best places to visit la palma

Delving into the spectacular Caldera de Taburiente

Declared a National Park , it's the most iconic natural area of La Palma. Caldera de Taburiente is a fissure eight kilometres in diameter in the centre of the island, which resulted from different volcanic and erosive phenomena. It is currently covered by forests and crossed by deep ravines and springs. The landscape will leave you speechless. There are different trails to explore the area, albeit the best known is the PR LP 13 , of medium-high difficulty. It is a 27-km circular route leaving from Los Llanos de Aridane. However, most hikers usually take a taxi that leaves them at the Brecitos natural viewing point to walk from there to the Angustias ravine, on a descent that usually lasts about six hours. Along the way, you can stop at incredible viewing points or see the famous Cascada de Colores.

Walking among clouds and stars: Roque de los Muchachos

It is part of the National Park and, at 2,426 metres, it's the highest point on the island. Here, the landscape becomes much more colossal and rocky and you will even feel like you're walking on the clouds. On clear days, you can see the neighbouring islands of La Gomera and El Hierro and Mount Teide in the distance. If you can, stay until sunset... The silence, the colour... The experience from above is unique.

Going through tunnels in search of the springs of Marcos y Cordero

Inside of the Las Nieves – Bosque de Los Tilos Nature Reserve, one route is of particular interest. The PR PL 6 Los Sauces – Los Tilos trail. This path takes you through 13 tunnels made to route the water until it descends to the heart of the original Biosphere Reserve. The laurel forests and the waterfalls flowing from the hillside in the springs of Marcos y Cordero are simply magical.   You must bear in mind that the full route is 24.5 kilometres long, and that this is a path only for experts. A simpler alternative is to take a taxi from the Los Tilos visitor centre to Casa del Monte and start a 12.5-km journey from there.

Floating in the Charco Azul

El Charco Azul, on the coast of San Andrés, is one of the best-known natural pools on the entire island. You must not miss the experience of taking a good dip in salt water if you're in the area. The contrast between the black of the volcanic rock entering the sea and the turquoise blue colour of the water will feel like you are in paradise.

Feeling the wind between the great cliffs of Los Nogales beach

It is undoubtedly one of most beautiful beaches on the island. You have to access it on foot. In addition to its undeniable beauty, this black sand beach is known for its strong currents and waves. So, you need to be especially careful and stay close to the shore. It is also an ideal enclave for surf lovers.

Discovering the colonial architecture of Santa Cruz de La Palma

When you visit La Palma, make sure to save time for the island's capital . Strolling through its cobbled streets will transport you to a past of transoceanic voyages and explorers, as it was an important port on the route between Europe and America.   Walking through this small city is a delight. You will find colonial-style manor houses, carved wooden balconies full of flowers that look out to the sea, the Island Museum , palaces, churches, theatres... And make sure to visit the galleon Barco de la Virgen at Plaza de la Alameda, and the Castle of Santa Catalina.

Travelling to the Tertiary in the forests of Cubo de la Galga

This area is ideal if you are travelling as a family, because you can all do a low-difficulty circular path of about 11 kilometres, and even shorter options. It will feel like you are inside a story, as you walk through a laurel forest where magical beings seem to live. Did you know that these forests are like a relic of the almost-extinct ancient Tertiary forests? The route also links to Montaña de La Galga, with a splendid natural viewing point.  

Experiencing colour in the salt flats of Fuencaliente

You will find them in the south of La Palma. Get your camera ready because this corner of La Palma stands out for its colour contrasts: the white of the salt, the black of the volcanic rock and the blue of the ocean create a living canvas. In addition, it is a resting place for migratory birds.   Right next door, you will find a themed restaurant to understand the salt production process and buy products such as fleur de sel. Nearby is the beautiful lighthouse of Fuencaliente and beaches such as Las Cabras and Echentive.  

Learning about ancient settlers in the cultural park of La Zarza y La Zarcita

The town of Garafía houses this area, which is actually an interesting archaeological site. Taking a pleasant walk through the forest, you will be able to see some of the most important rock carvings on the islands. A place full of mystery and geometric and symbolic figures. Its visitor centre is being renovated to offer information about these centuries-old artistic works and the first settlers of La Palma.

The Route of the Volcanoes

This may be the most famous hiking experience on the island. It takes you on a journey through the "lunar landscapes" of craters left by volcano eruptions. It is a demanding route of around 23 kilometres that begins at the El Pilar leisure area and ends in Los Canarios, although many visitors extend it to the Fuencaliente lighthouse. And if you can, end the route at sunset. It's simply unforgettable.  

These are just a few ideas to enjoy some of the most popular places on the island. Whenever you wish to walk a path, find out about its condition beforehand on this website , since some sections may be inaccessible. La Palma is full of mysteries, secrets and pleasant surprises. Come and discover them?

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La Palma (Canary Islands): things to do [with map] in the island affected by the 2021 volcano eruption

Within a few hours of arriving in La Palma, we were already realizing its diversity (a multitude of microclimates and contrasting landscapes), its friendliness (the people we met were charming), its stellar pride (one of the best skies in the world for astronomical observation) and its resilience , demonstrated in the recent volcanic eruption that generated the most recent piece of land in Europe.

On September 2021 a new volcano erupted on La Palma and made the island the focus of media attention around the world. The name “La Palma” became known for the impact of the volcanic activity that lasted 85 days and the images of the sea of lava wiping out entire villages on its way to the sea. The area affected by the recently named Tajogaite volcano can be visited , with empathy and respect, and in this guide, we tell you how.

We also tell you everything you need to explore everything else La Palma has to offer on your own: things to do, weekend, 5-day, or week-long itineraries around the island, how to get there, how to get around, where to sleep, and even where to eat.

When you finish this guide, it will be clear why they call it “La Isla Bonita ” (“the beautiful island”, the nickname it earned for its contrasting and breathtaking landscapes), why it is in our Top 3 Canary Islands , and why you are already taking the time to know it.

If you have little time to travel to the island, jump straight to our travel itineraries for La Palma where we tell you what to see in a weekend, four days or a week .

Basic facts for traveling to La Palma

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La Palma is the second youngest island of the Canary archipelago (1.7 million years old, after El Hierro with 1.2 million years), one of the smallest and , nevertheless, one of the most heterogeneous since it gathers many places to visit in its 706 km2. It is also one of the most famous islands especially due to the recent volcanic eruption of September 2021 , whose lava swept away entire villages on its way to the sea and created the most recent land in Europe. Due to La Palma’s unique environmental conditions and biodiversity , the island was recognized as a Unesco Biosphere Reserve (more than half of its territory has some kind of environmental protection) and because of its clean, turbulence-free, ocean-stabilized atmosphere it was recognized as a Starlight Reserve (and Tourist Destination) . The island of La Palma is considered one of the best places in the world for astronomical observation .

Currency : Euro

Language : Spanish

Population : 84,000 (in 2020)

Daily budget : From 70€/day per person (approx.) for a one week trip with rented car and the cheapest options of private accommodation for 2. More detailed info about how much we spend here

Climate : Pleasant all year round, although with a lot of variety due to the orography (the northeast has a more humid and rainy climate, the southwest is hotter and drier). We tell you all this in more detail here

Accommodation : Ideally you should stay in the central area of the island, either in the east, in Santa Cruz or Los Cancajos , or in the west, in Tazacorte or Los Llanos de Aridane . In our case, to try to help the people affected by the eruption of Tajogaite due to the cutting of a road to the west, buried under lava, we stayed in an area that was receiving considerably less tourism in the south, in Fuencaliente and it was an excellent decision. We give you specific suggestions and more info on where to sleep here

Duration : Despite its size, and as you can see in this guide, La Palma has a lot to offer. Minimum 3 days, recommended a week and if you have more days, you will not regret it. More info on how many days we recommend here and we give you different itineraries for a weekend (2/3 days), 4-5 days or a week (7 days on the island) here .

Flights : There are direct flights to La Palma both from the mainland (Spain) and from other Canary Islands and other countries. The cheapest are usually Ryanair / Easyjet. We recommend you to use flight comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi and be flexible with dates. You can also go by boat from Tenerife or La Gomera. More info here

Transportation : The best option is to rent a car . More info about transportation, companies and specific recommendations for La Palma here.

Time zone : UTC +1. The time on La Palma and the Canary Islands is one hour behind mainland Spain.

Covid-19 measurements : Find the latest information on the official website of the islands, Holaislascanarias .

Visiting La Palma after the 2021 eruption

On September 19, 2021, a new volcano in Cumbre Vieja (municipality of El Paso), recently named “ Volcán de Tajogaite “ , erupted , spewing lava for almost two months (the lava flows reached a height of 60 meters at some points!), sweeping away on its way to the sea several villages with their houses, plantations, roads and everything in its path . According to what we were told, there were about 160 million m2 of lava and towns like El Paraíso or Todoque disappeared completely. The town of La Laguna, for example, was divided, with half of the town disappearing under the lava and the other half not.

Both the affected area and its surroundings were evacuated, nearby roads were closed and even flights had to be cancelled due to the winds. Under these lava flows were left homes, businesses, stories, memories, daily moments. People who had been drinking coffee in that place for years, who went to buy bread in that same store, who went to eat in that guachinche every Sunday, saw their lives change completely.

The eruption ended on December 13, 2021 , after 85 days of activity (it was the longest eruption of the island) and, fortunately, no human fatalities were recorded, although unfortunately some animals lost their lives. The damage generated is enormous : more than 5000 people affected, more than 1500 homes destroyed (some where several families lived together), many other people displaced because their house (or their land or their banana business for example) is either under the lava, future protected area where building won’t be allowed , or because their land and their house became inaccessible without a road to reach it.

The southern area of the volcano, such as Las Manchas, in addition to the lava, received a lot of volcanic ash due to the winds, covering houses and roads where there is now a huge amount of cleanup work and many people displaced from their homes.

Precisely to try to help the people affected by the eruption, we chose to stay in the south, in Fuencaliente . Perhaps it is not the ideal area to make base if you want to shorten distances when exploring the island because one of the two roads that go there (the west, LP-2) is buried under lava and it is for this reason that this area is being spatially affected by the lack of tourism and that is why we decided to stay here. In this section we tell you more about where to stay.

Although there are still areas affected by the eruption and some nearby places remain closed to the public, most of the island can be visited normally, and, although the volcano is still in the process of degassing (i.e. releasing gases that can be harmful to health), all areas that can be visited in the affected area are completely free of danger .

In fact, it is a great time for you to do so, helping the local economy. We always keep it in mind but on this trip the urgency to support the people of La Palma was a cross-cutting theme , both in preparing and living it, from the choice of accommodation to the choice of restaurants, supporting the local economy and the largest number of families in La Palma.

The local government even created a tourist voucher to promote tourism on the island , the “Bono La Palma”: a virtual card worth 250 € to use in accommodation services, restaurants, and tourist activities on La Palma, which is attached to the program which ended on September 1, 2022. Click here for more information .

No, you can visit the island with complete peace of mind . Thousands of people live on the island, and as we have just said, no fatalities were recorded despite the eruption. The government and the corresponding teams continue to monitor the seismic activity and unless otherwise communicated, there is no danger in visiting the island, and it is highly recommended (spoiler: La Palma made it into our Canary Islands Top3).

Yes, both the volcano and the lava flows can be seen from some viewpoints, these two being the most common:

• Mirador el Time : has a bar with a terrace overlooking the entire affected area.
• Mirador de Tajuya : from this viewpoint the TVs broadcasted the images with the volcano in the background.

We tell you more about how to see the new volcano and visit the affected area here .

The ideal way to see both the volcano and the lava flows is to do it with a local tourist agency (both personally and professionally affected by the eruption), where they will take you as close as possible according to current regulations and will explain in detail how the eruption was (both geologically and the impact it has had and is having on the local population). At Randomtrip we did it with Islabonita Tours who have this tour to visit the Tajogaite crater and the affected area or this shorter hike through the area (from 25€/person) and we highly recommend it. More info here

The places that can be visited vary according to the gas and temperature measurements taken , and many areas are accessible only to neighbors. Remember that despite being a natural phenomenon that arouses our curiosity and that we want to visit, there are people who have lost everything due to the eruption, and people who, although their homes were not directly affected by the lava, had to be evacuated and still cannot access their homes normally. Respect the signage (areas that cannot be accessed are clearly fenced and indicated, often with police presence) and maximum respect for the local population . Visit this site in an empathetic and respectful way.

La Palma enjoys stable and pleasant temperatures all year round, although due to the orography of the island and the trade winds, the climate varies greatly from one point to another. In general, any time of the year is good to visit La Palma , although we recommend the central months (April to October) for better chances of good weather and to enjoy bathing in its beaches and natural pools.

In our case, we traveled in February 2022, and although we were quite lucky with the weather, there were a few rainy/windy days.

In addition, the island of La Palma has a particularity: its microclimates . The western side of the island enjoys a spring and warm climate all year round while the eastern side of the island is characterized by a cooler and more autumnal climate . This is due to the fact that La Palma is an island with a high altitude (2426 meters), and the trade winds (coming from the northeast in the southwest direction) “collide” against that mountainous area of the center-north of the island, generating more clouds and rains on the eastern side; on the other hand, the western side is protected thanks to that same mountainous area, having fewer clouds and rains and higher temperatures. It is said that the areas of Tazacorte and its surroundings enjoy the best climate on the island all year round.

Due to the above, the tunnel of La Cumbre (located at 1100 meters of altitude) is known by the people of La Palma as “el tunel del tiempo ” (“the tunnel of time”) and we could say that it is a tunnel that separates summer from autumn . This tunnel separates the two slopes of the island of La Palma (and its abrupt climate changes between the two extremes), joining Santa Cruz de La Palma with Los Llanos de Aridane. It is located on the old TF-812, now converted into LP-2, which is the road that crosses Cumbre Nueva.

Regarding important events that can motivate a visit to La Palma, throughout the year there are several popular festivals , so if you feel like a good island celebration, try to coincide with any of them. The most famous are the festivities of El Diablo , in September in Tijarafe; Las Cruces , in May in several municipalities of the island; Los Indianos , in carnivals; and, every 5 years, the Bajada de la Virgen de las Nieves , one of the most emotional and multitudinous events of the island.

Santa Cruz de la Palma is an excellent base to stay and explore the island. Here are some other great places to stay here.

The fastest way to get to La Palma is by flying. There are many flights both from the mainland (Spain) and from other Canary Islands such as Tenerife and from other European countries . We recommend you to be flexible with dates and use price comparators such as Skyscanner and Kiwi.com .

You can also get to La Palma by boat from Tenerife (with Naviera Armas or Fred Olsen from Los Cristianos) or from La Gomera (also with Naviera Armas or Fred Olsen ). Be careful with the rental car, you have to check with the company to be able to move it between islands.

Although La Palma is a smaller island in extension than some of its neighbors such as Tenerife or Gran Canaria , its orography means that it has many places to visit and that it takes a little longer to reach them through its winding roads. The relief of the island is the result of a geological process of millions of years and the recent eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano made the LP-2 road unusable, making travel from the south to the center and the north slower. Currently (September 2022) there is already a new road over the lava flows, so be well informed before your trip about the current state of the roads to optimize your travels. In addition, you will want to stop at several viewpoints for the breathtaking scenery you will see on the road.

For all this, in our opinion, the ideal amount of time to visit La Palma is a week (7 days) , and even then you will not have time to see everything, so if you have more time and desire to do trails, you will not regret it. If you don’t have much time, we recommend a minimum of 3 days, during which you will be able to see a small part of the island, enough to want to visit it again more calmly.

Jump directly to the 3, 5 or 7 days (one week) itineraries on La Palma here

Things to see and do in La Palma

To make it easier to locate and classify the places of interest in La Palma , we have classified them into North-Central and South . Here is a summary of the highlights of what you can see and do in La Palma and then all the information about each of the places.

