Service

Banks
Banks are generally open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 14:00. Long queues are not uncommon and you should always take this into account. It is easier and faster to take cash out at the ATM. The machines can be found in front of each bank, freestanding or in some stores.

Car rental
"Alquiler de coches" in Spanish or "Rent a car" in English. For single travellers, it is often cheaper to rent a car at the airport and return it there, because the taxi rates can sometimes be several times the daily price of rental cars. Upon presentation of your license and and passport, anyone over the age of 21, who has had a licence for over three years can rent a car. The longer the rental period, the lower the price. In Caleta de Fuste you will find several car rental options. https://www.west-atlantico.de/ https: // www.cicar.com https://www.payless.es Caution: Driving on unpaved roads and paths is almost always possible with a normal car. Some beaches and places (such as Cofete, Puerto de la Cruz) are only accessible by dirt track! IMPORTANT: Damage caused to the car when driving off-road is NOT covered by the comprehensive insurance of the car rental...!

Children
Most resorts have kids pools. In the big hotels such as the San Jorge and the Barceló hotels there are also playgrounds, as well as special children's entertainment and care. Please remember, your children always need to wear suncream!

Cigarettes and alcohol
In the Canaries you will find all major brands. Principally cigarettes, but also alcohol is much cheaper than in the UK.

Climate
Fuerteventura has, in comparison to Northern Europe, only two seasons: spring and midsummer. The "Canarian Spring", known here as winter, is between November and March and in many years from December to February. During this time, the sky is often overcast, sometimes it even rains. However, the temperatures are still mild. When the sun is hidden during the day, you´ll be glad you bought that jacket. So don´t be worried in the winter when the weather is cloudy and rough. It is often of short duration and it rapidly warms up and turns friendly, especially in the slipstream.

The summer months can sometimes be very hot. Fortunately there is almost always a wind force 3-4 blowing, whereby even staying in full sun is usually bearable (watch out for sunburn!)

The special maritime climate and the sun make the Canary Islands particularly attractive for patients suffering from respiratory diseases such as Asthma or chronic bronchitis. Even for patients with skin diseases such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, the Canary Islands offer the ideal air quality for healing.

Clothing
Generally, in Fuerteventura normal summer clothing is sufficient, but at night and in the winter months you should think about bringing a sweater and / or windbreaker. During the day, especially when hiking, you should always wear a T-shirt. You just do not realize how strong the sun really is – as on Fuerteventura there is almost always a constant, friendly wind blowing.

A request: When at home you wouldn´t go into a restaurant or supermarket in bathing suits or with bare feet. Please don´t do that here either.

Eating and drinking
Drinking a lot is very important here! The extra fluids are needed in Fuerteventura because of the climate. Dehydration can trigger a variety of symptoms such as headache, migraine or constipation.

Canarian food is usually low in calories and easy to digest. However, anyone who is used to eating little or no olive oil and garlic at home, should start with small amounts. Be careful with the combination of alcohol and the sun!

Electricity
The voltage is 220V AC. You need a European adapter.

Fiestas
Fiestas can be public festivals with a religious background or also family celebrations. You don´t need to turn up on time to a Fiesta, delays of up to an hour are normal. Evening Fiestas don´t usually begin before 23:00. Locals dress in an appropriately festive manner and come with the whole family, no expense is spared.

Flight connections
There are flight connections to the neighbouring islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, with the Spanish mainland and with many European airports by charter flight. UK airports have a direct service almost daily.

Gratuities
Not obligatory. 10% if you are particularly satisfied.

ID Cards
In Spain you are required to carry ID. Therefore, you must constantly carry a valid identity card or passport with you. Driving licenses from Germany, UK, Austria, Sweden and Switzerland etc are also accepted.

Important phone numbers
Local Police: 092
Emergency: 112
Airport: 928 860 600
Credit Card Issues:
Master Card, Visa etc.: 0034 983 426 100
American Express : 0034 915 720 303

Internet
In all major resorts in Fuerteventura there is an internet cafe. In addition, almost all major hotels offer WLAN, but usually for a fee.

Medical Care
The medical care is to European standards. There is a modern hospital in Puerto del Rosario, which combines all departments under one roof. The private doctors in Caleta de Fuste speak German or English. Agreements exist between Spain and various European countries, which mean the patients have the right to be treated in case of illness. However, the so-called E 111 card can only be used for treatment in hospitals or government clinics.

Outside these institutions, clinics are almost exclusively run by private doctors, the same goes for here in Caleta de Fuste. A claim for reimbursement of a bill from a private clinic is of course possible (ask for a receipt!), but you are better off with private insurance (around 10 € / year). In any case, you are required to pay every doctor in El Castillo cash or by credit card at the time of treatment http://buscarmedico.sanitas.es/cat/es/las-palmas/antigua

Nightlife
In Caleta de Fuste there are a number of smaller pubs, bars and restaurants. In the big hotels and the Centro Comercial there are live events and concerts held nightly.

Pharmacies
“Farmácia" as it´s written in Spanish, is seen in a green cross on a white background. The opening times of most pharmacies are normal business hours. Drugs are much cheaper than in the UK and many are available without a doctor's prescription. There are two pharmacies in El Castillo, one on Avenida del Castillo at the corner of the El Castillo Shopping Centre, open Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 22.00, the other on Avendia Alcalde Juan Ramón Soto Morales 12, open Monday to Saturday from 9.00 to 21.00.

