One of the most frequented tourist towns in Fuerteventura is Caleta de Fuste, also known as Costa Caleta. Along its dreamy coastline is Playa del Castillo, a popular holiday destination that is especially sought-after by British and German vacationers. Abounding in exciting leisure activities and facilities, this buzzing beach is a superb choice for anyone whose sights are set on sea, sun, and fun. Here’s a list of fun things to do on this 660-meter long stretch of fine golden sand and its surrounding area, as well as other important information that can help with your travel plans.
Why Visit Playa del Castillo
Playa del Castillo, also popularly called Caleta de Fuste beach or El Castillo beach, is a holiday destination particularly favored by families. While named after a historical attraction nearby, it is a modern, well-equipped oceanfront utopia designed to cater to vacationers of all ages. Enveloping this pristine bay are commercial and leisure establishments, amenities, and sports tourism facilities that are sure to keep visitors engaged. If tourists are not frolicking in the waters or on the sand, they’ll be relaxing and having fun in these recreational features, most of which have breathtaking sea views.
A Beach for the Entire Family
Playa del Castillo is a horseshoe-shaped bay sheltered from any currents or waves. Its calm, shallow waters are safe and enjoyable for kids and inexperienced swimmers. There are lifeguards on-site as well to keep an eye on bathers, so the little ones can safely splash around and make sandcastles as parents relax under the sun. Forgot your beach towel? Don’t worry. There are plenty of sunbeds and parasols for hire here.
Moreover, Playa de Castillo has a designated area for sand sports, such as volleyball and football. Various water sports, like kiteboarding, scuba diving, and windsurfing, are also available in the marina (more info about this later). A true all-rounder, you can even traverse the beach on the back of a camel for a more exotic experience.
Slightly farther from the shore, quite close to the promenade, you will also find a playground, a calisthenics park, and a small bar for drinks, snacks, and great views. Apart from these features, Playa de Castillo is handicap-accessible. There are ramps and paths across the sand, as well as mobility scooters for hire, disabled-friendly toilets, and special water wheelchairs at the lifeguard tower. In addition, visitors need not leave the beach as the sanitary facilities and showers are right on the sandy stretch.
Castillo de San Buenaventura
Castillo de Caleta de Fuste (Caleta de Fuste castle) or San Buenaventura castle is the symbol of the tourist town. No matter how fleeting your visit may be, seeing this 18th-century fortification should be on your must-do list. The tower is a historic-artistic monument in 1949 that gives a glimpse of the area’s pre-resort past. It also demonstrates how the coastal community’s development carefully incorporates the old to the new. Setting aside its historical significance, the structure is one of the best spots for taking pictures and admiring spectacular sunsets.
Built to defend the Caleta from pirate raids, Claudio de L’Isle, a military engineer, built the watchtower under the command of Andrés Bonito y Pignatelli, the Canary islands’ commanding general at the time. The circular building is accessible through a staircase and drawbridge and is supported by a central pillar. Its rooftop houses a cistern for storing water and can hold up to five artillery pieces.
Puerto Castillo
On one end of the crisp golden sand of Playa del Castillo is Puerto Castillo. It’s adjacent to the Barcelo Castillo Beach Resort, which incorporates a 17th-century lighthouse to its modern facilities, giving a traditional charm to its exterior design. The marina offers 110 berths for boats and yachts with a maximum length of 16 meters and a draft of 4 meters. Should the vessels need maintenance work, it is also equipped with a dry dock, crane, and travel it.
Around Puerto Castillo are all kinds of activities. You can rent jet skis, kayaks or pedal boats, go on catamaran or submarine excursions, swim with sea lions, and take windsurfing, kitesurfing, standup paddleboarding or diving classes. In addition, there’s an inflatable waterpark for both kids and adults.