Things to do in La Palma, the beautiful island :

• Get closer to the area affected by the new volcano that erupted in September 2021 , the recently named Tajogaite volcano, and the new fajanas , the most recent terrain in Europe.
• Walking along paths full of contrasts and breathtaking views through the Caldera del Taburiente National Park and the Bosque de los Tilos (Laurisilva forest).
• Climb to the highest point of the island, the Roque de los Muchachos, where some of the most important telescopes in the world are located and where you can contemplate the most beautiful landscapes of the island in front of a sea of clouds .
• Travel “to the future” in the San Antonio volcano and the Teneguía volcano through the affected area of the eruptions of that time, very similar to what our eyes will see in a few decades in the affected area of the recent eruption of the Tajogaite volcano.
• Travel back in time to the archaeological site (and interpretation center) El Tendal where the Benahoarites lived for (at least) a thousand years.
• Stop every so often at various viewpoints to admire the beauty and diversity of the landscapes of La Palma, from the oldest landscapes (such as the Mirador de la Cumbrecita) to the most recent (at the Mirador del Time).
• Bathing in stunning beaches and natural pools such as Nogales beach, Puerto de Tazacorte, Echentive, Charco Azul or La Fajana.
• Stroll through the streets full of the cultural, historical, and architectural heritage of Santa Cruz de La Palma.

Here we leave you all the things to see and do in La Palma that we talk about in this guide on a Google Maps map that you can carry on your smartphone to consult at any time. We have divided the places between north-central (green) and south (blue), and we have marked in red, approximately, the area affected by the eruption of 2021:

We also leave you a tourist map with the roads of La Palma (click on the image to download it in larger size and resolution ):

We also leave you two other official tourist PDFs that include a map that may be useful in your visit: one and the other one .

Just like us, most people who land on La Palma want to see its natural landscapes… including the most recent one. To take a closer look at everything related to the 2021 eruption of the (recently named) Tajogaite Volcano : a new mountain that emerged from nowhere , spewing lava for two months, sweeping away everything in its path until it reached the sea, increasing the surface of the island with its two new fajanas . In the end, we are talking about knowing nothing more and nothing less than the youngest land in Europe!

Although at the time of our trip (February 2022) there was still no adequate signage or official information from La Palma Tourism about the exact places you can visit to see the lava flows or the volcano up close, nowadays there is much more information and the general rule is that you can access those streets or roads that do not have the access cut off. However, always remember to do it in a respectful and empathetic way and, if possible, be accompanied by a local person.

At Randomtrip we did it with Islabonita Tours who have this tour to see the volcano and the affected area or this shorter hike in the area (from 25€/person). More info here

If you want to observe the Tajogaite volcano and its impact for free , these are some of the viewpoints and points to which you can move on your own:

• Caños de Fuego Interpretation Center
• Monument to the Virgin of Fatima
• Castillo de la Virgen
• Puerto de Tazacorte

North of La Palma

If the island of La Palma is one of the best places in the world from which to contemplate the sky (recognized as a Starlight Reserve and Tourist Destination ), the Roque de los Muchachos is the best place to do so on the island. The Roque de los Muchachos is the highest point of the island, at 2426 meters above sea level, and it is incredible to climb up there to appreciate incredible views of the island, specifically of the Caldera de Taburiente and/or the sea of clouds, and the starry sky at night.

Since this area of La Palma is one of the areas of the world with the best conditions for astronomical observation , a number of different telescopes are located here and in fact, the island has a law to reduce light pollution .

Due to the orography of the island, the road access is through a series of endless curves, both for the southern and northern access, so despite the distances, reserve enough time to go up and down to the area (it takes approximately 1h15 from Santa Cruz and 1h30 from Los Llanos). Here are some of the points of interest to stop at during your visit to this part of the island.

Roque de Los Muchachos viewpoint

The Roque de Los Muchachos viewpoint is the highest point on the island (at 2426 meters), from where you will have incredible views of the Caldera de Taburiente, the sea of clouds (depending on the weather), the Teide in Tenerife and, if it is clear, you can even see La Gomera and El Hierro .

To get there, you can park here (be careful, space is limited) and walk along the trail (there are a couple of stops, from the last one is where you will get the best views). There are sections of the trail where you have the cliff a few inches away, so walk very carefully and if you have vertigo it may not be a pleasant experience.

Roque de Los Muchachos Visitor Center

The Roque de Los Muchachos Visitor Center was recently inaugurated (December 19, 2021), a must-visit place for Astro-tourism lovers to better understand where we are as well as to learn about astronomy and the little we know about the universe.

The experience of visiting the Visitor Center was very successful and complete: a person welcomed us on arrival, recommended we watch an introductory video in the auditorium, and at the end, gave us a short explanation about the different rooms of the center and what we could find in each of them. In addition to that, during the tour, there was always someone from the center nearby to give us more information or tell us interesting things. In general, the three people we met showed a lot of interest in the visitors, which is appreciated.

The center is divided into several rooms where we will delve into our Universe and, specifically, we will discover the reasons why La Palma has been chosen to house the most important telescopes in the world .

The center is open from Monday to Sunday from 10:00h to 17:00h in summer and from 10:00h to 16:00h in winter. Price: the entrance fee is 15 € per person (7.50 € for residents and large families; Free for children under 12 years).

Roque de los Muchachos Observatory

The Roque de los Muchachos Observatory (ORM) is home to one of the most complete telescope arrays in the world. The observatory is located on the edge of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, at an altitude of 2396 meters, and is one of the largest telescope complexes in the world.

Thanks to its dark, clear skies (free of light pollution), the island of La Palma has become one of the most privileged enclaves on the planet for astronomical observation . This observatory was inaugurated in 1985 and is located, of course, at the highest point of the island. On the occasion of the inauguration of the observatory, the Lanzarote artist César Manrique, created the Monumento el Infinito , which we also recommend yo visit (to do so, park here and walk along the path).

Visits to the Observatory are temporarily suspended but the observatory is normally open to anyone who wants to visit, depending on the weather and availability. Visits are scheduled several times a week, as long as you request them in advance. To find out if the observatory is open to the public and, in case it is, to book your ticket to the observatory, please visit this official website .

If you want to do an astronomical observation of the island, Isla Bonita Tours has departures on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays . In case you prefer to go on Wednesdays or Saturdays, you can hire this other tour .

Given the quality of the sky that La Palma has, the highest elevation of the island (over 2400 meters above sea level) is one of the best in the world for astronomical observation , so you will see a few giant telescopes.

The most striking is the MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov) , a system of two telescopes, 17 meters in diameter each, with hexagonal mirrors that detect very high energy gamma rays in a region of the spectrum in which no other telescope is operational. The first Magic was inaugurated in 2003, the second in 2008, and both have been working together since 2009.

If you are interested in learning more about this type of telescope, read on. If not, skip to the next paragraph. With this type of MAGIC telescopes we observe a class of high-energy light (called gamma rays) which are photons of very high-energy electromagnetic radiation, arriving at Earth from the Cosmos. Gamma rays are essentially the same physical phenomenon as radio or microwave waves, infrared radiation, visible and ultraviolet light, or X-rays. The energy of a gamma ray is more than a billion times greater than that of a photon of visible light, and gamma rays are produced not only in our galaxy, but also in more distant places. Their origins range from black holes, supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei, gamma ray bursts, among others. Gamma rays are absorbed by the atmosphere but can be observed indirectly: when a gamma photon enters the atmosphere, it interacts with air molecules and generates a cascade of secondary particles called an “atmospheric cascade”. The particles in this cascade descend with a speed greater than the speed of light in the medium (but never greater than the speed of light in a vacuum) and a phenomenon called the Cherenkov effect occurs, similar to when an airplane breaks the sound barrier. In the case of the airplane, a shock wave or sonic boom is produced behind the plane; in the case of the atmospheric cascade, the particles produce a very faint cone of light, with a color between blue and ultraviolet. The photons of light generated by the Cherenkov effect are confined in a light front of about 200 m in diameter that moves in the direction of the surface. To detect this faint light, special detectors, the MAGICs, are built.

Such is the importance of the quality of the sky of La Palma that there is a law, known as the Sky Law , that protects this quality from light pollution. This law on the Protection of the Astronomical Quality of the Observatories of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) was passed in 1988 by the Spanish government and was revolutionary for international astronomy, making Spain the first country in the world to create a law for the protection of an observatory, promoted by the IAC.

La Palma is the first Starlight Reserve in the world , having received the Starlight Tourist Destination recognition in 2012. This island is, therefore, one of the best destinations to contemplate the sky and enjoy the Universe . In 2007, the World Declaration in Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to Observe the Stars (La Palma Starlight Declaration) was signed in La Palma.

“The right to an unpolluted night sky that allows us to enjoy the contemplation of the firmament, should be considered an inalienable right of Humanity, comparable to the rest of the environmental, social and cultural rights.” Declaration on the Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight

Other viewpoints

The Roque de Los Muchachos road has other viewpoints with incredible views, which we list below:

• Pico de La Nieve : at 2239 meters of altitude, the ascent to the Pico de la Nieve is one of the hiking routes of the island. More info at La Palma Hiking Routes

• Mirador de Los Andenes : at 2000 meters, it is located north of the Caldera de Taburiente a few kilometers from the Mirador del Roque de Los Muchachos. From this viewpoint you can see, almost in its entirety, the bed of the Barranco de las Angustias in the interior of the National Park of La Caldera de Taburiente and the Integral Natural Reserve of Pinar de Garafía to the north of it.

• Monument to infinity (parking here ): also at 2000 meters of altitude, this monument is the only work of the Lanzarote artist, César Manrique, on the island and was created for the inauguration of the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory in 1985.
• 2 other viewpoints near the Mirador de los Andenes where we stopped to contemplate the views: this viewpoint and this other viewpoint .

• Viewpoint and paragliding jump

• Pico de la Cruz (parking here ): at 2351 meters, exactly the same altitude as the highest point in Portugal, on the island of Pico in the Azores .

At 1200 meters above sea level in the area of Briesta, Garafía, are the 3.5 hectares of vineyards of Eufrosina Pérez Rodríguez. Inheriting the land from her father, the palm tree Eufrosina started making wine until she founded her own winery , Bodega El Níspero , and bottled wine with a denomination of origin.

Of the three wine-growing areas of La Palma, the El Níspero winery is located in the Northern Sub-zone and the entire winemaking process is manual, from harvesting to bottling, and no pesticides or yeasts are used.

You will be able to know the whole process and taste the wine with a previous reservation, by calling the telephone (+3463639080712 or +34922400447 ). In addition, as in Randomtrip, you can also taste traditional Canarian dishes accompanied by good wine. The food is delicious.

The Gofio Interpretation Museum (MIGO) is a tribute to this traditional food that plays such an important role in the gastronomy of all the Canary Islands .

(To reach the museum by car, take the detour on the LP-114 exactly at this point ).

Contrary to what you may initially think, gofio is not a specific flour but a food like bread, for example. It has different variants and can accompany all meals from breakfast to dinner , being the protagonist of several typical Canarian dishes such as gofio escaldado , snacks such as plátanos escachados con gofio , or even desserts such as rapaduras de gofio (sweet cone-shaped characteristic of the island of La Palma whose main ingredient is honey).

To tell the history of gofio is also to tell the history of the Canary Islands and that is why this museum seems so important to us. Gofio was the food that people used to take with them when they went to work in the fields , the ingredient that accompanied the emigrants on their journeys, and different researchers agree that it was already as important in pre-Hispanic times . Although barley was mainly used (while today it is wheat and corn), gofio was already one of the main foodstuffs of the aboriginal population . Today, the aroma of gofio still announces that we are arriving at a Canarian home.

In the elaboration of gofio , whole grains of one or several kinds of cereal are used, to which legumes can be added, which are later toasted and ground on millstones. The cereals currently used are wheat and millet (corn), although mixtures are also made with other cereals such as barley, rye or even leguminous plants such as lupins , broad beans, peas, chickpeas, or lentils. The result is a flour that mixed with other components such as milk or broth , has constituted the fundamental basis of the diet of La Palma and, in general, of all the Canary Islands since their ancestors.

In the traditional production process of gofio, after the grain was cultivated, it was sifted, toasted and passed through the sieve. Afterward, the different cereals or legumes with which the gofio was to be made were mixed and the mixture was transported to the mill for grinding. Once the gofio was ready, it was stored in tea boxes (the gofio box) or in the gofio can, waiting to be consumed. Nowadays, this whole process is mechanized, including the final packaging.

The Molino de Tricias , the windmill that we can see in front of the interpretation center, represents an important architectural component in the culture of gofio. Apart from reflecting the traditional rural society of Garafía, it tells the story of the Benahoaritas , inhabitants of La Palma in pre-Hispanic times, who used small manual basalt stone mills to grind the toasted raw material from which they obtained the gofio. It was after the arrival of the Europeans that the construction of water and, above all, windmills began, due to the geographical characteristics of Garafía.

It is not known for sure when the activity of the Molino de las Tricias began, but there are records of its activity in 1908! People from all over Garafía used to come to this mill: due to its location it was easy to see from different points of the region if the blades of the mill were working or not to carry the grain. A curiosity to tell you that, if the miller saw that the weather conditions (especially the wind) allowed to continue milling, he warned the population by blowing on a sea conch.

Very close to the Museo del Gofio and the Molino de Tricias is Buracas , an interesting place for three reasons: the dragon (the dragons of Buracas are beautiful and offer a good example of the rural architecture of the island); the archaeological-ethnographic site (pre-Hispanic settlement formed by several natural cave settlements, three groups of petroglyphs with geometric motifs and several necropolises); and the landscape of Garafía that can be seen through the road to access the two mentioned points.

To reach both the dragonal and the archaeological site of Buracas, there is a well-marked and prepared path (stage 4 of GR 130) to walk from the Museum and the Molino de las Tricias. To return, you only have to retrace your steps back to the same point or link up with the main road to Santo Domingo . If you go by car, there is a road that also starts from the hamlet of Las Tricias and reaches an adjacent ravine, so that you would only have to walk 5 minutes to reach the archaeological-ethnographic area.

From the Mirador de Matos and from its cross you will have a view of the cliffs, cultivated areas, and the municipality of Garafía. You can park here and walk up to the viewpoint.

The Dragos viewpoint is a viewpoint at 824 meters above sea level that is worth a visit, especially if you are a fan of this special tree because from here you can contemplate it overlooking the sea. The viewpoint owes its name to the Twin Dragos of Puntagorda that were in this corner and that welcomed those who arrived. Currently only part of one of them survives, which is particularly striking because it is inclined, reminding us a little of the junipers of El Hierro .

The centennial dragon tree crowns a stretch of the Camino Real that runs through the Barranco de El Roque, where we enjoy an incredible panoramic view. In this stretch of the Camino Real the farmers from Puntagorda used to rest here when they came loaded with grass, fruit, etc.

The viewpoint Barranco de Garome is the natural and physical border between the municipalities of Tijarafe and Puntagorda. From here you can go up through the area of EI Lance and contemplate how the vineyards climb the slopes.

To get to Puerto de Puntagorda you have to go down quite a few stairs (we don’t count how many but at least 400…) but it pays off: at the bottom, you will find a natural pool , several little houses embedded in the cliff and a cave. Even if you don’t dare to swim (although after all the stairs, we doubt it), the views of the coast are so incredible that it’s worth it to get here. You can park your car here to start walking down the stairs.

La Veta beach is a black sand beach that disappears depending on the time of the year. It is, therefore, a seasonal beach: you will not be able to bathe in autumn and winter because its sandy beach ceases to exist, so ideally you should visit it if your trip to the island coincides with late spring or summer.

