Property for Sale in Betancuria, Fuerteventura

Leaving Calete de Fuste and heading south (FV2) the road strays away from the coast slightly inward and we then turn right, heading north again (FV50), toward the municipality of Antigua and the town of Betancuria.

The sleepy village of Antigua is in the very centre of the island and the two major attractions here are the church (Virgen de la Antigua) dating from 1785 and a cultural centre (Centro de Artesanía Molino de Antigua) housing exhibits of mill houses and a museum and workshop of local handcrafts.

For a short time Antigua was regarded as the capital of Fuerteventura, but Betancuria held this prestigious honour for a much longer period. Founded in 1405, (by Jean de Bethencourt who conquered Fuerteventura some three years earlier) the town only lost it’s status when locals started to move away from it due to the lack of arable land, brought on when many of the natural streams dried out. Betancuria was chosen as the capital because of its position in the centre of the island; it was thought to be safer from raiding pirates. However in 1593 the pirate Jaban raised the town to the ground. This included the church constructed in 1410, Santa Maria which had been consecrated as a cathedral in 1426, but which was not rebuilt until 1691, nearly 100 years after the raid. Betancuria remained the capital until 1834 when the administration was handed over to La Oliva and later Puerto del Rosario.

On the main street today you can visit the archaeological museum (Casa Museo Arquebiologico) which is now home to a fascinating collection of archaeological discoveries from the area including fertility idols and farming implements from different eras. Beside the museum is the Centro Insular de Artesania, which documents the local traditional arts and crafts on the island, demonstrations of which can be viewed nearby at the Casa Santa Maria farm dating back to the 16th century.

On the edge of town, you will see (or smell!) the goat farm, which also has a cheese dairy. Here you can take a tour around the farm, taste the products and find out exactly how they make the cheese.

Despite the lack of suitable farming land, Betancuria remains a lush green oasis tucked away in the mountains of Fuerteventura and the villas in this wonderful setting afford their owners some of the most picturesque views to be seen anywhere. For further information on properties available in Betancuria and the surrounding villages, click here.