Moving to Corralejo
Matthew’s article this week concentrates on moving to Corralejo.
Moving to Corralejo: Fuerteventura’s great north seaside
Ups
You know you’re arriving in Corralejo when you look left on the motorway and see sand dunes, then look right and find the same. Where the likes of Brit hit Caleta de Fuste has an artificial beach, the playas of Corralejo are the real deal. Watersports enthusiasts will love the wind and waves here. It’s a Mecca for windsurfers.
Downs
What’s good for watersports enthusiasts isn’t always good for families. The red flag can be seen flying over Corralejo’s beaches with some frequency and the wind can be offputting for some. Parts of the resort have been overbuilt and then left seemingly discarded.
Ins and outs
The quickest route to Corralejo is from Fuerteventura airport via the FV-1. It will take you just over half an hour. There’s also a ferry service linking Corralejo with Lanzarote’s Playa Blanca.
Education
Google “schools in Corralejo” and you’ll bring up a results page of places where you can learn how to surf. There are no British schools on the island (although there was talk of one being built at Tuineje which seems to have gone quiet). But the local state schools are multicultural, with pupils of many different nationalities.
Shop until you drop…
Head to Calle La Iglesia’s Isis Boutique aka Aladdin’s Cave for vintage jewellery, ethnic clothing, and second-hand books. Cosas de Casa, in Calle Lepanto, stocks things for the house such as curtains, cushions, and sheets. Avenida Grandes Playas’ Chill & Jam Boutique sell their own womenswear creations as well as offering repairs and tailoring.
Property in Corralejo
Apartments tend to be of the furnished variety and villas grouped together in developments.
Market watch
You can get some change from €60,000 for an apartment in Corralejo. Villas can go up to over €300,000.
In Praise Of
“With a breathtaking view of Lanzarote and the Island of Lobos (Sea Wolves’ Isle) shimmering across a turquoise-blue sea from golden sandy beaches, Corralejo has evolved from a once sleepy fishing village to one of the most cosmopolitan towns on Fuerteventura. Bustling with shops, restaurants, coffee bars and surf schools, persons of all nationalities have flocked here in recent years to make this beautiful spot in the sun their new home. Located just off the coast of Africa, at only three hours’ flight from most European cities, Corralejo has the best of both worlds and is really a perfect place to live!” – Katharina Stanley (Katherina Stanley: Irish Lawyer in Fuerteventura)
- Are you an expat living in Corralejo? What do you like/dislike about it? Let us know below.
Matthew Hirtes, our resident broadsheet journalist, moved to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria back in 2004. He’s travelled extensively through Spain, covering it for such publications as Telegraph Travel, Metro, and The Independent. The author of Going Local in Gran Canaria: How To Turn a Holiday Destination into a Home, Matthew truly is a resident expert.
Matthew writes for two sections of Spain Buddy: Moving to Spain and Spanish Football as well as providing Reviews
