3 Best Sights in Betancuria, Canary Islands

The town's Church Museum contains a replica of the banner carried by the Norman conqueror Juan de Bethancourt when he seized Fuerteventura in the 15th century. Most of the artwork was salvaged from the nearby convent, now in ruins. The museum is generally open weekday mornings but has no official hours.

In Antigua, 8 km (5 miles) east of Betancuria, you can visit a restored white Don Quixote–style windmill that was once used for grinding gofio (toasted grain) flour and is now part of a museum devoted to Fuerteventura's cheese-making tradition. Next to the windmill are a craft shop and cactus garden. Incidentally, the modern metal windmills throughout the island were imported from the United States and are used for pumping water.

The weatherworn colonial church of Santa María de Betancuria, known for its striking whitewashed exterior and intricate wooden accents, was built in the early 15th century as the island's main church when Betancuria was the capital. It was almost completely destroyed by Berbers in 1593 and then rebuilt. Outside Mass times, the church has no official opening hours, though weekday mornings are often a safe bet.