Adress of the pharmacy in Caleta de Fuste:

Farmacia Lda. Carolina Sánchez Hortelano
Avenida del Castillo, s/n
Phone: 928 163160

La Farmacia del Castillo | Lda. Marta Pérez Vadillo
Av. Alcalde Juan Ramón Soto Morales, 12
Phone: +34 639637615

The pharmacy at the airport is also open on Sundays from 8.00 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.

Phone
To the UK: 0044-area code without a zero before the area code. From the UK: 0034-number.

Making calls with UK cell phones is no problem, but be careful of the roaming charges!

Post
The post office in El Castillo is open from Monday to Friday from 8.30 am to 2.30 pm. It is located opposite the Hotel San Jorge in the small shopping centre.

Address: Av. José Franchy Roca, 1 CC, Local 2-3. Phone:+34 928 54 75 85

Road traffic
The traffic rules are adapted to the EC rules, the road signs are identical. The maximum speed limit is 50 km/h in urban areas and outside 90 km/h. The wearing of seatbelts in cars and helmets on motorcycles is compulsory.

Before overtaking the indicator is activated and stays on until you are back on the right side of the road. Direct left turns from the main roads are not permitted, there is a separate lane. Stopping at the stop signs is really important here because all vehicles drive very quickly, often too fast, use the main road and assume that any other road users will get out of their way. Towing broken down vehicles is prohibited, and this includes the towing of cars stuck in the dunes of Corralejo!

Those who don´t want to adhere strictly to the traffic rules, should always carry enough money in their pockets to pay fines, there are frequent controls and the Guardia Civil expect the penalties to be paid immediately - if necessary they will also accompany you to the nearest bank and wait for you to pay.

Small traffic offenses, such as not wearing a seat belt, illegal parking (on the yellow lines), not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign, driving at dusk with no lights, not indicating or indicating wrong, cost around 91 euros.

Larger traffic offenses such as overtaking in a no overtaking zone, crossing over continuous lines, parking on the pedestrian crossing, in front of a fire hydrant or in the opposite lane, cost 92-301 euros.

Major negligent traffic offenses, such as driving under the influence of alcohol, pills or drugs (drug detectors are soon to be introduced), refusing to take a test, speeding, using the phone while driving, cost 302-602 euros.

Seasons
Fuerteventura, like all the Canary Islands, because of its climate has a year round tourist season. Peak season is during the holidays Christmas / New Year and Easter. It is slightly less busy from mid-January until Easter, in May / June and from the beginning of November to mid-December.

Stamps
Your loved ones want postcards. There are a couple of things you must be aware of when putting a stamp on and posting a card from Fuerteventura. This is because there is the official postal service and various private providers:

If you have bought postcards plus stamps in a store, you must be careful to post the postcards in the correct box. The Spanish postal service (¨Correos¨) only sends mail stamped with their own stamps (Correos España); any other mail just gets left behind or if you are really lucky, arrives with a really long delay.

The best and safest way is to buy postcards and buy stamps at the post office; then you can just post them in a real letterbox from Correos.

Store opening times
In the major tourist centres the Shop Hours Act is pretty lax, so that you can shop until the late evening hours. The official business hours are Monday to Friday 9:00 - 13:00 and 16:00 to 20:00 on Saturdays 9:00 - 13.00.

Sun
Fuerteventura is 1,500km closer to the equator than Mallorca. Thus, the sun's rays travel a shorter way back through the atmosphere and meet the earth´s surface with greater force. The sun on Fuerteventura is strong and requires you take precautions, if only because you the intensity of the sun is often underestimated because of the almost constantly blowing light wind.

Sit down at the beginning of your holiday for no longer than 20 minutes without protection from the sun, and the consequences could be sunburn and sunstroke. Sunscreens with a high SPF can cause allergies, therefore they should be used with caution. Your skin will gradually get used to the sun, extending the amount of time you spend in the sun daily by 5- 10 minutes would be sensible. If it is possible to avoid the sun completely between the hours of 12:00 and 16:00, then that is the best option.

Please remember that children are particularly vulnerable to extreme sunburn. They have not yet developed the mechanisms that protect against excessive solar radiation and therefore should not be directly exposed to the sun. Sunburn in children may cause long-term damage. For children there are however a few suppliers of UV-protected beach clothing in the UK, which provides full UV protection even after getting wet.

Swimming
In the protected bay of Caleta de Fuste swimming is possible at any time. Swimming is safe there, but please be aware of warning signs and information displayed on the beach.

On the west coast bathing is dangerous even at low tide because of the undercurrents. You also need to use caution on the north coast as there also are strong currents in the strait between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

For swimming on the dangerous beaches, locals use body boards leashed to their ankles, if you are swept out, then you can jump on the board and paddle on all fours; but it´s still not very safe!

Tap water
You can safely brush your teeth with the tap water, as well as make coffee or tea. Theoretically, you can also drink it, however it is often very heavily chlorinated and the taste isn´t pleasant. In other words buy your drinking water from a supermarket. The ice used in bars and restaurants for drinks, is hygienic and safe.

Taxi
In every major town there are taxi stands. The cars are new and in excellent condition, the drivers know their stuff. If you do not speak Spanish, you are best to write your destination down or look at Google Maps and show them the place you want to go. Taxis are metered and depending on the time of day the price is usually just under 1€/Km.

Time difference
The time in Fuerteventura is GMT, so the same as the UK; clocks go forward one hour in march and back one hour in October.

Vaccinations
There are no tropical illnesses on the Canary Islands, therefore no vaccinations are necessary.