Two weeks in Lanzarote and Fuerteventura is one of the easiest long road trips in the Canary Islands. The islands sit close together but feel different enough to justify the combination. Lanzarote is compact, volcanic and packed with distinctive cultural landscapes; Fuerteventura is broader, emptier and dominated by beaches, wind and open horizons.
This 14-day route uses seven nights on each island with the ferry from Playa Blanca to Corralejo in the middle. It deliberately includes rest days. If you fill every day with sightseeing, you miss the main advantage of having two weeks: the ability to wait for the right weather and enjoy the beach without guilt.
Route at a glance
- Days 1–7: Lanzarote — Timanfaya, La Geria, César Manrique sites, Famara, Papagayo and La Graciosa.
- Day 8: ferry Playa Blanca to Corralejo, Fuerteventura.
- Days 9–14: Fuerteventura — Corralejo dunes, Betancuria, Sotavento, Jandía, Cofete and flexible beach time.
Where to stay on Lanzarote
Puerto del Carmen is central and convenient for restaurants and the airport. Costa Teguise is good for families and access to the north. Playa Blanca is ideal if you want a relaxed southern base and the easiest ferry transfer to Fuerteventura.
For this itinerary, a split stay can make sense: four nights in Puerto del Carmen or Costa Teguise and three in Playa Blanca. If you hate changing hotels, stay in one base and simply drive to the ferry on Day 8. See our Lanzarote guide for detailed comparisons.
Day 1: arrival in Lanzarote
Collect the rental car, check in and keep the first day simple. Walk the promenade, buy water and breakfast supplies and confirm the opening times for your most important attractions.
Lanzarote rewards early starts, so use the first evening to understand driving times rather than chasing a distant sunset.
Day 2: Timanfaya and the volcanic west
Make Timanfaya National Park the main objective, then continue through the west-coast volcanic landscape. Depending on time, include Los Hervideros, the green lagoon at El Golfo or the salt pans near Janubio.
Do not cram in every César Manrique site on the same day. The point is to experience the lava landscape, not only move between car parks.
Day 3: La Geria and Teguise
Spend the morning in La Geria, where vines are cultivated in volcanic ash behind semicircular stone walls. A winery visit gives useful context to one of Lanzarote’s most distinctive human landscapes.
Continue to Teguise for historic streets and lunch. If your visit coincides with a busy market day, arrive early or choose a quieter weekday if architecture matters more than shopping.
Day 4: north Lanzarote and César Manrique
Use the day for the northern attractions associated with César Manrique and the island’s volcanic geology. Jameos del Agua, Cueva de los Verdes and Mirador del Río can form a logical route, but you do not need to visit all three if crowds are heavy.
Finish in Haría or on the north coast. This is one of the best days to appreciate how successfully Lanzarote integrates art, architecture and lava.
Day 5: Famara and a slower day
Head to Famara for a long beach walk, surf lesson or lunch in the village. Swimming conditions can be rough, so treat the beach according to flags and local advice. The cliffs and broad sand make the visit worthwhile even if you never enter the water.
Keep the afternoon free. After three sightseeing days, this is where a two-week itinerary begins to feel better than a short break.
Day 6: La Graciosa
Drive to Órzola and take the ferry to Caleta de Sebo. For a day trip, choose one main activity: cycle, walk to La Francesa or take an authorised 4×4 excursion. Trying to cover the whole island creates unnecessary pressure.
If La Graciosa is a major priority, spend the night and return to Lanzarote on Day 7 morning. Our La Graciosa guide explains beaches, ferries and cycling.
Day 7: Papagayo and Playa Blanca
Move south for Papagayo beaches and a final Lanzarote evening in Playa Blanca. Check current road access and sea conditions. If you are staying elsewhere, use the day to relocate so the ferry morning is easy.
Pack a small bag with ferry-day essentials and confirm whether your Lanzarote rental car is being returned or legally carried to Fuerteventura.
Day 8: ferry to Fuerteventura
The Playa Blanca–Corralejo route is one of the easiest inter-island transfers in the Canaries, with a short direct crossing. Ferry operators and departure times vary, so verify the schedule before travel.
Unless your rental contract clearly allows inter-island use, return the Lanzarote car and collect a new one in Fuerteventura. Crossing as a foot passenger often simplifies the trip. Read our island-hopping guide for the transport trade-offs.
Where to stay on Fuerteventura
Corralejo is the natural first base after the ferry, with restaurants, beaches and access to the dunes. For the second half of the week, move south to Costa Calma or Morro Jable if Jandía, Sotavento and Cofete are priorities.
A split of three nights Corralejo and four nights in the south avoids repeated long drives. Families who want maximum convenience may prefer Caleta de Fuste, while surfers may choose bases around the north. See our Fuerteventura guide.
