoons comfortably warm, but the Atlantic here brings big winter swells to the open beaches. The lagoons north of the village are sheltered from them. Sunset comes early in December, which suits a day that ends with dinner by the harbour.

By car the drive takes about 25 minutes through Lajares. Local Tiadhe buses also connect Corralejo with Lajares and El Cotillo; check times at tiadhe.com, as services are not frequent.

Lajares

Lajares, on the way, is a small inland village known for its craft shops, cafés and surfers. It is a short, flat stop for a coffee. Nearby, the Calderón Hondo volcano has a hiking path to its crater rim, loose underfoot and uphill; save it for later in the week.

The lagoons

North of El Cotillo, a series of shallow lagoons, Los Lagos, lies between low rocks and white sand. The water is calm and clear, good for wading or a gentle swim on post-marathon legs, and the walk along the shore is flat. Families come here when the open beaches are too rough.

The village and the tower

El Cotillo's old harbour has a handful of fish restaurants on the rocks above the water. South of the village, the Torre del Tostón, a small eighteenth-century defensive tower, stands on the clifftop above the long beach. It is a short, level walk from the village and one of the best places on the island to watch the sun go down.

Lunch and the return

Eat grilled fish of the day, papas arrugadas with mojo and local goat's cheese at one of the harbour restaurants. The drive back to Corralejo takes about 25 minutes; if returning by bus, check the last service before sunset.