It is located at the foot of an impressive cliff about 200 meters high and to get there you must turn at the turnoff on the LP-1 road, next to the Bar La Guagua . The road descends and reaches the canal track. Here, avoid the dirt track and take the detour to the right. The road descends until you reach the parking lot of Playa de la Veta , which is located on the edge of the cliff. After about 15 minutes of downhill walking, you will reach the beach. Be careful, it is not a guarded beach and does not have a lifeguard, so do not be brave if there is a current.

If you are a party person, Tijarafe will ring a bell because this is where the most traditional festivities of the island take place, the “fiestas del Diablo” . In the early morning of every September 8th, while people are dancing in the verbena, a change in the music signals the highlight of the night: the appearance of El Diablo , who bursts out spitting fire and dancing to the music. The festival of the Devil has become so popular that it has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in the local category.

If your visit to Tijarafe does not coincide on September 8, do not worry because it is also a municipality that stands out for its heritage. The Church of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria , where the Virgen de Candelaria is venerated, was built between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries with a definite Mudejar style. It is very beautiful and worth seeing, even if it is, as we did in Randomtrip, from the outside.

The real purpose of approaching this part of the island, the Porís de la Candelaria is curious as well as beautiful, and getting there is such an intense and adrenaline-filled experience that it has become one of the places we will never forget on the island no matter how many years go by.

A village inside a cave inside a cliff. In addition, with a cove of transparent waters of bonus, where to take a dip.

El Porís de Candelaria is a cave with small houses at the foot of the sea, a very peculiar place. The access is quite complicated , through a very narrow and steep road where meeting another vehicle in the opposite direction can be an odyssey (hence the adrenaline we told you about before). Down there are two parking lots with limited spaces (the first, the upper parking lot is quite far away, the lower parking lot has more space, but also with more chance that you find someone when returning, and that’s where we parked) and then you have to continue down on foot to the Porís, the cave.

There are three options to get here: by car , on foot, or by sea . After doing it by car we would undoubtedly opt for any of the other two because we had a really hard time. To try to describe it, imagine a very steep one-way road, very narrow (in most stretches two cars can’t fit even for a moment so you are wishing with all your strength not to cross anyone), no protective barriers and a cliff (beautiful, of course) below. Let’s go, we know which option we will choose when we come back here and it will be to do this trail on foot or this sea kayak ride .

As you can see by the little pieces of the porís that we bring you here in the form of a photo, it was totally worth every drop of sweat (and not only) that we released when we arrived and when we left here. Adrenaline was totally worth it.

Book here your hiking tour to reach the Porís de Candelaria on foot or book here your kayak tour to, besides getting to know the Porís de Candelaria, get to the impressive beautiful cave.

In addition, you can also visit the Cueva Bonita, also known on the island as the Sistine Chapel of the Atlantic (don’t make that face, at Randomtrip we are not fans of travel comparisons either). Apparently, this crystal clear cave located at the foot of the cliff served as a refuge for the local population against pirate attacks during the seventeenth century and now you can visit it by kayak for a couple of hours from Porís de Candelaria.

This cave is only accessible by sea from Porís, so if you want to go book your kayak tour to Cueva Bonita from Porís de Candelaria here.

This viewpoint , less known than the Mirador del Time that we will tell you about in a moment, is one of the ideal viewpoints to check the trail of the lava flow from the recent eruption of the Tajogaite volcano in September 2021 towards the south of the island, on its way to the sea where the new fajana , the youngest terrain in Europe, is currently located.

The Mirador del Time offers incredible views of the Aridane valley, the new Tajogaite volcano, and its impact: the huge lava flow to the sea. It has a terrace where you can have a drink and is also very popular to watch the sunset.

The viewpoint of Las Angustias is the namesake of the Barranco de Las Angustias, one of the most challenging parts of the trail through the Caldera del Taburiente (especially for the knees), an essential route through this national park of La Palma that we will tell you about below. It offers beautiful views, precisely, of the ravine with the sea in the background.

The viewpoint of La Cancelita offers a panoramic view of the national park Caldera del Taburiente, more specifically, towards the ravine of Las Angustias. It has a parking lot and benches where you can rest.

The area of Puerto de Tazacorte has a microclimate that makes it always (or almost always) sunny and with a few degrees more than the rest of the island. In fact, it is known as one of the places with more sunny days a year in Europe and it is noted that it has spread the word in northern Europe by the amount of tourism from those countries that are seen here. There is a great variety of accommodations with sea views and it is an excellent location to move around the island.

Its black sand beach is ideal for a dip or sunbathing and the various terraces along the promenade are a great plan for sunset, lunch, or dinner.

In addition, the caves and reefs of the coast of La Palma are joined by cetaceans to delight whale and dolphin lovers who want to observe them in their habitat, in freedom. From Puerto de Tazacorte you can live this adventure: book here your whale-watching catamaran trip of 2h30 from Puerto de Tazacorte .

If you want to get to know better the west coast of La Palma and explore its most unspoiled coves, you can hire this sailing trip from Tazacorte with a snack on board and snorkeling included!

Book a whale watching trip in this link or a sailing boat trip in this link . See accommodations in Tazacorte where to sleep here .

Los Llanos de Aridane is the most populated municipality of La Palma, and also one of the most affected by the Tajogaite eruption . It is an area with a large amount of flat land (hence its name “Los Llanos”, to which “de Aridane” was added to differentiate it from other places with the same name – “Aridane” is in theory “llano” – flat – in the aboriginal language), which is why it is an area with a large number of cultivated fields.

In the city center, you can stroll through the Plaza de España , where you will find the Church of Los Remedios and 11 “laurels of the Indies” brought from Cuba by emigrants in the mid-19th century, and visit the Benahoarita Archaeological Museum (temporarily closed for construction at the time of writing this guide). On the other hand, between 1999 and 2000 an initiative was carried out (CEMFAC ), due to the centenary of the city, to create a permanent outdoor exhibition of urban art, which currently has 28 works that you can find strolling through the streets.

For the best views of the city and the area, apart from the already mentioned Mirador del Time, you can climb the Castillo de la Virgen , from where you can also see the new volcano and its impact.

On the coast, the municipality has Puerto de Naos , one of the main “beach” tourist centers of the island, which has been closed to the public (locals and visitors) since the eruption due to the high concentration of noxious gases.

If you feel like exploring this coastline better by kayak, you can hire this kayak tour around El Remo and enjoy the coastline of La Palma starting from the small fishing village of the municipality of Los Llanos de Aridane, El Remo.

Los Llanos de Aridane is also, due to its location, an excellent base from which to explore La Palma:

Book your accommodation in Los Llanos de Aridane here.

An essential route and, we dare to say, one of the most beautiful we did in the Canary archipelago . If the Taburiente caldera is impressive to contemplate from a viewpoint (such as the viewpoint of the Cumbrecita ), imagine going into that landscape: it is breathtaking.

The route through the national park of La Palma, Caldera de Taburiente, is a 16 km linear route that Randomtrip did with Isla Bonita Tours (you can book here) and we highly recommend it, it was amazing.

Thanks to the explanations given to us by our incredible guide Jaga (without whom we would have missed half of it and would have fallen twice as many times), we realized the importance of the biodiversity of La Palma in general and of each of the points we passed through in particular. We learned a lot about the Canary Island pines! As strong, adaptable, and resilient as the people of La Palma have proven to be in the face of the recent eruption of the Tajogaite volcano.

The route starts at 1081 meters above sea level, at the Mirador de los Brecitos , up to the 200 meters altitude of the Barranco de las Angustias – that is, about 800 meters of elevation gain – but the 16km are practically all downhill .

Fofisana Randomtripper Difficulty Scale : Medium. Despite being all downhill, there are some parts of the route quite slippery and you will end the route with a lot of stiffness and some knee pain because of the Barranco de las Angustias.

Throughout the descent, we are accompanied by the imposing Roque Idafe , a very important figure for the Canarian ancestors . Three hours after starting the route, we make a stop to eat a snack and refresh our feet.

We passed through an iron-laden creek and arrived at one of the most sought-after (and photographed) points of the route: the Cascada de los Colores (Waterfall of Colors ). When we went there it did not have much water but it is impressive all the same.

Here is a summary of the points we passed through during the route:

• Los Brecitos Viewpoint
• 9 fat pines (detour)
• Camping Area
• The blowout
• Roque Idafe
• Las Angustias Ravine
• Cascade of Colors

Thank you Isla Bonita Tours for taking us by the hand to another of the most impressive corners of this beautiful island.

One of our favorite viewpoints of the island and one that we want to repeat to explore better with some route: the Cumbrecita viewpoint is impressive.

It is a viewpoint overlooking, of course, the Caldera de Taburiente and in fact, we visited it the same day we did the 16 km route through the national park, on the way back. From this viewpoint, there was another hiking route through the Caldera that has been closed due to danger (we were told that there were some deaths…).

You can get there by car but parking space is limited and regulated, so you have to reserve a parking space in advance on this national park website if you go to La Cumbrecita from 9:00h to 16:00h (if you go after that time, as in Randomtrip, you don’t have to). In our case, we went around 18:00h and you could already go without reservation (besides there was no one, just one more car) but be careful! you don’t have too many hours of daylight if you want to do any route. At the viewpoint, there is a simple route to the Roque viewpoint and finally to the Lomo de las Chozas. We were left with the desire, a plan for our next visit to La Palma.

The viewpoint of Tajuya is one of the most famous viewpoints of La Palma, since during the eruption of the Tajogaite Volcano, most television channels transmitted their images of the eruption from here. To access the viewpoint, you can park your car here .

The small Ermita de La Virgen del Pino was built to worship the Virgin Mary, who according to tradition appeared in the huge pine tree that stands next to it. This pine tree is between 600 and 800 years old, according to recent studies, and is in theory the tallest pine tree in the Canary archipelago.

The people of El Paso are very devoted to this virgin, whose descent (from the Ermita to the center of El Paso) takes place every 3 years. In 2021 the descent could not be made due to the pandemic, so it was made in 2022, being very emotional due to the recent and nearby eruption of the Tajogaite .

You can stop at these two viewpoints on your way to the points of interest in the northeast of the island (Charco Azul, Bosque de los Tilos, La Fajana…), as they are located precisely on that road and have space to stop the car and admire the views.

First, you have the Mirador Barranco de los Gomeros , which pays tribute with its bronze sculpture to the effort made by a large number of people from La Gomera who emigrated to La Palma contributing to the development of the island. The sculpture represents a Canarian woman looking at the horizon and whistling (in homage to the “silbo gomero” ). Weather permitting, from the viewpoint you can see the island of La Gomera (and also Tenerife).

A little further on we will find the Mirador de San Juanito , also with space to park the car, similar views to the previous one, and a table and benches where you can relax.

If you pass through this area of the island during the weekend, you should know that on Saturdays and Sundays, from 9 am to 2 pm, the Puntallana Municipal Market is held, where you can find, in addition to agricultural products such as fruits and vegetables, handicrafts and typical products to consume or take as a souvenir.

You can also take a walk through the narrow streets of its historic center, where you can appreciate its colonial houses and visit Casa Luján , a typical Canarian house of the seventeenth century now converted into an ethnographic museum and craft center. You can also visit the Fuente de San Juan ( a spring of water declared “Rincón por la Paz” in 1995) and the Fuentiña (old washing places where women used to wash their clothes).

The beautiful beach of the beautiful island . During the days we were on the island, we were constantly asked if we had already been to Nogales beach , and, upon arrival, we understood why.

The contrast between the black sand, the lush green, and the blue sea creates a postcard that makes it considered the most beautiful beach on the island. When we went there it was not a particularly good day and, in addition, the access to the beach was still closed due to construction works. We were left with the desire to enjoy it and we left it noted for our next visit to the island. Even so, it is undoubtedly worth a visit to contemplate it from above, at the Mirador de la Playa de Nogales , you will not regret it. To access the beach itself, you can park in this free parking .

Los Tilos Forest

The forest of Los Tilos is a Laurisilva forest of La Palma that is part of the Natural Park of Las Nieves. It was the first sector of La Palma to be cataloged as a Biosphere Reserve before it was extended to the rest of the island.

Entering the Bosque de los Tilos is like entering a magical world where you are always waiting for a fairy or an elf to be spying on you behind a fern.

The best way to get to know it is to do some of the trails that allow you to contemplate and explore it. There are two main hiking routes that we detail below:

• El Cubo de la Galga : an easy 9 km circular route that starts and ends at the Visitor Center. It was the one we did, we recommend it and give you more details below.
• Marcos y Cordero : a difficult circular route of 12 km , currently partially closed, you can check the status when you visit La Palma on the official website of trails of La Palma .

If you prefer to hire a guided hiking tour through the forest of Los Tilos, you can make a 3 in 1 with this tour that will take you to the route through the Bosque de los Tilos , then to cool off to take a dip in the Charco Azul and ends with a visit to the La Aldea Rum Distillery . How do you see it? Book here :

El Cubo de la Galga is a relatively simple hiking route that we highly recommend to get into the laurisilva forest of La Palma .

We have a Randomtip (a little trick based on our experience): to give you. The official route, which starts from the Visitor Center , forces you to do a stretch, in our opinion, less interesting and quite steep, round trip, so we decided to do only the completely circular part, which is where you see the Laurisilva. To do this, you can start the route at this point (it is circular so you will return to it), and park the car nearby (be careful, there is hardly any space, although when we went there was no car parked there). To access this point, you have to take this specific detour from the main road

Difficulty Scale : Easy. It is a simple route, with some slope (in La Palma there is always some slope due to the orography of the island), and some slippery parts due to the mud.

The trail also has spectacular views from the Mirador de Somada Alta from where, on a clear day, you can see Tenerife and La Gomera!

If you prefer, you can book this excursion that not only takes you through the enchanted laurisilva forest but also takes you to the most beautiful beach on the island, Playa de Nogales. Book here .

This other route through Los Tilos is a hiking route with more difficulty but, according to what we were told, it is spectacular. It is ideal to contemplate the Laurisilva de la Palma, it goes through several tunnels and you even have to carry a flashlight and water protection. In other words, a more adventurous route with more adrenaline than the previous one. At Randomtrip we didn’t do it because it was closed due to a landslide when we visited the island, but we leave you this article from La Gaveta Voladora in which they detail the route and tell about their experience .

One of the most interesting interpretation centers on the island with a visit to an impressive archaeological site: a natural cave where about twenty Benahoaritas, natives of La Palma, lived for (at least) a thousand years .

Going to the Archaeological Park El Tendal is a walk through the past of the island and the lives of the ancestors and ancestresses of the Palmeros. In the interpretation center we will learn about their household goods (through pottery and lithic pieces), daily activities (through bones of domestic fauna, food evidence of marine origin, vegetable collection, coals), their magical-religious beliefs (through, for example, rock engravings and piles of stones) and even their burial customs . Not only did we learn through all these pieces of enormous value but also through audiovisual information panels and the person at the center who guides you through details of the lives of those who lived here.

The El Tendal archaeological site is more than 60 meters wide and consists of a settlement of small caves: 27 habitation caves, 3 necropoleis, and a small cave engraving station .

Recently, another excavation campaign was carried out in El Tendal which, according to the multidisciplinary team in charge, revolutionized what was known about this site since the 1980s as, apparently, the aborigines continued to live in El Tendal longer than previously thought. In addition, they say, “the stratigraphic power of this site, which was already the largest in the Canary Islands, has increased from seven to nine meters. A large number of archaeological remains have been found in an exceptional state of preservation”. We read it in this RTVC news.

As a bonus, the restaurant in the archaeological park overlooks the sea and the impressive ravine where the cave is located and has delicious dishes so if you get hungry before or after the visit do not think twice. Tip: if you eat dairy products, ask for the grilled cheese and you won’t regret it…

The archaeological park and interpretation center is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00h to 18:00h and Sundays and Mondays from 10:00h to 15:00h. The entrance fee is 8€ per person (4€ for Canarian residents), free for children under 12 years old.

