REAL EXPERTS IN REAL ESTATE
A quiet village
FEMÉS
In the municipality of Yaiza it is only a short way from the coast to the mountains. When you drive from Playa Blanca through the plateau of Maciot in direction to Femés, you will soon get to the last roundabout where the road goes straight up to the village, 450 metres above sea level. Once you leave the slope behind, you will pass the popular restaurant “Emiliano”, after which the road leads into the little village square.
Here head to the left and park the car or you will find yourself outside the village! If you stay on the road in direction to Uga, you will soon notice how different this region is to the rest of the island. On the right hand side are the mountains of Los Ajaches, on the left the hills that separate the valley from Yaiza, which is the main town of the Municipality. On the way the road crosses the valley, leaving farms and the little houses, Las Casitas, behind. Crops of potatoes and onions are grown in the fertile filds on the sides of this road.
In early times, inhabitants used the exposed location of Femés as a lookout area to be able to spot any marauding pirates, a regular occurrence, and thereby to protect themselves. Even today, the Balcón del Rubicón, which is opposite the church, is a fascinating viewing point for visitors of the island. High above sea level, you have a magnificent view over Maciot and Playa Blanca and on a clear day you can see the adjacent islands of Lobos and Fuerteventura.
This however is not everything, Femés has to offer, it is also start and end of many interesting walks through a magnificent nature reserve. Ten different routes follow the old tracks, created many years ago. These trails guide you through the oldest volcanic massif of the island. On these paths you can walk either to Playa Quemada or to the Papagayo Beaches, exploring Lanzarote from the the quiet, unspoilt wilderness. On your rambles you will learn a lot about local animals and vegetation and have the opportunity to swim in little bays on the coast.
Many people enjoy the bars and restaurants in this mountain village for having a rest. In the morning, you will find the workers stopping here on their way to Playa Blanca to have breakfast. In the afternoon, the terraces of the restaurants are so inviting that you will be tempted to stop for some typical food and admire and enjoy the wonderful views and later, during the day, the spectacular sunsets. Femés is well known for its goats. Take the opportunity to sample the traditional goat´s stew “estofado de cabra” or lentles and the freshly made goat's cheese. In some houses of this small village, they still produce this mild cheese and, althouggh you won´t find signs to tell you, it is possible to buy it. All you have to do is ask around and someone will show you the way to Señora Dorina who produces and sells fresh cheese nearly every day in a little cottage next to the supermarket.
If you stand by the 17th century church Ermita de San Marcial de Rubicón and look carefully towards the hills, you can see blending in with the terrain, goat corrals, still full of animals like in former days. Take time to walk into the village, leaving the touristic area, you can soak up the special atmosphere of this quiet mountain heaven. The four, well looked after, houses have beautiful gardens with flowers and palm trees and chickens looking for shade under the cacti. Neighbours chat on their doorsteps, children are safe to walk back home from the small village school - a beautiful scene that reminds you of days gone by, except in Femés it is here and now.
In July the little centre of Femés is magical, when the statue of the local saint is carried through the streets in a big procession. This fiesta lasts a whole week. The rest of the year the 253 inhabitants enjoy the peace and tranquility of their mountain home, only temporarily interrupted by visitors who have discovered its delight.