Dining Options
Washed over by the Atlantic Ocean, the local cuisine offered in Playa del Castillo is mainly based on seafood. Fish, shrimp, and octopus are prominent features on Canarian menus, served alongside papas arrugadas or “wrinkly potatoes” with mojo sauce. Varieties of tapas are commonly included as well to stimulate the appetite or satisfy a moderate hunger. The gastronomy scene is also quite global, allowing the palate to travel around the world with international dishes.
The entire Caleta de Fuste is also speckled with plenty of fantastic dining options. Because the area is relatively small, everything is a few minutes away by car or on foot from Playa del Castillo. You get to discover unforgettable places, often with an outdoor terrace so guests can enjoy delicious food while admiring views. When you prefer to stay as close as possible to the beach, you can choose from restaurants and cafes lined along its promenade.
Bollywood Spices
Bollywood Spices is not in the immediate vicinity of Playa del Castillo, but being the best amongst the hundreds of restaurants in Caleta de Fuste certainly gets you a spot on this list. It’s only a quick 3-minute drive from the beach and an absolute must-try when in this coastal town.
A busy place even on a weekday, Bollywood Spices brings the food of India to Fuerteventura. The dishes are spiced and stimulating to the senses, as aromatic and flavorful as what you’d find in the streets of Delhi. All the favorites from Indian cuisine are here, always made fresh, a good value for money, and taste wickedly authentic.
Make sure to start with poppadoms with the pickle tray, the flatbread light as air, crispy, and chewy in some places. For mains, the curries, served in heated pots, are superb, but the tikka masala with its creamy, strikingly orange sauce and bold flavors is the one you’ll keep thinking about. Their perfectly spiced, “chef’s specialty” butter chicken comes in a close second. End the meal with a mango kulfi, an excellent palate cleanser. It’s ultra-dense, creamy, and, best of all, it pairs well with Irish coffee.
Ascension
Another lovely place that’s a few minutes away from Playa del Castillo, Ascension is where you go when you want to explore phenomenal food from around the globe while in Caleta de Fuste. They have a small menu of classic favorites with a creative touch, so navigating through global cuisines is stress-free but still exciting.
The star dishes in the menu include Moroccan lamb fillet, beef Wellington (available by pre-order only), stuffed turkey breast wrapped in bacon, beef tornadoes, and baked cod with lemongrass alongside less opulent crowd-pleaser like nachos with bean salad. Often served with fresh veggies and dauphinoise potatoes, these delicious offerings give tiny bits of surprises to your taste buds. They are an excellent value for money, Not cheap, but worth it. If you can still squeeze in dessert, their Mississippi mud pie and cheesecake bring a fantastic finale to a ridiculously great meal.
La Frasquita
La Frasquita is Playa del Castillo’s next-door neighbor. Despite its small size and unassuming exterior, this beachside restaurant is an absolute gem for palate-expanding Canarian seafood dishes. A waiter brings out a plain laminated menu and a tray full of “catch of the day” options to your table for you to choose, and they cook whatever you select. It’s as straightforward and unpretentious as that.
The Paella Wednesday night of La Frasquita is known throughout the town and is a major cause of heartbreak for customers who can’t stay for this once-a-week promotion. Apart from this rice dish, which is spectacular on many levels, the queso frito with marmalade, baby squid, grilled octopus, grilled fish, and garlic chili prawn are heavenly as well. Take it from the crowd of locals that fill the entire place on Sundays.
How to Reach Playa del Castillo
Playa del Castillo is connected to the rest of Fuerteventura via FV-2 road. By car, it is only 10 minutes away from the airport and 15 minutes from Puerto del Rosario, the island’s capital. The beach is also accessible by public transport but only from the latter via bus line 03.
Family Holiday in Playa del Castillo
Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and a commercial strip on the other, Playa del Castillo is a beautiful blend of nature and modern development. It’s an ideal destination for families looking to have a fun and comfortable quality time together, whether it’s spent in the waters, by the promenade, or in a glass-bottom boat admiring the Fuerteventura marine life.
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