We stopped in the picturesque village of San Andrés , part of the municipality of San Andrés y Sauces , for lunch in the Plaza de San Andrés and were in for a surprise. San Andres has a set of cobbled streets, a beautiful church in the square, and the church of San Andres , between palm trees and sea views. A small appetizer that foreshadowed the surprise that we would take in its capital, Santa Cruz .

The best thing to do is to take a dip in San Andres where we will tell you about it below.

The natural pools of Charco Azul , on the coast of San Andres, have turquoise water and are suitable for all ages. You will find the blue pool, of greater dimension and protected from the waves of the sea, and also a children’s pool with smooth bottom. They also have free parking , kiosk, and restrooms.

During the summer they are quite crowded and, apparently, this fame increased after a recent remodeling that now, in addition to the natural pools, also has a small waterfall, solarium, showers, and changing rooms.

The Ron La Aldea distillery is not only what it looks like. In reality, we are in front of the Sugar Cane and Rum Interpretation Center (Distillery and Museum) , a factory founded in 1936 in La Aldea de San Nicolás (in Gran Canaria ) that gives it its name. (By the way, one of the places where we were happiest during our visit to Gran Canaria, you can read about it here ). And how does it end here in La Palma?

The best people to answer this question are the people of the museum, but we will tell you a little about it: Don Manuel Quevedo Alemán, born in Arucas, Gran Canaria (you will also know his rum factory there ) emigrated at a very young age, first to Cuba and then to Santo Domingo . In both places he worked in sugar factories and, when he returned, he helped his father and uncle in their own sugar factory, later becoming the director of the factory. The impact of World War I caused production to be almost nil and in 1919, a year after the end of the war, he closes the factory. In fact, he sells the main equipment – himself included – to a Portuguese from Madeira , so he goes to this Portuguese island where he stays for 15 years (and becomes the director of a sugar factory).

Returning to the Canary Islands in 1934, with the idea of continuing in the world of sugar and distillation, he started the rum factory La Aldea, which opened its doors in 1936 and began to produce more every year, especially because local farmers saw in the sweet cane an alternative crop to the crisis that was occurring in export agriculture , mainly tomatoes. With the decline in local sugar cane production, the factory closed in 1960 and opened in La Palma in 1969, where the fourth generation of the family is still in charge.

You can visit the factory and learn about the production process of sugar cane grown on the island and the rum distillation process. It has a store selling local products if you want to take home a souvenir. The entrance fee to the museum with tasting included is 5€/person (prior reservation on this website ) but if you just want to visit the store it is free. It is open from Monday to Friday from 09:00h to 14:00h and from 15:00h to 17:00h.

You can make a 3 in 1 with this excursion that will take you to take a dip in the Charco Azul after hiking through the Bosque de los Tilos to finish with a visit to the rum distillery La Aldea . How do you see it? Make a reservation here

Nearby is a black sand beach protected by the port, the beach of Puerto Espindola . We did not get to go there but we were recommended to enter the water in the area next to the breakwater since the area near the port has more rocks that make it difficult to enter the sea. If you are hungry, we were told about the restaurant Mesón del Mar but we did not try it so we cannot speak from experience.

Another ideal area for a dip north of the island is La Fajana . Here we find several natural pools , artificially created with seawater and protected from the waves.

In addition, this area has an area to relax and a restaurant with excellent views and excellent fish, La Gaviota (Jonas from Isla Bonita Tours recommended it to us and we loved it!)

El Tablado is located between two of the largest ravines of the island, the Barranco de Los Hombres and Facundo, and is a privileged point from which to contemplate the imposing cliffs that descend to the sea.

The Cultural Park of La Zarza is a natural enclave and an archaeological zone. Although the Visitor’s Center to learn about the cave stations of the Benahoarita culture, La Zarza, and La Zarcita, is closed to the public at the time of writing this guide, you can make the hiking route. We were recommended the Caldera del Agua route that starts next to the Interpretation Center and ends in Don Pedro , in the north of the island. In Randomtrip we did not get to do this route but here you can find more details of the route .

This archaeological site, known as the Petroglyphs of Santo Domingo , was discovered in 1922 and its current appearance is very different from what it looked like at the time since the petroglyphs were apparently part of a pyramid. Currently, the main nucleus of the site is formed by an alignment of large rocks, some with engravings that represent geometric ideograms (spirals, meandriforms, concentric semicircles, etc.) executed with the picado technique.

We read on the explanatory panel next to the site that, in reality, the rock engraving station is much larger and extends over a large part of the spine that has been deeply altered by agricultural work.

To reach them, you can park here and walk a few meters:

Nearby is this viewpoint where you can go to contemplate the views, especially of the Roque de Santo Domingo . From the Santo Domingo de Garafia viewpoint, you can enjoy a breathtaking view of the rock, and the cliffs towards the sea, and, in fact, it is one of the ideal spots on the island to enjoy the sunset at sea. It has ample parking to leave the car and go down to the Port of Santo Domingo or a nearby cove.

Considered by some the best beach on the island (dethroning Nogales Beach) Bujaren beach is not easily accessible and you have to check beforehand if it is at low tide to access it but it is very close if you are in the mood for adventure, hiking and a dip. We haven’t visited it so we don’t know how it is, if you do go, please let us know if you liked it better than Nogales in the comments!

South La Palma

This incredible island surprises in every corner and it turns out that not only in its imposing nature boasts colorful , but also in its facades of colonial architecture in its capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma.

The historic-artistic complex of Santa Cruz invites you to spend at least a morning (or an afternoon) in the capital (and if you have more hours to dedicate to it, you will not regret it), so here is a breakdown of the main points to include in the tour:

• Calle Real : In the main artery of Santa Cruz we will find some of the most outstanding examples of traditional civil architecture such as the Salazar Palace with its wrought iron parapet balcony and elegant facade. It is currently a center for the sale of handicrafts so it is worth a look, not only to take a souvenir but also to see the large central courtyard inside. It used to be the main house of the Salazar family, a wealthy family originally from Burgos. Other examples of this architecture on the same street are the Casa Massieu Tello de Eslava, the Casa Pinto, or the Casa Sotomayor, all mansions of wealthy families built in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries . If you want to delve more into the art and heritage of La Palma , the Junonia Interpretation Center , located in an old house also of traditional architecture, has a good collection.

If on your walk through the center, you feel like a coffee or a cake, make a stop at Café Don Manuel , one of the mythical of the capital, and enjoy a coffee in one of the most beautiful courtyards…

• The Balconies of the Avenida Marítima : These colorful and flowery balconies stand out in the walk through the center and it is not surprising that it is one of the symbols of the capital that inspires more photographs to those who set foot on the island. We have read that they are of Portuguese influence and, if you know some Portuguese cities, you will not be surprised. We recommend you to cross the road and admire the balconies from the sea, feeling the trade winds on your face in the Avenida Marítima .

• Plaza de España and Iglesia del Salvador : It should be noted that the main facade of the church by the square as well as the rear facade and the bell tower were made with stonework of volcanic origin . In this square, together with the town hall (which we will talk about later) and the fountain form a unique Renaissance ensemble in the Canary Islands .

• Santa Cruz de la Palma City Hall : The first democratically elected city hall in Spain in 1773 has a Renaissance façade with arches on the first floor. It stands out, on the outside, with the reliefs and inscriptions with the virtues and vices of good and bad government and , inside, the mural painting and woodwork (inspired by traditional Canarian languages).

• Real Sociedad Cosmológica-Biblioteca Municipal : Founded in 1881, it was originally created to disseminate knowledge of natural sciences, hosting important meetings of medical, botanical, and biologist personnel and becoming one of the most important spaces in the scientific history of La Palma . As a curiosity, it is located in the old bakery house of Santa Cruz.

• Calle San Sebastián and the Barrio de la Canela : One of the most popular neighborhoods of the capital with several examples of traditional Canarian architecture, the Barrio de la Canela earned its name due to the cinnamon aroma of the sweets that were made here. It is worth stopping at the Ermita de San Sebastián and the Plaza de Dornajo , once an obligatory stop for merchants, since this is where the “Camino Real de los Puertos”, the main path for the exchange of goods from one side of the island to the other, from east to west, used to run.
• Barrio de San Telmo and Ermita de la Luz : Like the Barrio de la Canela, walking through the neighborhood of San Telmo is sure to see good examples of traditional Canarian architecture . In addition, the Ermita de La Luz played a very important role in the history of the neighborhood as it is dedicated to San Pedro Gonzalez Telmo and Nuestra Señora de La Luz, patron saints of sailors.
• Plaza and Church of Santo Domingo : We only contemplate its exterior facade but, apparently, inside it hides good examples of Flemish art (reminiscent of the era of trade with the Netherlands in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries), American Baroque (canvas of Our Lady of Guadalupe), Flemish Renaissance and Canarian classicism, a small treasure .
• Teatro Circo de Marte and Teatro Chico : The Teatro Circo de Marte was inaugurated in 1871 as a place for circus shows and cockfights, and was later renovated during World War I (1914-1918). It currently hosts concerts and plays . The Chico Theater is the only cinema in Santa Cruz , so if you want to see a movie on your visit to the island, you know where to go. It is located on the former site of the oratory of the extinct Hospital de Dolores and has an Italian style.

• La Recova- Plaza de Mercado : Getting to know the markets of the new places we visit is one of our favorite activities and in Santa Cruz, we could not miss it. La Recova is the municipal market of the capital. Of classicist style, it is located in the first lot of the old Hospital de Dolores and it is ideal to buy some delicacies of La Palma products with Denomination of Origin as wines or cheeses.

If you have time, at the top of the Avenida del Puente is a beautiful 17th century mansion of the Massieu family that was dedicated to the cultivation of Malvasia vineyards called the Quinta Verde .

• Placeta del Borrero : one of the most beautiful corners of the capital is this square surrounded by traditional Canarian houses and with a basalt stone fountain of Arucas in the middle.

• Plazuela de La Cruz de Tercero , one of the most beautiful squares of Santa Cruz, this small square is located at the southern end of the Plaza de la Alameda and has a nice terrace where you can have a drink. Its name comes from the wooden cross in the center of the square, planted by Alonso Fernandez de Lugo after the conquest of the island in 1493, initially in the ravine of Las Nieves and erected here after a storm that dragged it from the ravine, its first location.

• Church of San Francisco : built by the Franciscan friars in 1508, this beautiful white church that we only see from the outside, hides inside valuable sculptures such as El Señor de la piedra Fría that stars in the main procession of Maundy Thursday.

• Insular Museum of La Palma : It is located right next to the Church of San Francisco, in a former Franciscan convent. In its interior, besides admiring the architecture of the convent, it has a collection of unique pieces of fine arts and natural sciences . It shares the “convent” with the José Perez Vidal Island Library and the General Archive of La Palma.

• Plaza de la Alameda : This square populated by laurel trees with a nice kiosk in the middle was originally conceived in the nineteenth century for the coexistence of neighbors and still fulfills that function. When you pass by, stop at the sculpture of the Dwarf , a key piece in the idiosyncrasy of the palm tree and symbol of the island.

• Castillo de Santa Catalina : One of the best examples of military architecture in the Canary Islands , the Castillo de Santa Catalina (so called because of its proximity to the chapel of Santa Catalina de Alejandría) is one of the fortresses that were built in the capital of the island to defend it from attacks by pirates and corsairs after the disappearance of the first castle.

• Castillo de la Virgen : It is located at the top of the northern bank of the ravine of Las Nieves and, together with the Barco de la Virgen (which we will talk about in a moment) they are the protagonists of one of the most popular and emotional events on the island: the Bajada de la Virgen (Descent of the Virgin) . If you have time, go up to the castle to contemplate the incredible views from above.
• Naval Museum Barco de la Virgen : As we said in the previous point, together with the Castillo de la Virgen, this emblematic ship takes on special prominence in the Bajada de la Virgen in the event “Dialogue between the ship and the castle “. Inside is a collection of portulan charts (also known as portulan charts , manuals used in medieval navigation), models of ships built in the same shipyards of La Palma in the nineteenth century and other documents of naval architecture.

• Plaza and Church of the Incarnation : Next to the Castle of the Virgin is this square from which to enjoy beautiful views. The church was the first religious construction of the eastern side of the island : after the conquest, a primitive temple was built here until the center of the city was moved to the ravine of Los Dolores.
• Avenida Marítima and Santa Cruz de La Palma Beach : If you feel like taking a walk feeling the trade winds on your face, you can walk the entire Avenida Marítima in peace and quiet. If the weather is good and you feel like a dip, the beach of the capital has fine black sand, showers and toilets.

Santa Cruz is one of the ideal bases to stay in La Palma. We recommend the Galéon apartments (from 40€/night) or, if you are looking for something more beautiful, Casa Alves , a real museum (from 70€/night) if you are two people. If there are more of you, check out the Residencial La Mar (from 72€/night) with two bedrooms or the amazing Casa Celestino (from 120€/night).

In the surroundings of Santa Cruz, you can take the opportunity to visit :

• Royal Sanctuary of Our Lady of Las Nieves

• Viewpoint and Hermitage of Nuestra Señora de La Concepción , from where you will have an incredible bird’s eye view of Santa Cruz.

On the road leading to Los Llanos (the one that goes through the La Cumbre tunnel), weather permitting, don’t miss the Mirador de La Cumbre :

Find your accommodation in Santa Cruz de la Palma , one of the best bases to stay and move around the island. Book here .

One of the most tourist areas of La Palma, Los Cancajos has a huge semi-urban beach of black sand (when we went there it was very windy) and a great offer of accommodation and restaurants. Take a look at the number of options to sleep in Los Cancajos.

In Los Cancajos you can also find a pyramid, the Pyramid of Vandama , which unfortunately is in a state of abandonment and without any protection or information. It is not known (or we did not find information) for sure what was the purpose of these constructions, but you can read more about it here, as well as see other pyramids on the island . To get to the pyramid, you can park here and access the pyramid area here .

Los Cancajos is one of the places where you will find more accommodation and from where it is very practical to shorten distances to visit the island, check accommodations here . If you are two people, for example the Apartamentos Oasis San Antonio (from 45 € / night) are great value for money or, if you go with children, the Apartamentos Centro Los Cancajos (from 70 € / night) 150 meters from the Playa de los Cancajos.

In addition, Los Cancajos is a meeting point for several of the excursions on La Palma. One of our favorites is stargazing from Breña Baja . If you are on the island with one of the best skies in the world, you can’t miss this opportunity. Book your tour here .

When you reach the area of the island where both the Museo del Puro Palmero and the Puros Artesanos Julio factory are located, Breña Alta , it will seem as if you have arrived in other latitudes, more specifically, in Cuba.

And the fact is that the emigration to American lands is an important part of the history of the island that is reflected in these two visits. Although relations between La Palma and Cuba have always existed, it was in the 19th century that they became closer, since between 1848 and 1898 more than 18% of the total population of the island emigrated from La Palma to America, fleeing from famine. Of all these people from La Palma, the great majority found a place of refuge in Cuba .

It was through emigrants from La Palma who returned from Cuba to their native land that the “novel” cultivation of tobacco was introduced on the island , which was already widespread in Cuban lands. La Breña was precisely one of the best areas where tobacco plantations proliferated, standing out for their high quality.

In the Museo del Puro Palmero you can learn more about the history of the Canarian cigar, its cultivation, preparation, types of tobacco, decoration rings, commercialization with the support of explanatory panels and audiovisuals. You will learn that although the land dedicated to cultivation has decreased in La Breña, it is still an active center of tobacco, fruit and vegetable production. At present, there are several pureros who roll tobacco in Breña Alta, a task that keeps alive the deep-rooted tradition and the direct relationship between Cuba and La Palma.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The entrance fee is 3€. (2€ for residents).

