Betancuria
Las Palmas · Canarias
Betancuria is a small town and a municipality in the western part of the island of Fuerteventura in the Province of Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. The population is 811 (2013), and the area is 103.64 km2 (40 sq mi). It is situated in a mountainous region, 4 km (2 mi) west of Antigua and 21 km (13 mi) southwest of the island capital Puerto del Rosario. By population it is the smallest municipality in Fuerteventura as well as all of the Canary Islands. Betancuria is named after Jean de Béthencourt, who founded the town in 1404 with Gadifer de La Salle. It was the original capital of the Kingdom of the Canary Islands, and later capital of Fuerteventura. In 1424 Pope Martin V erected in Betancuria brief Bishopric of Fuerteventura, which encompassed all the Canary Islands except the island of Lanzarote. The origin of this bishopric is directly related to the events that occurred after the Great Schism (1378-1417). This was because the bishop of San Marcial del Rubicón in Lanzarote (only diocese at the time of the Canary Islands) did not recognize the papacy of Martin V, as this bishop was a supporter of anti-Pope Benedict XIII. The Bishopric of Fuerteventura was based in Parish of Santa María de Betancuria, for it to rank high cathedral. After the reintegration of the Diocese of San Marcial del Rubicón in the papacy of Martin V, the Bishopric of Fuerteventura was abolished only seven years after it was created in 1431. It was razed by pirates in 1593, but remained capital of Fuerteventura until 1834, when Antigua became capital. In Vega de Rio Palmas is the hermitage of the Virgen de la Peña, the patron saint of the island of Fuerteventura.
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Origins
El municipio toma su nombre de su cabecera administrativa, la villa de Betancuria, que deriva de la capilla intitulada de nuestra señora de Bethencourt fundada hacia 1405 por Jean de Bethencourt, uno de los jefes de los normandos y castellanos durante la conquista europea de la isla.
La villa era conocida antiguamente como Santa María de Betancuria.
History
En la ermita de Vega de Río Palmas se encuentra la imagen de la virgen de la Peña, patrona de Fuerteventura. En septiembre se celebra una romería en su honor, de gran participación popular. Otro núcleo de población lo constituye Valle de Santa Inés, donde se encuentra la ermita de Santa Inés, construida poco después de la conquista. Está catalogado como Uno de Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España desde el año 2019 y pertenece desde entonces a la asociación homónima.
Monuments
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What to visit
Fiestas:
Durante todo el año Betancuria celebra diferentes festividades a lo largo y ancho del municipio, siendo días festivos locales el 14 de julio, festividad de san Buenaventura, y el 24 de agosto, día de san Bartolomé.
Entre las fiestas del municipio destacan:
Patrimonio:
Iglesia matriz de la Concepción o de Santa María de Betancuria
Ermita de santa Inés
Ermita de nuestra señora de la Peña
Ermita de san Diego de Alcalá
Ruinas del convento franciscano de san Buenaventura
Museo de arte sacro
Museo arqueológico de Fuerteventura
Museo de artesanía
Parque rural de Betancuria
Gallery
Festivals
September 2026
Festivals this month
- 18 · September Nuestra Señora de la Peña 📆 Add to my calendar
- September Fiestas en honor a Nuestra Señora de la Peña
Rest of the year
- January: Fiestas de Santa Inés, Valle de Santa Inés (19)
- July: Fiestas de San Buenaventura (6)
What's on
Street market
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Gastronomy
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Trails and hiking
•Camino Natural de Fuerteventura (GR 131, 155 km)
•Betancuria - Degollada Vieja - Antigua (SL-FV 29)
•Agua de Bueyes - Vega del Río Palmas (SL-FV 28)
•Tiscamanita - Vega del Río Palmas (SL-FV 31)
•Vega del Río Palmas - Presa de las Peñitas (SL-FV 27)
Services
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Famous people
•Vicente de Peraza
Town hall
El municipio se rige por su Ayuntamiento, compuesto por el alcalde-presidente y seis concejales.
Town hall of Betancuria
El municipio se rige por su Ayuntamiento, compuesto por el alcalde-presidente y seis concejales.
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How to get there
- 🚗 173 km from Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las (about 122 min by car)
- 🚗 268 km from Santa Cruz de Tenerife (about 189 min by car)
🧭 Travelling around the villages of Spain: a practical guide — Opening hours, transport, money and customs, before you set off.
- ✈️ 24 km from Fuerteventura airport (about 17 min by car)
- ✈️ 91 km from Lanzarote airport (about 64 min by car)
Practical info
🅿️ Where to park
- Where to park · 0.1 km away
- Where to park · 0.1 km away
- Where to park · 0.2 km away
🏧 Nearest cash machine
- Caixabank · 4.4 km away
- Caixabank · 9.6 km away
- Nearest cash machine · 10 km away
⛽ Nearest petrol station
- Moeve · 4.4 km away
ℹ️ Tourist office
- Tourist office · 0 km away
- Tourist office · 0.1 km away
- Tourist office · 0.1 km away
🔭 Viewpoints
- Viewpoints · 1.3 km away
- Morro Velosa · 1.7 km away
- Mirador Guize y Ayose · 1.8 km away
Buses
En autobús —guagua— queda conectado mediante la siguiente línea de TIADHE:
Pharmacy and health
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Wall and news
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Obituaries
There are no obituaries published right now in Betancuria.
In loving memory
There are no memorials in Betancuria yet.
Videos
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