Fuerteventura is the oldest of the Canary Islands, and the closest to Africa. UNESCO has declared the island a Biosphere Reserve for its unique blend of desert and semi-desert ecosystems and for its enlightened approach to sustainable tourism. The most imposing feature of the island is its beaches, the huge expanse of dunes at Corralejos renders beach lovers speechless. The old capital of Betancuria offers timeless glimpses of the island’s bucolic past, as does the Fishing Museum and lighthouses at El Cotillo. Windmills dot the orange-tinted hills inland where charming hamlets like Lajares still maintain a slower pace of life.