Nearby is the factory of Puros Artesanos Julio , an authentic cultural treasure of La Palma. The cigars that Julio and his family make today are born of a long tradition that took its first steps in 1950. To approach its facilities is to travel back in time and learn about a historical practice , from the process of tobacco cultivation in the plantations on the island to its production using traditional tools, since the entire process is manual.

They explained the whole process from harvesting until the cigar is ready to be enjoyed by those who appreciate them . We were able to see how they tie the tobacco leaves into bundles and arrange them on long cujes (sticks arranged horizontally) for drying. Then, the leaves are selected and piled up in layers of different sizes, colors and textures. Next, the artisan, on his or her wooden board, rolls the leaves and cuts them to shape the different cigars (shorter, longer, thicker, or thinner) that are so highly prized.

You can visit the Puros Artesanos Julio factory from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm and from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Admission is free.

In this archaeological park , located in the village of Mazo, are the first petroglyphs found in the Canary Islands in the eighteenth century. It has ten natural caves, a cave engraving station and, of course, an interpretation center to help us understand what we see.

The price is 2€/person and it is open from Monday to Saturday from 10:00h to 15:00h.

Being the second youngest island of the Canary Islands with a geological age of only 1.7 million years, La Palma is considered to be still in the growth phase, what specialists call the “shield phase”. In the municipality of Fuencaliente this youth is very visible since four volcanoes have erupted in its territory after the conquest of the island in 1493: the volcanoes of Martín in 1946, El Charco in 1712, the eruptions of 1677 around the crater of San Antonio, and the very recent eruption of Teneguía in 1971. It was precisely this last one that had the greatest impact on our trip to the island, after visiting, of course, the area affected by the Tajogaite volcano whose eruption was only a few months ago, in September 2021.

The Teneguía Volcano erupted in 1971 and was, until September 2021, the most recent volcano on the island and in Spain. We can say that when we stepped on the Teneguía volcano we felt like we were traveling to the future. Why?

Because here we can freely walk through the affected area of a volcano that erupted 51 years ago. Since the affected area of the current Tajogaite volcano that erupted in September 2021 will be a Protected Landscape of the island and at the moment it is only possible to walk through it with a guided tour, the path where you walk freely in the landscape of the area affected by the Teneguía volcano is quite similar to what the eyes of those who walk through the affected area of the Tajogaite volcano will see in a few years .

But really it all starts at the San Antonio Volcano and its visitor center. The San Antonio Volcano erupted in 1677, burying among other things the hot springs of Fuente Santa (which gave the area its name). It has a perfectly round crater, and from the visitor center you can access it, from where you can see the caldera of the same (with plenty of vegetation) and the neighboring and more recent Teneguía Volcano.

The Visitor Center is small but has a lot of information about volcanology, the origin of the Canary Islands, and more specific information about these two volcanoes (San Antonio and Teneguía):

The visitor center is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (in summer until 6:30 pm). The price of the visitor center is 5€ per person.

It was precisely in Fuencaliente that we decided to stay because one of the two roads leading there (the west, LP-2) was buried under lava and, for this reason, being more affected by the lack of tourism. It is not the area that suits you best if you want to shorten distances but, we insist again, if there is a latent concern for the local population in all our trips, in this one we gave it special priority because of the bad patch the island is going through after the eruption. We stayed in a little house of a charming Italian couple that lives next door, El Sueño, we leave you the link in case you are interested and here are a few more options in the area. More options of Where to Sleep in La Palma here

The Ruta de los Volcanes is one of the most famous and incredible hiking routes of La Palma , within the Cumbre Vieja Natural Park. It has a length of 22km, a difference in altitude of 1207m, and is considered a difficult route (it takes between 6 and 8 hours to complete). It takes us from the refuge of El Pilar to Fuencaliente. More info about the route here

Since the famous hiking route Ruta de los Volcanes could not be done during our visit due to the eruption of the Tajogaite volcano (it is now possible to do it), in Randomtrip we did the part of the route that was open, the Pequeña Ruta de los Volcanes that takes us for 6km (all downhill) to the Faro de Fuencaliente lighthouse.

The “Small Route of the Volcanoes” starts at the Visitor Center of the San Antonio Volcano (after passing through the cashier, although not mandatory to do the route), passing through the affected area of the Teneguía Volcano , where we can visit more closely (to its crater) with a small detour of 0,8km, passing through volcanic landscapes of the eruption of 71, to the Faro de Fuencaliente where, in the end, we gave ourselves a tribute with a meal in the restaurant El jardín de la Sal in front of the salt mines of Fuencaliente (we recommend you to book because it gets full).

A photographic summary of the points through which we passed:

Fofisana Randomtripper Difficulty Scale : Easy. A 6km linear route with little gradient and stable terrain.

In addition to being able to hike through the area affected by the recent eruption of the Tajogaite volcano , this route seems to be the perfect place to visualize and experience the type of terrain generated by these eruptions .

The views of the route are spectacular and it is a simple route . The route is linear, if you make the detour to the Teneguía it takes about 2 hours (or so it took in our case), and the easiest way is to go first to the lighthouse to leave the car, go up by bus to the Visitor Center ( you can see the schedules here , when we went there was from 9:45 every 2 hours, and the trip is half an hour), and do the route from there.

It is also recommended, as we told you before, to book the Thematic Restaurant El Jardín de La Sal , right next to the salt flats, where you can have a great meal overlooking the sea. Depending on the time you arrive, you can also take a well-deserved dip next to the lighthouse (at the Playa del Faro ), or a few minutes’ drive away, at the Playa de Echentive, which we will tell you about next.

If in addition to hiking, you feel like tasting some local wines, another plan is a visit to the Teneguía wineries , where you can learn about the winemaking process and, of course, taste them.

The salt mines of Fuencaliente were created in 1967, without stopping salt production since then and being the only ones on the island. They are a magical place to watch the sunset, where the blue of the sea, the black basalt, and the pink and reflections of the salt contrast. They can be toured in a self-guided circuit with explanatory panels in about 20-30 minutes (free), has a small souvenir store and a high-quality restaurant where we ate very well (important to book) on the recommendation of Jonás, from Isla Bonita Tours .

Next to it we also find the Fuencaliente Lighthouse . Actually, there are two lighthouses, since the first one suffered several damages due to the eruption of the Teneguía Volcano in 1971, so another one had to be built, the one that still works today, and the old one was rebuilt to turn it into the Interpretation Center of the Marine Reserve . The old one is the stone one, while the new one is the one with red and white stripes.

Actually, it is fortunate that both places still exist, since the lava of Teneguía surrounded them and they were not completely destroyed “by miracle “ (here you can see an image of where the lava passed through ).

This is also the end of the volcanoes route, so if you are going to do it, it may be a great idea to reserve the restaurant for a well-deserved lunch; when you finish, you can take a swim at the Faro beach .

Nearby there is a small, isolated, and uncrowded beach, Playa de las Cabras .

Also known as “Playa Nueva” (although now there will be another one newer than this one, after the recent eruption of the Tajogaite volcano just a few months ago), the Echentive beach was built by the eruption of the Teneguía volcano in 1971. It is a beach of black sand and callaos , beautiful and surrounded by the volcanic landscape. To access it, you can park your car here .

At the entrance to the beach, you can see access to where the thermal waters with medicinal properties that give a name to the area (Fuencaliente) were located, the Galería Fuente Santa . Also here you can appreciate the youth of Fuencaliente, in the presence of residual heat from volcanic activity. After being buried by one of the lava flows from the eruption of 1677, the gallery was rediscovered in 2005.

Next to it is the Aljibe , some pools also generated by the volcanic eruption, highly photogenic.

The viewpoints Mirador Las Calderetitas and Mirador de las Indias are both located near Fuencaliente, and from them, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the sea and wonderful sunsets.

The Mirador El Charco is located on the LP-2 road, between Fuencaliente and Las Manchas, and from it, you can see the Tamanca Protected Landscape and a fantastic sunset.

Las Manchas is a small town severely affected by the ash from the eruption of the Tajogaite volcano ; when we visited many of the streets were accessible only by locals.

Due to the winds, much of the ash expelled by the Tajogaite came in the direction of the spots , literally burying many of the houses in the area.

When we visited La Palma a large part of Las Manchas was closed, but if when you go there you can, they told us wonderful things about Plaza La Glorieta .

The Caños del Fuego Interpretation Center arose from the discovery of a set of volcanic tubes in the area of Las Manchas, from the solidification of the lava emanating from the eruption of the San Juan Volcano in 1949.

In this center, we can learn about the geological formations that develop before and after volcanic eruptions through a guided tour of the volcanic tube in the “Cueva de Vidrio “, the informative and audiovisual panels, and a viewpoint at the top of the center. In addition, on the other side of the road from the center is a system of floating walkways that give access to a floating glass viewpoint with breathtaking views that, in turn, also give access to the Cueva de las Palomas Volcanic Tube . You can book a 2-hour tour of the Cueva de las Palomas here .

When we visited the island, Caños de Fuego was closed due to the recent eruption of the Tajogaite volcano but, at the time of writing this guide, it is now open and accessible via the new provisional road .

The interpretation center is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00h to 18:00h and Sundays and Mondays from 10:00h to 15:00h. The entrance fee is 8€ per person (4€ for Canary Island residents), free for children under 12 years old.

Although we could not visit it due to the recent eruption of the Tajogaite, the Mirador Astronómico Llano del Jable has incredible views of the island and also of the night sky. Some of the astronomical observation tours, such as this one, take place here.

If you want to get inspired, we have saved on our Instagram (don’t you follow us yet?), in Featured Stories, a selection of the ones we made during our trip to the island of La Palma:

• La Palma I: the volcano and the affected area, Caldera de Taburiente, Santa Cruz de La Palma, Volcán de San Antonio, and Volcán de Teneguía, the Faro de las Salinas
• La Palma II: Puerto de Garafía, Roque de los Muchachos, La Fajana, Puerto de Tazacorte, Los Tilos y Cubo de la Galga, Porís de Candelaria, los Cancajos, Los Nogales, El Tendal, Puntagorda

La Palma is a paradise for hiking , with more than 1000km of routes marked with colored beacons, indicators of the type of route, and information panels. In addition, all the municipalities of the island have viewpoints dedicated to the observation of the landscape (both during the day and at night), and, in fact, it is from some of these viewpoints that the routes (day and night) start through the extensive network of trails on the island .

Since the eruption of 2021 there are some closed trails, be well informed before you go to know the status of each of the trails (here is usually the updated information of the trails that are partially or completely closed ).

Here are the most incredible trails of La Palma:

• https://www.visitlapalma.es/rutas/parque-nacional-de-la-caldera-de-taburiente-pr-lp-13/
• https://www.senderosdelapalma.es/senderos/lista-de-senderos/senderos-pequeno-recorrido/pr-lp-13-los-llanos-de-aridane-caldera-de-taburiente/

• https://www.visitlapalma.es/rutas/ruta-de-los-volcanes/
• https://www.senderosdelapalma.es/senderos/lista-de-senderos/senderos-gran-recorrido/gr-131-etapa-3-refugio-de-el-pilar-fuencaliente/

• Small Route of the Volcanoes : 1 to 2 hours in duration. Difficulty: Easy. Final route of the Ruta de Los Volcanes, from Los Canarios to Las Salinas de Fuencaliente passing by the San Antonio Volcano and the Teneguía (1971), with a length of 5km. It is recommended to park the car at the lighthouse and take the bus to start the route (see timetables here: https://www.tilp.es/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Líneas-TILP.pdf ); when we went there were buses from 9:45 every 2 hours.

• https://www.visitlapalma.es/rutas/marcos-y-cordero-los-tilos-pr-lp-6/
• http://www.senderosdelapalma.es/senderos/lista-de-senderos/senderos-pequeno-recorrido/pr-lp-06-los-sauces-los-tilos/

• https://www.visitlapalma.es/rutas/cubo-de-la-galga-pr-lp-5-1/
• https://www.senderosdelapalma.es/senderos/lista-de-senderos/senderos-pequeno-recorrido/pr-lp-05-1-cubo-de-la-galga/

• El Tablado- Gallegos (Part GR 130 Barlovento-Garafía). Duration: 4-5 hours. Difficulty: High.
• Pico de la Nieve Route : Semi-circular route of approximately 3 hours. Difficulty: Easy. Before it was a passage to the other end of the island, today the ascent to the Pico de la Nieve is one of the routes of the island, with only 432m of elevation gain and a length of 6 kilometers along the road that goes to the Roque de los Muchachos. The route starts at the parking lot of Roque de los Muchachos at almost 1900 meters altitude.

Here are a couple of informative brochures with trails: one and the other one .

La Palma is also an island sought after by diving enthusiasts since volcanic eruptions have generated an ecosystem of rocks, arches, towers, and fascinating underwater caves . In addition, the other point is the luminosity of its waters, where visibility reaches up to 50 meters. However, be aware of the currents that may exist as well as the fact that the island is a Marine Reserve area, subject to certain regulations.

You can book your diving baptism in La Palma (Fuencaliente) here .

There are several dive sites on the island, here we highlight the four dive areas and some of the main dive sites in each of them:

• El Laberinto-Las Gorgonias (La Bombilla, 25-45 meters)
• Santa Úrsula (Tazacorte, 17 meters)
• Bajón de los Petos (Tazacorte, 46 meters)
• Arcos del Charco Verde (18 meters)
• Malpique Tower (15-45 meters)
• Playa de las Cabras (30-45 meters)
• Punta Larga (15-25 meters)
• Puerto Espindola (30 meters)
• Charco Azul (26-50 meters)
• Puerto Trigo (25 meters)
• Los Cancajos (15-35 meters)

Although we have not dived on La Palma, these dive centers were recommended to us:

• Buceo Sub La Palma : Book or contact directly through their website
• La Palma Diving Center : Book or contact via email [email protected]
• Tauchpartner La Palma : Check out the dives they offer on their website and contact them by email at [email protected] .
• Casa de Buceo : Book or contact directly through their web site
• La Palma Atlantic Experience . Book or contact directly through their website

In this official pdf of the government of La Palma , you find the main dive sites of the island.

Book your diving baptism in La Palma (Fuencaliente) here or if you prefer, watch the fish and the remains of the lava flows of the Teneguía volcano with snorkel (snorkel, goggles and wetsuit included) here

Another incredible maritime activity you can do around the island is whale and dolphin watching on a glass bottom boat in Puerto de Tazacorte. Book your tour here

Taking into account the orography of the island and the distances, the ideal is to base in the central area of the island , either in the east of the island, in Santa Cruz or Los Cancajos , or in the west of the island, in Tazacorte or Los Llanos de Aridane . In our case, to try to help the people affected by the eruption, we chose to stay in the south, in Fuencaliente , which due to the cut of the west road, was receiving considerably less tourism, and it was an excellent decision. Here we recommend a few accommodations:

Where to stay in Santa Cruz de La Palma

• Apartamentos El Galeón (from 40€/night): apartment for two people, centrally located with sea and city views and with everything you need to cook.
• Ático Las Palomas (from 52€/night): Penthouse with 1 bedroom and sofa bed for up to 3 persons, in the old town of Santa Cruz with views
• Apartmento Arena (from 63€/night): two-bedroom apartment for up to 4 people, 5 minutes from the center of Santa Cruz, with a fully equipped kitchen.
• Casa Alves, last third 16th century (from 70€/night): one-bedroom apartment (which looks like a real museum) with a terrace and view in the heart of Santa Cruz but in a quiet street with no noise:
• Residencial La Mar (from 72€/night): it has a Penthouse for up to 5 people and an Apartment with a terrace for up to 6 people, both overlooking the beach of Santa Cruz.
• Lovely Apartment (from 85€/night): very special 1-bedroom 2-story apartment with sea views

• Casa Celestino (from 120€/night): a two-bedroom house ideal for exploring the center of Santa Cruz on foot.

