During our road trip to Betancuria, we made a stop at Antigua. Whilst this is a quaint little town off the tourist trail, one of the island’s best attractions is just outside the town. The Majorero Cheese Museum celebrates the rich history of goat’s cheese in the Canary Islands. The goat is so symbolic that the capital of Fuerteventura, Puerto del Rosario, used to be called Puerto de las Cabras. This literally translates to ‘Port of the Goats’. Why is the goat and subsequent cheese so symbolic here? We visited the Cheese Museum to find out!
The Majorero Cheese Museum: Fuerteventura
Location
The Majorero Cheese Museum is located on the FV-20 on the way to Antigua from the North. You cannot miss the attached windmill and signage. The car park has loads of parking, but just get here early to avoid the rush. We arrived just before opening and basically had the whole place to ourselves!
We drove down from Villaverde, which is in the north of the island just outside of the tourist hub Corralejo. If you have rented a car, the journey is really easy and will only take forty minutes from Corralejo. If you don’t have access to a car, the Line 6 Bus runs regularly to Puerto del Rosario and then take the 1, 2 or 15 bus to Antigua. The overall journey will take around an hour longer than by car.
Prices
Prices for an adult are only €4.00 per person, which is great value. For an extra €6.50 per person, you can buy a combi ticket which includes the Salt Museum in Salinas del Carmen. This is another famous tourist attraction on the island and is well worth the visit. You also will save money in the long run if you went for combi.
Children go in for €2.50 (combi €7.50). If they are under three, they go in for free at both the Majorero Cheese Museum and the Salt Museum.
You can either buy tickets online in advance (via the museum’s website) or on arrival.
Museum Area 1 – Volcanic Origins
The Museum has varying exhibitions, all of which celebrate the Canary Islands and Fuerteventura. Let’s start with the first exhibition; volcanoes! Yes you read that right, volcanoes feature in the Majorero Cheese Museum. If you do not know, Fuerteventura is an extinct volcanic island and the landscape is filled with volcanoes.
The exhibit starts with a volcanic simulator. You are surrounded by rocky walls and red LED lights flash on and off, representing lava. There are then a few videos that give you explanations as to how the Canary Islands were formed. As you pass through the lava tunnel, you can then read about the different flora and fauna of Fuerteventura. They give you information on Barbary Squirrels, which are everywhere. They are also really friendly in the wild if you wanted some photos. The main focus is on the Majorero goat, which is endemic to the island of Fuerteventura.
Museum Area 1 captures the natural side of Fuerteventura really well. The entire point of this is to show the ecosystem of the island, explaining why the goats produce such unique milk.
Museum Area 2 – Majorero Goats
The second area of the Majorero Cheese Museum is about the special goats that produce the good stuff. The cheese is delicious and when you are in the Canary Islands, you have to try it. It is soft and creamy like a dehydrated mozzarella, but has a lot more flavour. The flavour is unique because of the different ecosystem on the island. The cheese is perfect for salads, tapas, pizzas… You name it, it works!
This area walks you through how the cheese it produced on the island. I found this really interesting. Even in Villaverde, which is a small village, there are a good number of goat farms about. After seeing why these goats were so important to the island, I definitely have a greater appreciation for the cheese.
Museum Area 3 – History and Culture of Majorero Cheese
The next area talks about the history of the cheese and the importance of it to Canarian Culture. A lot of the information in here walks you through the human history of the island and shows you the importance of the cheese.
The exhibit focuses on the gastronomy of the cheese, that is, the cheese as part of the culture. If you go to any restaurant on the island, odds are you can sample it. The majorero cheese is culturally significant, all because the goats produce such unique and tasty milk. It then became a staple food source and a great opportunity for trade.
I found this area to be the most interesting. I just found it incredible how a food item could be so integral to a culture. The information is also nicely laid out and is easy to follow. There are also videos for more visual learners.
Museum Area 4 – Gift Shop and Tasting
Straight off the bat, I have a confession… We did not see any samples. I’m positive that they were there from other reviews, but we just missed them. Either way, I have had plenty of this cheese, so would wholly recommend any free stuff.
The gift shop also was rather nice. There were some lovely culinary items that you could add to your kitchen here. As well as this, there were some typical souvenirs and gifts for people back home. It was well-stocked and the staff were nice and friendly too. They also spoke excellent English!
Outside – The Windmill and the Cactus Garden
Once you have left the Majorero Cheese Museum, you can go into the large windmill at the front. These are found all over Fuerteventura as they were used to mill corn in history, using the islands wind as a power source. It is really cool to look inside. You can climb up the steep ladder up to the top and get a true view of the mill.
After we took a few photos (it is very photogenic), we went around the corner to the Cactus Garden. I really enjoyed this part of our visit. There were just so many different varieties of cacti that I was actually blown away. Some were absolutely monstrous too, which were very impressive.
I would seriously suggest coming to these gardens when you are here. Take your time too; the scenery is stunning and there is just so much to see. It is also very instagrammable, so come armed with your camera for some top photos.
The Verdict
I loved the Majorero Cheese Museum. I have been to Fuerteventura numerous times because of Jack’s family, but I had never truly dived into the culture. I left feeling that I knew a lot more about the island and the history. Although, I am still sad that I missed the cheese free samples…
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Other posts that may help you:
- The South of Fuerteventura: A Road Trip
- El Cotillo Fuerteventura: Exploring the Town
- Popcorn Beach Fuerteventura: A Sunset Picnic
- Birdwatching in Fuerteventura: Villaverde
- Things to do in Corralejo Fuerteventura
Thank you for reading and I hope that my post has been useful and have helped to inspire your next trip to Fuerteventura! Let me know if you have any questions about the Majorero Cheese Museum or the island in general, do let me know in the comments below.
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Happy exploring,
Love Victoria X
