Cofete Beach

Cofete is not just any beach. It's a place you earn: 9 kilometers of unpaved track winding through the mountains of Jandía, a pass between peaks where the wind shakes the car, and suddenly, as you round the last curve, an endless stretch of golden sand appears before you, nestled between mountains and ocean. Twelve kilometers of untouched beach where you'll likely be one of the few people in sight.

The Mystery of Villa Winter

Atop the hillside overlooking Cofete stands a solitary structure that has fueled legends for decades: Villa Winter. Built in the 1940s by German engineer Gustav Winter, theories about its purpose range from a Nazi submarine base to a secret communications station. The reality is probably more mundane — Winter had agricultural concessions in Jandía — but the isolation of the place and the austere architecture invite the imagination.

The beach itself is a spectacle of nature in its purest form. The surf is usually strong and the currents dangerous, so it's not a place for carefree swimming. But Cofete is not a beach for umbrellas and splashing around: it's a beach for long walks, for feeling the wind on your face, and for watching how the mountains, over 800 meters high, drop almost vertically to the sand.

How to Get There and What to Expect

From Morro Jable, the track starts next to the lighthouse and climbs to the Degollada de Cofete, a mountain pass with a breathtaking viewpoint. From there, the descent to the beach takes about 20 minutes by car. An SUV or off-road vehicle is highly recommended, although regular cars can make the journey with care and patience. There is also a bus service from Morro Jable in season.

Cofete is the last wild corner of Europe. A place where nature has made no concessions to humans.