See more options where to sleep in Santa Cruz here

Where to stay in Los Cancajos

• Apartamentos Oasis San Antonio (from 45€/night): one-bedroom apartments with kitchen. The complex has an outdoor swimming pool and supermarkets and restaurants nearby.

• Aparthotel El Cerrito (from 62€/night): apartments for two people and a triple apartment with a sofa bed with a terrace or balcony and sea views. The aparthotel has a swimming pool for adults and a children’s pool.
• Apartmentos La Caleta (from 63€/night): one-bedroom apartments 500 meters from the beach; the complex has an outdoor swimming pool (also for children), playground, golf area, and bar/restaurant.

• Apartamentos Centro Los Cancajos (from 70€/night): apartments for two adults or two adults and two children, 150 meters from the beach of Los Cancajos, with terrace and sea views.

• AstroSunrise (from 79€/night): one-bedroom apartment with sea views. It has a swimming pool in the complex, a restaurant, supermarkets nearby, and Los Cancajos beach at 600 meters.

See more options where to sleep in Los Cancajos here

Where to stay in Tazacorte

• My Home Apartment (from 80€/night): apartment with 2 bedrooms for 3 persons (1 double bed and 1 single bed) and fully equipped kitchen.
• Apartamentos Ana (85€/night): apartment with two bedrooms for 4 people (1 double bed, 2 single beds) and a terrace from which to watch the sunset.
• La Sal (from 150€/night): amazing 2-bedroom apartment on the beachfront. Accommodates up to 4 people, has private parking, terrace, kitchen, bathroom with whirlpool bathtub.
• Hotel Hacienda de Abajo – Adults Only (from 280€/night) or, sleep in a palace in Tazacorte with sea views. If you are looking for something very special, come in and see the photos . The decor of this adults-only hotel is impressive (each room is different) and guests have free access to the Spa. It has an outdoor heated pool, a garden with exotic plants, and a spa with Finnish sauna, whirlpool, massage and other treatments.

See more options to sleep in Tazacorte here

Where to stay in Los Llanos de Aridane

• Habitación Deluxe in Los Llanos (from 30€/night): house with large room with king size bed. The house has a kitchen and bathroom.
• Apartmento Margarita (from 47€/night): two-bedroom apartment, sleeps up to 4 people. It has a fully equipped kitchen and all the reviews speak highly of the hosts and the welcoming details.
• Baobab House (from 63€/night): two-bedroom house with terrace, living room and fully equipped kitchen, two minutes walk from the center of Los Llanos de Aridane.
• Sea and Mountain View Apartment (from 70€/night): one-bedroom apartment, for two people, with terrace and sea view
• Casa de vacacione de un dormitorio (from 122€/night): the house has one bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. It has access to a shared pool and garden
• Flying La Palma (from 136€/night): apartment with two bedrooms and a sofa bed, accommodates up to 6 people, recently remodeled with fully equipped kitchen and bathroom (amenities included).

Find more accommodations in los Llanos de Aridane here

Where to stay in Fuencaliente

• Casa Rural Los Dragos (from 65€/night): two-bedroom house with garden, supermarkets nearby, ideal location for the San Antonio and Teneguía volcano routes and, outstanding in all opinions, the attention of the hosts.
• La Bodega (from 65€/night), also has two bedrooms, each with two single beds, traditional Canarian architecture with wooden ceilings and sea views. It is very close to the volcano of San Antonio.
• Casa de los Tajinastes (from 95€/night): two-bedroom house with patio, barbecue and terrace. The tranquility and spectacular views are outstanding.

Find more options in Fuencaliente here

Other recommended accomodations in the rest of the island

• Teneguía Princess (from 105€/night): spacious and comfortable rooms in a hotel with 7 outdoor pools, 1 children’s pool and several restaurants and sunset views if you want to say goodbye to the sun on the sea from your balcony.
• Hotel Faro de Punta Cumplida (from 300€/night): the experience of sleeping in a lighthouse, with sea views and all the amenities (swimming pool included). Without words, hopefully one day we can go.

As we told you, although the central area is the best area to move in your visit to the island since, both east and west, are the places that are more or less the same distance from the tourist sites, if there is always a latent concern for the local population in our trips, in this one we gave special priority because of the socio-economic impact on the island after the eruption so we decided to stay in Fuencaliente . Although it is a great place to visit the southern tip of the island (including Teneguía and San Antonio), it is not the ideal area if you want to shorten distances because one of the two roads that go there (the west one, LP-2) is buried under lava. It is, for this reason that this area is being spatially affected by the lack of tourism and it is, for this reason, that we chose to stay here. We stayed in a little house (El Sueño) of a charming couple that lives next door, we leave you the link in case you are interested and here are some more options in the area .

There are several traditional dishes, Canarian and Palmeros specific, that you should not miss. Exquisite fresh fish such as moray eels, alfonsiños or viejas; chicharrones, papas arrugás con mojo, sopa de picadillo. Also mention its wines: albillos, reds, rosés, tea or malvasías. To end with a good taste in the mouth, the sweet-toothed people can not forget to try a Bienmesabe, Principe Alberto, almendrados, rapaduras, …

Here are a few recommended restaurants to eat in La Palma

Restaurants where to eat in Santa Cruz/Los Cancajos and surroundings:

• Restaurante Enriclai (Santa Cruz): small restaurant (4 tables) with a menu that varies according to the day based on fresh local products.
• La Chalana (Santa Cruz): on the maritime avenue, next to the balconies, family restaurant specialized in fish and seafood.
• Bar-Restaurante Parilla Las Nieves (outskirts of Santa Cruz): specialty in Cabrito.
• Casa Goyo (near the airport): fish specialty, with sea views.
• Restaurant Casa Osmunda (outskirts of Santa Cruz): fusion/creative food restaurant with a base of traditional Canarian cuisine.
• El Mesón (outskirts of Santa Cruz): traditional food with good prices.
• Restaurante Chipi-Chipi (outskirts of Santa Cruz): restaurant highly recommended by everyone we came across, specializing in grilled meats.

Restaurants where to eat in Los Llanos and surroundings:

• Balcón Taburiente (outskirts of Los Llanos): restaurant with an incredible view of the Caldera de Taburiente.
• La Cantina del Geco (El Paso): very good Italian that was recommended to us by our Airbnb hosts and we liked it so much that we repeated.
• Restaurant Franchipani (between El Paso and Los Llanos): high quality restaurant with Spanish and international cuisine and an excellent wine list. It has become our favorite on the island.

• Bar Dos Pinos (between El Paso and Los Llanos): small bar next to a gas station where Isla Bonita Tours took us for breakfast on the way to the volcano tour, it has excellent pinchos.

Restaurants where to eat in Fuencaliente surroundings:

• Restaurante Temático El Jardín de la Sal (Salinas de Fuencaliente). It was also recommended to us by Jonás (from Isla Bonita Tours) and it was a great choice. In February, when we went, it was only open until 7 pm, so we booked a table for 2 pm, to arrive just after the Little Route of the Volcanoes from Los Canarios. We had prawns in salt and a sea bass for two, also in salt, for 65€ with two glasses of wine, dessert and coffees.

• Pizzeria Fuencaliente (Fuencaliente): tasty pizzas both to eat there and to take away, we tried a couple of times for dinner in our Airbnb after full days touring the island.

Restaurants where to eat in the Northeast of La Palma :

• Restaurante La Gaviota ( La Fajana), recommended by Jonás (Isla Bonita Tours) for good fish.

• El Asador del Campesino (Barlovento)

Restaurants where to eat in the Northwest of La Palma :

• Bodegas Eufrosina Perez Rodriguez , also known as Bodegas el Nispero, you can eat traditional Canarian food while tasting their wines.

• Cervecería Isla Verde (Tijarafe): next to the brewery of this craft beer from La Palma, we can enjoy tapas and delicious dishes accompanied by their beer. I do not know what we liked more, if the beers, the portions, or the views: all 10.

La Palma itineraries

As you have seen, La Palma is an island with many things to see and do , so to get to know the island well you will need at least a whole week. As this is not always possible, here are some suggestions of itineraries for 3, 5 and 7 days .

A weekend is very little time to visit an island as heterogeneous as La Palma, so if you only have 2 or 3 days you will have to choose very well what you want to visit, since there is not enough time for everything. We leave you a suggested itinerary of 3 days with what we consider the highlights of La Palma, trying to make the most of the time although not devoting all the time that each of the places deserves:

3-day itinerary in La Palma:

• Day 1: Santa Cruz, Playa Nogales, San Andres y Sauces, Charco Azul, La Fajana (if time permits, Cubo de la Galga trail).
• Day 2: Ascent to Roque de los Muchachos to visit the area from Santa Cruz, descent on the other side to continue to Porís de la Candelaria, Mirador del Time, Tazacorte, Los Llanos, Mirador la Cumbrecita.
• Day 3: Tour to Tajogaite Volcano and south of the island (Fuencaliente, Salinas y Faro, Playa de Echentive, San Antonio and Teneguía Volcanoes), do a short volcano tour if time permits.

With 4 or 5 days you will have time to get to know the north and the south well, although you will still have to discard things. You can do the same route of 2-3 days proposed in the previous section, doing it in a more relaxed way, or you can add places to get to know more. Here is a suggested route for 5 days in La Palma.

5-day itinerary in La Palma :

• Day 1: Santa Cruz
• Day 2: Caldera de Taburiente Trail, Tazacorte and Los Llanos
• Day 3: Ascent to Roque de los Muchachos to visit the area (from Santa Cruz), descent on the other side to continue to Porís de la Candelaria, Mirador del Time, Mirador la Cumbrecita.
• Day 4: Trail through Bosque de Los Tilos (Nacientes Marcos y Cordero or Cubo de La Galga), La Fajana, Charco Azul, San Andrés y Sauces, Playa Los Nogales.
• Day 5: Tour to Tajogaite Volcano and south of the island (Fuencaliente, Salinas y Faro, Playa de Echentive, San Antonio and Teneguía Volcanoes), do a short volcano tour if time permits.

We consider one week the ideal time to dedicate to La Palma (although if you have more days, even better to include more plans and/or take it easy). Here is our suggested itinerary for 7 days.

7-day itinerary in La Palma:

• Day 1: Santa Cruz and surroundings
• Day 5: Tour to Tajogaite Volcano and continue to Las Manchas, Caños del Fuego Interpretation Center.
• Day 6: Volcanoes Route, Fuencaliente, Salt Flats and Lighthouse, Echentive Beach)
• Day 7: Northwest of the island (Santo Domingo with its viewpoints and petroglyphs, La Zarza Park, Gofio Museum, Puntagorda and its port, Los Dragos viewpoint and Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Church).

Transportation: rent a car in La Palma

In our opinion, as in the rest of the Canary Islands, it is essential to rent a car to be able to travel freely and get to know the corners of La Palma.

In the Canary Islands we usually rent with Pluscar which in general is the one with the cheapest prices, all inclusive and possibility to modify/cancel the reservation easily, although we always compare with the rest of companies because depending on the demand and the season it can vary. We recommend you to use comparators like DiscoverCars to find the best prices (although we recommend you to check the conditions of each company and not only the price).

Other recommended companies in La Palma are (all of them have fully comprehensive insurance without excess, second driver included and “return the same” fuel policy):

• Cicar and Cabrera Medina (they are the same company)
• Payless (the low cost of the above)
• Topcar (with an excess of 500€)

On our various trips in the Canary Islands, we have rented with several of these companies (so far with Pluscar, Cicar, Cabrera Medina and Autoreisen), in all cases without any problems. On our trip to La Palma in February 2022, we rented with Pluscar the most basic car (a VW Up!) for 8 days and paid 16€/day. We spent 86€ on gasoline (2 tanks for 1200 km).

As we say, it is advisable to compare prices so it is ideal to use comparators such as DiscoverCars to see what is cheaper depending on the dates.

Important: most car rental companies do not cover damages caused by driving on unpaved roads.

Important 2: since the pandemic, the rental companies had to sell part of their fleet to hold on and now they have difficulties to acquire more vehicles, so with less supply and the same or more demand, prices have risen and it is possible that in high tourist seasons they may be sold out or have prohibitive prices . Therefore, it is very important to try to book as far in advance as possible .

Due to the orography of the island, high altitude in a small space, most of the roads are winding , which guarantees incredible views and “entertainment” for those who enjoy driving on this type of roads, but also some respect/fear for those who do not.

In our opinion it is not dangerous to drive on most of the roads of La Palma: most of them are in good condition and you just have to be mentally prepared that the routes, although short in kilometers, take quite a long time due to the curves, and drive carefully and attentively .

There are specific cases (such as the access road to the parking lots of Porís de la Candelaria) not suitable for people who do not feel 100% safe driving a car on hills : this road, for example, is very steep and narrow, making meeting another car in the opposite direction can be a drama of maneuvering to a point where both vehicles can pass.

To get an idea of the distances and times and the type of roads, just simulate on Google Maps some typical routes you will have to take:

• Santa Cruz – Los Llanos: 28km, 42m
• Santa Cruz – Fuencaliente: 28km, 40m
• Santa Cruz – La Fajana: 30km, 45m
• Santa Cruz – Roque de Los Muchachos: 43km, 1h15

Note especially the number of curves!

In our case, in 8 days we drove 1200km, and according to the information panel of the car, we drove at an average speed of 34km/h! It is worth mentioning that since we stayed in Fuencaliente, we drove much more kilometers than we would have done if we had stayed in Santa Cruz or Los Llanos. The best advice we can give you is to drive slowly, travel without rushing (try not to fit too many plans in each day) and enjoy the views!

Making an indicative budget is always a complicated task because it depends greatly on factors such as your travel style , what you prefer to prioritize , in what season you travel, etc.; but here we will give you an approximation.

The approximate budget for travel to La Palma would be (we reiterate that prices are ORIENTATIVE and may vary at any time, check the prices of everything before deciding on your trip to avoid unexpected surprises):

• Flights: with low cost companies like Ryanair you can find flights from 40€ round trip per person, from Madrid. Use comparators like Skyscanner and Kiwi to find the best price.
• Car rental: from 15€ per day for the cheapest car, which is usually a Panda/VW Up/Twingo or similar (depending on the company and the number of days), all inclusive. Gasoline is cheaper in the Canary Islands, it will depend on the kms you do, as a guideline a tank of an economic car is about 50-60€. Use comparators like DiscoverCars to see what is cheaper depending on the dates.
• Accommodation: from 50€/night for a room with private bathroom or self-catering apartment. Find accommodation of all types and prices on Booking, with up to 15% discount .
• Restaurant meals : between €10 and €20 per person.
• Tours: 20 to 60€ per person per tour.
• Tickets to attractions : They usually cost between €5 and €15 per person, depending on the attraction.

In total, as a guideline, a one-week trip to La Palma with a rented car can cost between 70 and 90€ per person (with the cheapest options of car, accommodation and restaurants).

• Windy (Android / iOS / Web ): essential app for our trips. It allows you to see forecasts of rain, clouds, wind, etc. to help you plan your days based on the weather (as there are places that lose a lot depending on the weather). Obviously, the forecasts are not 100% reliable. It also shows the available webcams
• Google Maps (Android / iOS ): is the one we use to save/classify all the places we want to go/have gone and as GPS in rental cars. You can see other people’s opinions of the places, photos, restaurant menus, phone numbers of the places to contact them, etc.
• Maps.me (Android / iOS ): an application similar to Google Maps but works offline (although Google Maps can also work offline) and in many cases has information that Google Maps does not have, especially trails.
• Give your trip extra sensitivity in both your choices and your comments . Last September 2021 lava made its way to the surface of the island of La Palma generating a new mountain -recently named Tajogaite volcano- razing entire villages on its way to the sea. We always keep it in mind but on this trip, the urgency to support the people of La Palma was a cross-cutting theme , both in preparing and living it, from accommodation to where to eat. And it is for this reason that we make special emphasis on this section of recommendations: always prioritize the local , but on this trip even more.
• Respect at all times the rules found in national parks (such as Taburiente) and protected areas (such as the area affected by the recent eruption of the Tajogaite volcano): read carefully what is written on the signs of the sites you visit.