Day 9: Corralejo dunes and north beaches
Spend the day close to Corralejo. Explore the dunes and Grandes Playas, taking wind and sea conditions into account. The landscape is open and exposed, so sun protection matters even on breezy days.
Use the evening for Corralejo rather than adding another long drive.
Day 10: El Cotillo and the northwest
Drive west towards El Cotillo for beaches, coastal scenery and a slower village day. Conditions differ between protected lagoons and exposed surf beaches, so choose the exact swimming spot locally.
If you surf, this can become a lesson or guided day. Beginners should not select a break simply because experienced surfers are in the water.
Day 11: Betancuria and the interior
Leave the coast for a road trip through central Fuerteventura. Betancuria, mountain viewpoints and small inland villages reveal a side of the island many beach-only visitors miss.
Roads can be narrow and livestock or cyclists may appear unexpectedly. Stop often and let the scenery set the pace.
Day 12: Sotavento and the south
Move or drive south for Sotavento, Costa Calma and the long beaches of Jandía. Tide and wind transform the coastline, so a beach that looks like a lagoon in one photo may look completely different when you arrive.
If staying in Morro Jable, finish with a promenade walk and dinner rather than driving back north.
Day 13: Cofete
Dedicate a full day to the Jandía peninsula and Cofete only if road conditions, your rental agreement and your confidence all support it. The final route is rougher and slower than the main island roads.
Cofete is primarily a landscape beach. Atlantic conditions can be dangerous and services are limited. Bring water, food and sun protection, and do not treat a remote shoreline as a guaranteed swim.
Day 14: flexible beach and departure
Keep the last day geographically simple. If your flight is late, choose a beach close to your base or the airport route. Do not use the morning for another remote adventure that could be delayed by a puncture, traffic or sea conditions.
If you must fly home from Lanzarote, consider returning by ferry the previous day and spending the final night near Playa Blanca or the airport. That removes unnecessary risk.
Can you do this trip without changing hotels?
Yes, but you will drive more. One base on Lanzarote plus one on Fuerteventura is the simplest version. Splitting each island into north and south reduces road time but creates four hotel check-ins.
For most travellers, I would use one Lanzarote base and two Fuerteventura bases because Fuerteventura is longer and the north-south distance matters more.
Rental-car strategy
A car is extremely useful on both islands. Choose the smallest vehicle that fits your luggage. Before driving unpaved access roads, verify the rental company’s restrictions; insurance can exclude certain tracks even when the road looks commonly used.
Photograph the vehicle at collection, understand fuel rules and confirm whether ferry transport is permitted. If in doubt, use separate cars.
Best time for the route
Autumn offers warm sea temperatures and pleasant evenings. Spring is excellent for road trips and active days. Winter is popular for sun, though wind and cooler water are normal. Summer gives long beach days but can be busy and bright.
Wind is a defining factor on both islands, especially Fuerteventura. Rather than trying to eliminate it, use a car to choose the coast with the best conditions that day. Our weather and seasons guide provides a month-by-month overview.
Budget planning
The biggest extra cost compared with a one-island holiday is the ferry and the second rental-car process. Save money by travelling with manageable luggage, choosing apartments for some self-catering and staying in walkable areas where dinner does not require driving.
Avoid buying a long list of paid attractions in Lanzarote and then paying for daily water-sports activities in Fuerteventura. Choose a few memorable experiences and let beaches and road trips fill the rest.
What to pack
- High-SPF sunscreen, hat and sunglasses.
- Light windproof layer for ferries and breezy evenings.
- Comfortable walking shoes plus beach footwear.
- Reusable water bottles and a small cooler bag for road-trip days.
- Swimwear and a quick-dry towel.
- Offline maps for remote Fuerteventura routes.
Common mistakes
- Spending only two or three nights on each island despite having two weeks.
- Driving Cofete in a rental car without checking road restrictions.
- Assuming every windy beach is poor—wind direction changes by coast.
- Carrying a rental car on the ferry without written permission.
- Booking the return ferry immediately before the flight home.
- Filling every day with attractions and forgetting why Fuerteventura is famous for slow beach time.
Practical tip: Use Lanzarote for structured sightseeing and Fuerteventura for unstructured beach time. That contrast is what makes the two-week combination work.
Final advice
Lanzarote and Fuerteventura are close enough to combine easily but different enough to feel like two holidays. Seven nights on each island creates space for bad-weather alternatives, quiet afternoons and spontaneous stops that a rushed itinerary cannot absorb.
Before booking the ferry, check current inter-island ferry routes and compare the broader logistics in our Canary Islands transport guide.