La Oliva is a village in the interior of Fuerteventura, which is the capital of the La Oliva region.

The earliest information that we have about La Oliva comes from the 16th Century. Fuerteventura’s grand inland plains, fertile lands and plentiful water were some of the reasons why the first colonies sought to establish a permanent settlement here. It’s thought that the name of La Oliva is due to the presence at the time of many acebuches, a wild species of olive tree.

Places of interest

• Iglesia de la Candelaria (Church of Our Lady of the Candelaria). 17th Century catholic church characteristic of local architecture. Located right in the centre of La Oliva. Inside there is an image of the Virgen de Candelaria.
• Casa de los Coroneles. Former residence of the island’s colonel, who held military and political power in Fuerteventura for several centuries. Dates from the 18th Century.
• Casa del Coronel. Historic building. Excellent display of traditional Canarian architecture. Served as a residence for colonels that governed the island during the feudal regime.
• Casa Mané. Space for the promotion and exhibition of contemporary Canarian art.
• La Cilla – Grain Museum. This museum exposes the reality of Fuerteventura from a few decades ago when grains were one of the key elements of economic and social life on the island.
• Ermita de la Capellania. A small Catholic church was built at the start of the 16th century by the village’s residents.

How to get there

You can get to La Oliva by taking FV-10, which traverses the interior of Fuerteventura to connect Puerto del Rosario with El Cotillo. From the west coast, you can also get there by taking FV-102, while from the north of the island you can get there via FV-101.