• Avoid going to places where animals are kept in captivity for human entertainment – don’t be an accomplice to animal abuse !
• Respect other people and the island : don’t play your music loud (if you want to listen to music, wear headphones), don’t leave trash, don’t throw cigarette butts, etc. Leave the place where you go better than you found it.
• In some beaches or puddles of the island, bathing is dangerous , due to strong currents . Do not be brave.
• Always travel with travel insurance : it is always advisable but in times of pandemic, even more so. Medical expenses due to Covid-19, theft, or problems with your plane on a trip can cost you a lot of money, so it is ideal that you take out travel insurance that includes it. We always use IATI which includes all this and we recommend it. If you take out your insurance through this link you get a 5% discount .

Here is a list of must-haves that you can’t forget to take with you on your trip to La Palma:

• A water bottle like one of these to carry water with you at all times. You will avoid using single-use plastic.
• Binoculars like these for bird watching on the peaks of the island.

• A neck warmer like one of these to protect you from the wind.
• Booties like these from Cressi (transparent, comfortable and quick-drying) or these, if you prefer another material that fits better , ideal for walking on volcanic puddles.
• Snorkel kit/glasses to enjoy the seabed. Here you have a kit for less than 20€.
• Reef friendly sunscreen , i.e. free of coral damaging chemicals, oxybenzone free, and not tested on animals, such as this one or this one .
• Cap , the sun is very strong
• Trekking shoes . We have these from Columbia .
• Long sleeve lycra T-shirt with UV protection that we wear to protect us from cold water or the sun when snorkeling, such as one of these .
• Waterproof bag , to keep your electronic devices safe, this one for example costs 12€.
• Microfiber towel , which occupies little and you will use for the beach. If you don’t have one you can buy the typical ones from Decathlon or these others
• Camera to record the adventures on La Palma. We took a Sony A5100 and a GoPro for underwater images.
• Power bank : with so many photos you will spend a lot of battery, so it always comes in handy to carry a good power bank. We travel with these 2 (Xiaomi and Anker ), which allow us to charge our smartphones, camera and GoPro. In this post we tell you about all the gadgets we take with us when we travel (travel working online remotely) .
• First aid kit : in our first aid kit there is always a medicine against seasickness (such as biodramine for seasickness on boats), antibiotics, anti-diarrhea (and some probiotics to recover more quickly), antihistamines, painkillers and antipyretics and, of course, travel insurance (through this link you have a 5% discount ).

We say goodbye to the island looking at that imposing new mountain created by the eruption of Tajogaite and the new fajana, the youngest landscape in Europe, with awe, respect, empathy and hope for the future. Looking forward to stepping on your feet again, La Palma. You are amazing, you are amazing, see you soon!

Disclaimer: Isla Bonita Tours helped us get to know part of the beautiful island of La Palma with two of their tours, but all opinions and information expressed in this post are our own.

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Best 6 Things to Do in La Palma in the Canary Islands

La Palma is one of the seven Canary Islands located in the Atlantic Ocean. This island attracts travellers mainly due to its natural beauty, volcanoes, black sand beaches and bright night sky. Its pleasant temperatures and a minimum number of tourists make it the ideal place to visit. Welcome to La Palma and check out the six best things to do there.

At first glance, it’s obvious that the Canary Islands were formed by volcanic activity. The whole island of La Palma is cone-shaped and resembles an enormous volcano. Its tallest peak, the Roque de Los Muchachos, is located 2426 meters above sea level. So it’s not surprising that there aren’t 100 meters of straight road on the island. La Palma is the most volcanic active island compared to the rest of the Canary Islands, but the last eruption was recorded in 1971.

Tom on top of Roque de Los Muchachos

The local infrastructure is in great condition, and we must to admire the builders of these roads. The best way to get around the island is to rent your own car (we recommend you rent a car at Skyscanner.net or RentCars.com ), even though there are several bus lines in La Palma that connect to all the important places. Keep in mind that the roads are twisting in very sharp turns, and there is no escaping the sharp bends even in the towns.

The roads on La Palma are full of turns

The temperature in La Palma is pleasant throughout the year, which earned it the nickname “Island of eternal spring.” During the winter, the temperatures don’t drop below 15 °C and even during the hottest summer months, the thermometer shows a pleasant 28 °C. The differences in temperatures are mainly noticeable with increasing altitude. The seaside is wonderfully warm, while at the top of the volcano, you will be forced to put on a warm jacket.

Eve on the terrace – the best accommodation is in your own apartment

Each visitor to the island will find something they enjoy because there are many things to do in La Palma. Lovers of good food will enjoy exquisite cuisine, which includes fish, seafood, and other delicacies at very reasonable prices. Those who appreciate the beauty of nature will be delighted by the number of hiking treks that La Palma offers. There is also something for those of us interested in culture, as the island offers several interesting museums and also walks through lovely little towns with adorably colourful houses. You can sunbathe on the black sand beaches, only the temperature of the ocean is a bit cold. The biggest advantage of La Palma is, however, the magical isolation from the outside world and the minimum number of tourists. Every visitor forgets the problems of the outside world and fully enjoys the peace and tranquillity this island offers.

Get Full ebook for Free. You will Get actionable steps you can use yourself to plan your travels anywhere.

1. astronomical observatory – stargazing on la palma.

La Palma is one of the best places on Earth for stargazing . Thanks to its distance from the European and African continents, light pollution is minimal. The island isn’t densely populated, so the sky is absolutely clear at night . The local climate is also ideal – it causes the clouds to form relatively low, about 1,000 – 2,000 meters above sea level. That is why in the highest parts of the island can offer a clear sky almost all year round. There are up to 13 telescopes at the top of the Roque de Los Muchachos, where scientists from around the world are working together. Here stands the largest astronomical observatory in the Northern Hemisphere. The sky in La Palma itself is actually protected by the astronomical quality law by the Observatory of the Astronomical Institute.

There are the world’s observatories at the top of La Palma

Some companies in La Palma offer night sky observation tours using the telescope, together with professional commentary . Check out their websites and make sure you book a tour in advance. There are two companies doing these tours – Ad Astra La Palma and La Palma Stars . The interest in stargazing is quite high. The tours are dependent on the weather, so be aware that in the event of unfavourable weather conditions, the stargazing tours can be cancelled – which is what happened to us 🙁

La Palma offers the best conditions for observing the night sky

2. Museums and Historic Colonial Style Towns

The island of La Palma also offers a unique atmosphere where you can enjoy walking through the colonial-style towns. Worth mentioning is the historical centre of the capital city, Santa Cruiz de La Palma, with its magical streets and corners. This city has historically been an important strategic point for commercial purposes by the Spaniards who colonized the Canary Islands. Considerable wealth had passed through Santa Cruiz from America straight to Europe. Today, you can admire a great number of monuments, colourful mansions and cobbled streets.

The cities are full of beautiful colonial houses

Several other towns are also worth mentioning. For example, Los Llanos de Aridane or Villa de Mazo both offer a wonderful walk around the picturesque town centre. Those interested in culture should check out the fascinating museums. The best ones are the Naval Museum , Cigar Museum , Silk Museum , or the Archaeological Museums.

Walking around the city is a great experience

3. Dolphins and Whales Watching

The Canary Islands are the best place in Europe to watch dolphins and whales. Various companies in the small town of Tazacorte on the west side of La Palma organize trips to the open sea. There are several options to choose from, beginning with a short trip in a motorboat to a several hour-long cruise on a large ship. The coast of the island is permanently inhabited by several kinds of dolphins, and when the visitors are lucky, they may be able to see cetaceans as well.

Read our review of GetYourGuide , where you can book tour online.

Groups of dolphins living near the coast

The selection of companies is quite varied, and the chance to see some animals is very high. If none of the dolphins or whales appear, the company usually offers some compensation. We chose a small group trip on a glass-bottomed motorboat from fancy2.com , and we can definitely recommend this company.

There are several boats in the harbor that drive tourists for tours

4. Trekking in a Beautiful Landscape – the Best Things to Do in La Palma

The natural beauty of the Canary Islands is absolutely unique. Other things to do in La Palma are the spectacular pine forests, massive volcanos rising to tremendous heights, deep canyons or crystal clear waterfalls. The landscape changes every few kilometres, so you definitely won’t be bored as an observer. The first thing that every visitor notices are the vast plantations of banana trees. They are located mainly at lower altitudes and can be found almost anywhere. A drive between the rows of banana trees is one of the exciting experiences that every visitor takes home with them.

Ravens are used to tourists

Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente is definitely worth visiting. The million-year-old stratovolcano that is part of this National park actually formed the entire shape of the park. This area offers a great number of hiking trails, and each one will show you a completely different face of La Palma. The most visited is, of course, the highest peak – Roque de Los Muchachos – that offers a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside. The Cascada de Los Colores hike is also a popular part of the National Park. This 10 km hike through the deep canyon will take you to the rainbow waterfalls, the colour of which is caused by the minerals.

Magical waterfall – Cascada de Los Colores

The local endemic pine trees create truly beautiful forests. Mirador de la Cumbrecita offers several different forest paths, as well as a couple of views of the entire island. T he Los Tilos area is also worth mentioning , with its beautiful views of the local Mirador del Espigón Atravesado rainforest and a visit to the crystal clear waterfall Cascada De Los Tilos .

Unique pine forests grow at La Palma

The most beautiful hike in La Palma is the 17 km walk along the ridge of the extinct volcanos at Cumbre Vieja National Park called the Volcano Route . This is an absolutely unique trail that takes you to the desolate crater of the Volcan San Antonio volcano , located in the very south of the island. There are truly many paths and trails to choose from at La Palma, and everyone will surely be able to find the one for them.

A view into the crater of an extinct volcano Volcan San Antonio

5. Tasting Local Specialties – Fish and Seafood

Before the colonization of the Canary Islands, indigenous people had to eat what they could grow on the island. Luckily, the soil here is truly very fertile, as is evidenced by the great number of crops that thrive here. The main part of the local diet is fish and seafood. The inhabitants of La Palma are very fond of thick vegetable soups with either potatoes or fish. We definitely recommend trying it out, as it is a local speciality.

Chefs are skilled and seafood is tasty

Prawns with oil and garlic

You shouldn’t miss visiting some local restaurants, we recommend Restaurant El Jardín de la Sal at Faro de Fuencaliente  ( restaurant location map ) with its magnificent view of the sea. The food is absolutely delicious, with a great price tag. The restaurant stands on the coast, where salt is actively extracted by the evaporation of seawater, so you can buy some sea salt right there as a souvenir to take home. There is also a very photogenic lighthouse not far away with a typical red colour.

Salt fields in La Palma

6. Swimming and Diving in the Ocean Full of Life

The Canary Islands are a sought-after destination not only for swimming but also for diving. This area is internationally recognized for how transparent its seawaters are, which offer great visibility . The seabed is very rugged with many different caves that offer dwellings to a plethora of aquatic animals. This makes La Palma Island ideal for diving and exploration of the seafloor. Those who like to keep close to the water surface can enjoy a refreshing swim at local black snad beaches or natural pools.

Beautiful black sand beach in Tazacorte

Popular swimming destinations include natural lagoons on the northeast of the La Fajana Island. It is basically a tamed coastline. In places where the wild waves hit the rugged coast, artificial dams were built, which prevent waves from breaking on the bare rocks. This creates natural water tanks that are ideal for bathing.

Do you know other great things to do in La Palma? Let us know in comments.

Lagunas at Charco Azul are great for swimming

Read Next: Best 8 Things to Do in Madeira

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26 Comments

I don’t know too much about La Palma but this makes me want to go. What a beautiful island and I love everything it has to offer. Such unique activities too with scenic backdrops. How neat that it’s isolated and not too many tourists. We’re such seafood lovers so this would be such an ideal location to visit. Thanks for the travel inspiration.

Thank you for your comment, La Palma is really interesting place for travel.If you dont’t insist on swimming in the sea and you prefer peaceful location with ho tourists and beautiful nature – this is place for you ! Do you love sea food? Bingo 🙂

What about the salt pans in La Palma – they look quite extraordinary in the photo. Can you look at the salt in full sunshine or is it too bright?

Hi Annette, the salt fields looks incredible in the photo butthe reality is always better. I didn´t look directly there without sunglasses, but would say they are not shining how it may seem.

Wow, the black sand beach is such a beautiful contrast to the architecture. I thought I would want to go just for the stargazing, but I’m definitely in for the architecture and natural wonders, too!! Absolutely beautiful pictures. They are so crystal clear and sharp!! #TheWeeklyPostcard

Hi Sara, it’s a strange coincidence we wanted to see the stargazing mainly, but it was bad weather so this was the only thing we missed. But I would say that it is not as bad as we would expect, because the island La Palma has other things to offer, which are really intresting.

What a beautiful place! I would love to visit La Palma, get out on the water, do some hiking, and try the delicious food. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.

Thanks Anisa for your post, La Palma is amazing place to discover, it is has a lot to offer to the travellers they love hiking in the beautiful nature.

My husband often talks about visiting! I think it would definitely be something new for the both of us, more outdoorsy than we normally do, but for the natural beauty I would definitely put my hiking boots on! Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard! (No pin this time?)

It was something new even for us! 🙂 We didn´t hike so much, you can choose short and easy hikes, so every one can be satisfied. The nature is very beautiful, clean a different. It´s worth it. ( I hope Tom will make a pin 🙂

Stunning photos! The Canary Islands are incredibly popular with UK families but La Palma is massively overlooked despite your beautiful photos suggesting it should be the pick of the crop! I would love to visit La Palma, it looks beautiful. #Theweeklypostcard

Hi Annabel, you are right, La Palma is not for resort tourists and I would say that is the reason why it is overlooked. But we were happy to be there nearly alone ! 🙂

What a beautiful island. I’d love to visit La Palma. That black sand beach looks beautiful, yet very strange. I prefer the white sand beaches. #TheWeeklyPostcard

Hi Anda, I can admit the black beaches are not so popular in the world as the beaches with white sand 😀 they looks dirty, but in reality they are beautiful as well

Oh my! I cannot get enough of the beautiful pictures in this post. Love, love all the beautiful landscapes in La Palama. I got fascinated with volcanic areas after visiting Iceland. I guess the weather is way better in La Palma. How many days do you spend on the island?

Hi Ruth, thank you for your nice comment, I am very happy you like our pictures 🙂 I haven’t been to Iceland so I cannot compare the weather, but it wasn’t so nice how would I expected. It was changing very fast. We spent around 4-5 days there and I would say it is enough for this island to see everything you need 🙂

BTW, I am noticing several of errors on your website. First, I got a bad gateway notice (like something was down) and then I have been having problems with leaving a comment.

I have heard about the star gazing – and now you’ve given me so many more reasons to visit. #Theweeklypostcard

Hi Sandra, yaaehh, the star gazing was the main reason we went to the La Palma, but we so much more than we expected, but not the star gazing itself, because it was bad weather 😀

I’ve yet to visit the Canaries but the stories I’ve heard about its beautiful landscapes definitely seems to be true. A little surprised by that colonial architecture for some reason, but it all looks fantastic. Wishing I was somewhere warmer like that right now actually. Will definitely consult this post when I go. #TheWeeklyPostcard

Dear David, I would say the same, the colonial architecture surprised me as well, the island is so clean and so beautiful, really it is very nice place to live – this is was my first thought I had, when I arrived here 🙂 To be honest we are in cold Europe now and I am really looking froward to go where is warm as well.

