Playa de la Barreta

Playa de la Barreta is one of the named coves at the northern end of Grandes Playas, the long run of beach and protected dune that stretches south from Corralejo. Unlike the wilder dune coast further along — covered in our Grandes Playas guide — this stretch is fronted by Corralejo's beachfront resort hotels, giving it a narrower, more sheltered, more developed feel: sunloungers and parasols for hire and wooden walkways over the hot sand.

The beach itself is a modest 450 metres of golden sand with a scattering of pebbles. Bands of black volcanic rock line the water's edge in places, so pack a pair of beach shoes if you're planning to swim — a small price for water this clear.

From the sand, or a stroll along the low rocky point at the beach's edge, there are wide views north across El Río — the narrow strait separating Fuerteventura from Isla de Lobos — towards Corralejo's harbour and, on a clear day, Lanzarote beyond it. It's a quieter vantage point than the harbourfront itself, without the ferry traffic passing right in front of you.

The beach is an easy, short walk from Corralejo's town centre — follow the coastal path south from the harbour, or drive the FV-1 towards the Grandes Playas hotel zone and park near the Gran Hotel Bahía Real. It's inside the Parque Natural de las Dunas de Corralejo, protected since 1994, so the emptier dune coast of Grandes Playas continues immediately to the south if you want to keep walking beyond the hotels.