Hi, We are going to La Palma for 5 days in august. Which hikes do yo recommand the most? We will do the volcano route for sure, but we arr hesitating for the one in the caldera de taburiente. Thank you

That’s great Amylie, definitely, volcano route it the best. I would recommend you visit Caldera de Taburiente too. We have visited three different places there – Cascade de Colores at the bottom, Mirador de la Cumbrecita and Roque de Los Muchachos at the top. All of these places were worth to visit. Anyway, check if all the tracks are open. We saw many tracks closed.

If you like to know more about snorkeling and diving on La Palma, do not hassitate to visit this website: http://www.casadebueo.com or http://www.casadebuceo.nl/en

At the most southernly tip of La Palma you will find the Salt Pans of Fuencaliente, one of the more unusual things to do in La Palma. Seawater is pumped in to shallow pools and left to dry in the sun resulting in natural salt formation. The salt is than packaged and sold in supermarkets across the island. The view of brilliant white against black volcanic rock is an impressive sight, and although the operation is small, it produces 500,000 kilos of natural salt a year. Enjoy a charming forest hike and uncover the carvings of La Zarza, which occupy 29 panels, and La Zarzita, which occupy 18 panels. This fascinating site was discovered in just 1941, but the carvings and petroglyphs are ancient. The park is small yet fascinating with a small museum in which to learn the origin and theories behind the ancient carvings.

Yes, you are right this place is very unusual, thank you for all the information. We were there also in a very good restaurant and The photo with lighthouse if taken there.

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21 Epic Places You Must See On Your Vacation To Mallorca: Spain's Stunning Spanish Island

A hhhhh the salty air, sandy beaches, and rays of warm sun heating the windshield – Mallorca is an incredible place to explore by car!

From the stunning coastal beaches and towns to the dreamy mountain villages, incredible lookouts, and ancient historical sites, there is SO much to see on this Balearic island that you might be feeling overwhelmed with planning how to see it all. Don’t worry – we got you!

In this post, we’ve gathered the 21 most incredible places to visit in Mallorca by car based on our own road trip adventure that we did when we visited Mallorca. These were our favorite spots to drive to with our rental car , along with some pro tips you should know to make the most of your visit to that location. 

Once you see the list, you can get our insight on how many days to spend in Mallorca and then choose which spots are the most interesting to you guys as a couple. From there, you can make a road trip to Mallorca plan that hits all the spots that will make your trip perfect for you! Let’s get into it with a quick video of some of the highlights that I, Taylor, made for ya!

21 Places To Visit in Mallorca by Car

NOTE: Palma is the best place to rent a car in Mallorca and we always recommend Discover Cars. Click here to check prices and locations of rental cars during your trip!

Most likely, you will be using Palma as a home base for your stay in Mallorca, so you will be visiting in any way. If you do decide to use one of the quieter, more romantic villages such as Banyalbufar as a home base (which we 10/10 recommend you do!) then you will still want to set aside time to explore Palma

Palma de Mallorca is Mallorca’s capital and largest and busiest city. We recommend parking your car in the city center and walking around Palma to check out the main sites. It’s easier to park once and walk because parking in Palma is honestly a bit of a nightmare and you’ll waste A LOT of time if you try to drive between all the must-see spots that are only a couple minutes walk apart!

we parked at the SABA parking garage on Plaça de Sant Antoni, just off the main street in Palma. You can’t miss it! It’s a little spendy, especially if you park overnight, but the location is so convenient that it’s the best place to park to explore Palma for a bit!

Palma gets very busy and touristy, especially during the summer, so be prepared to be wall-to-wall people! However, you will find incredible restaurants, lots of bars, shopping, and more in Palma! A few things you should check out on your stop are:

• Cathedral of Santa Maria of Palma – the Gothic Roman Catholic Cathedral in the center of the old town. You literally cannot miss it as it’s huge! It’s also very beautiful!
• Royal Palace of La Almudaina – Built in the 14th century, this is where the Spanish king and queen stay when they visit Mallorca.
• Passeig Del Born – A super beautiful and elegant street with lots of luxury designer stores! Great for the couple who wants to shop or buy some Spanish souvenirs !
• Port of Palma de Mallorca – one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean and home to the Playa de Palma! You could spend some time lying on the beach or strolling the boardwalk with gelato from Gelato Boutique Paseo Marítimo, which we found to be the best gelato near the waterfront!
• La Rambla- A paved avenue that extends between Teatre Principal and the intersection of Calle de los Olmos, Vía Roma, and Calle Barón de Pinopar. It is little known by tourists, so it makes a great walk in the city!
• Panadería S’ Estació – Oh my gosh we loved this little bakery close to Plaça Espana! They have the best ensaïmadas and a section of the floor is glass so you can see them making it. This stop is both a place to visit and something to eat!

2. Castell De Bellver

This beautiful castle is on the outskirts of Palma, so you will want to use your car to get there and get to the top as it’s quite a hill!

The caste was built in the 14th century in the Gothic style as a place for the royalty to stay. You will have to buy a ticket if you want to go inside unless you visit on a Sunday when the castle is free.

You can buy tickets and check opening times on the castle’s website.

3. Santa Catalina 

Santa Catalina is becoming the hottest neighborhood in Palma. You could walk there, as it’s only about 25 minutes from the city center, or you could just plop it down as a stop on a road trip.

Either way, you will find a beautiful, artsy area full of lively restaurants and quaint cafes. It is also the home of the Mercat de Santa Catalina.  

Make sure to check out Caller Fabrica which is the road with lots of restaurants and Caller Annibal has lots of cute cafes!

You’ll also want to see the windmills, which are just 5 minutes from the Mercat area.

Another northern town is Alcúdia, which is a unique blend of ancient history and modern beach resort. What makes this village so unique is the medieval walls that circle it!

It’s a great place to explore the narrow streets with Roman ruins, museums, and amazing restaurants, or spend some time on the golden sandy beaches! It also has a great Cuttlefish and Nautical festival in April!

5. Valldemossa

You can’t do any research on places to visit without Valldemossa popping up. This dreamy and romantic town is built into the mountainside of the Serra de Tramuntana and is surrounded by beautiful hills! 

There are 2 large car parks so park your car and explore the village for a little while. Some of the top things to see in the village are The Royal Carthusian Monastery and Jardins Rei Joan Carles.

It’s also perfect to not plan to see anything and just stroll around the village together. There are endless little streets to get lost in!

Another dreamy little village is Deiá. It’s quite similar to Valldemossa except parking is harder to come by so make sure you leave extra time for that. It’s also VERY popular with tourists and traffic can get backed up!

Deiá has been popular among famous artists and writers so there are many art galleries and shops to explore. There is also a restaurant called El Olivio that has one of the most beautiful settings we have ever seen. They don’t take reservations from tourists and it’s hard to get into!

INSIDER TIP:

there are free hidden public bathrooms at the start of the road “Carrer de Robert graves” You can Google public toilet and it’ll pop up. It’s hard to find public bathrooms so this is a good stop too!

7. Mirador Sa Foradada

This suggestion comes with a caveat: while this viewpoint for sunset is GORGEOUS, it is also one of the most crowded places we’ve ever been in our lives, as seen below.

If you happen to be around Deiá for sunset, then Mirador Sa Foradad is just a 10-minute drive and it’s worth checking out IF you can get there at least one hour before sunset. There is a restaurant called Chill Out Sa Foradada where you can sit and get food/wine to watch the sunset. But, it gets SO SO busy that it’s not enjoyable if you get there too late and can’t sit.  

We recommend doing your sunset watching at the other places to visit on this list.

8. Sóller & Port of Sóller

Sóller is a beautiful town inside a valley known as the “Valley of Oranges” and it’s known for its amazing citrus! The town has the same sandstone-colored buildings with green shutters and tons of adorable streets to get lost in.

Plaça Constitució, the main square of Sóller has lots of restaurants and cafes. However, most of them are very “touristy” so we recommend eating outside the square. Honestly, just got ice cream for lunch because we had the best ice cream of our life at Mr. McCoys Island Ices ice-cream which is just outside the center. They use fresh fruit and have original flavors like Mallorcan orange and saffron or Mallorcan lemon and bergamot. I die.

You can also check out the Port of Sóller with tons of charming cafes and a few beaches.

You could drive from Sóller to the Port of Sóller but we recommend taking the antique train. It’s only 30 minutes and under $10 and goes through beautiful citrus and olive groves.

9. Fornalutx 

Overlooking the valley of Sóller, you find another gorgeous and traditional village in the Tramuntana Mountain Range. This one is often referred to as the “prettiest village in Spain” and it’s a great place to wander for an hour or so.

10. Jardines de Alfabia

This beautiful garden shows the arab influence on Mallorca over the years. Inside the gardens, you will find tons of tropical plants and flowers along with beautiful, serene walkways, a small house museum, and a little restaurant. It’s a stunning place to see for a few hours and stopping for some fresh cake is a great thing to do as a couple!

You can buy tickets online here.

11. Banyalbufar

Most tourists visit Valldemossa, Deiá, and Sóller and skip Banyalbufar which is a huge miss. It’s another charming little town of only 500 people on the West Coast that is built more into the hill than others. This gives you incredible views of the mountain range and the Mediterranean Sea. It has ancient terraced hillsides down into the sea which are gorgeous!

12. Ses Salines

Ses Salines means “source of salt” and this is a small inland town near the south coast of Mallorca known for its salt production. This charming town is less visited but is home to many great restaurants and cafes and is near the popular Es Trenc beach.

13. Mirador Es Pontás

This is THE best place in Mallorca to watch the sunset in Mallorca and one of the best places to visit in Mallorca by Car. Es Pontás is a natural rock formation in the water that has the middle cut out. It even has a rope swing hanging down that people play on, and you can cliff jump around it.

To get to the mirador, you have to park in VERY small parking down then walk where it says “residents only” (don’t worry, you’re fine!) The walk down is very steep and rocky so don’t be dumb and wear sandals like I did because I have scars to prove it!

It’s a very popular sunset spot so try to get there early!

14. Santanyi 

Another beautiful town right by the Es Pontás that feels very bohemian and secluded. There isn’t a lot to here but who doesn’t want to see as many dreamy little Mallorca villages as possible right?

While this village is sleepy, it becomes a lot more lively on Saturdays and Wednesdays when there is a huge market! Try to time your road trip to stop here on one of those days!

15. Torre Nova (New tower)

We accidentally stumbled across this looking for Es Pontás! This old observation tour dates back to 1577 and is now a popular spot for hiking. However, we found the view over the Mediterranean to be insanely beautiful and this spot is so secluded!

To get there, park near the Sa Torre Nova on Google Maps and walk down the path marked for residents only and you will see it pretty quickly!

There is a secret path to the right of the tower that goes down to Cala Santanyi.

16. Cala Santanyi

This was our favorite beach. It snuggled into a cover surrounded by cliffs and trees which makes the water look even more blue! When we visited in October, it was also very quiet and it seemed like local Spanish were vacationing there, not just a bunch of tourists – you know the ones that say “Majorca” instead of “Mallorca “.

This may be different in the busy Summer months though! 

17. Cala Figuera

This charming fishing village dates back to the 14th century and has charming white-painted houses. It’s a great place to wander the streets and grab some food and has a different vibe than the small mountain villages for a nice change of scenery.

18. Port de Pollenca

Best known as a resort town, this quaint small town in the north of Mallorca has crystal-clear water, beautiful beaches, and lots of charming restaurants and cafes!

This is a great place to visit in the morning if you can get there in time for sunrise!

19. Port d’Andratx

Andratx doesn’t make many people’s lists of places to visit in Mallorca and we don’t know why! This gorgeous fishing village is known to be one of the classiest vacation spots on the island and it’s littered with yachts. It’s also said that the villages you see on the hillsides are owned by the celebrities!

Insider tip:  this was an amazing place where we watched the sunset. Not only was it gorgeous, but there are tons of restaurants perfectly positioned towards the sunset so it’s a great stop for a glass of wine and a view at the end of one of your driving days.

20. Cap de Formentor with lighthouse

On the northern tip of Mallorca, you will find Cap De Formentor which literally means “end of Formentor.” The mountainous road to get here is gorgeous and ends with a lighthouse that is a VERY popular spot for sunset and rightly so!

NOTE: Getting to the lighthouse is very tricky in the Summer because the road is closed between 10 am and 7 pm. You want to try to get there early and wait so that you can be first in line when it opens at 7 pm! 

21. Mirador es Colomer

You will find this lookout on the way to the Cap de Formentor lighthouse above and is another super popular spot for the sunset. The lookout is high on a cliff which gives you panoramic views of the Serra Tramuntana and the ocean! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!

And super romantic if you get there before everyone else does!

All The Places to Visit on a Map

Here are all the 21 places to visit on a map so that you can plan your road trip itinerary when visiting Mallorca.

Recommended Road Trip Itinerary

While this post is not intended to be an exact itinerary, as we have that on our week in Mallorca itinerary , it’s more the places you should use as stopping points on your own itinerary, I want to help you figure out how to plan your days.

Based on our own experience driving to these locations, here are some suggestions of what would be “doable” to plan to see in one day. From there, you can choose how many days you want to plan a Mallorca road trip for:

1 Day – Palma, Santa Catalina, Castell Belver

1 Day – Valldemossa, Banyalbufar, Port D’Andratx

1 Day – Sóller & Port of Sóller, Jardines de Alfabia, Fornalutx, Deiá, Mirador Sa Foradada.

1 Day – Cala Figuera, Santanyí, Cala Santanyi, Torre Nova (New tower), Mirador Es Pontás, Ses Salines

1 Day – Port de Pollenca, Alcúdia, Mirador es Colomer, Cap de Formentor.

These are pretty full days! If you don’t have 5 days, feel free to choose what groupings spark your interest the most based on the descriptions above and make your own bucket list itinerary

>> Click here to check out rental cars and prices around Mallorca for your itinerary <<

FAQ About The Places to Visit in Mallorca by Car

What is the most beautiful road in mallorca.

The most beautiful road in Mallorca is the Ma-10. This road winds through mountains on cliffs that overlook the blue Mediterranean Sea, which provides stunning views.

What is the most scenic part of Mallorca?

The most scenic part of Mallorca is driving through the Serra Tramuntana Mountain range and the small villages that line the hillsides.

When is the best time to explore Mallorca by car?

The best time to explore Mallorca by car is in the spring or fall. These are considered the “shoulder seasons” and you will find fewer tourists clogging up the already small roads.

Is it easy to drive around Mallorca?

Driving around the southern part of Mallorca is easy as it has large open highways. Driving around the north and west parts of Mallorca can prove tricky as you drive through very narrow mountain roads with blind, hairpin turns.

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• Do you need a car in Mallorca?
• How to Get from Palma Airport to Palma, Mallorca
• Can You Drink the Tap Water in Mallorca?

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Where to Stay in La Palma - Best Areas & Hotels on the island

La Palma is a perfect destination for hikers and nature lovers, with around 1000 km of trails all over the island, allowing you to see amazing landscapes and views of mountains, volcanoes and the ocean.

Best areas to stay in La Palma during your holiday

Puerto de tazacorte - best place for winter sun in la palma, puerto naos - a good area for a beach holiday, los llanos de aridane and el paso - best places to stay in la palma for hiking, santa cruz de la palma - stay in the island's capital, los cancajos - beach resort close to the capital , fuencaliente - stay in the middle of the volcanic landscape, so where should you base yourself when coming to la palma.

If you're planning your first holiday to this island, which is known as La Isla Bonita (The Pretty Island), you may be wondering which are the best areas to stay on La Palma during your trip. Depending on the length of your stay and how much you prefer to move around, you may opt for just one accommodation or you may wish to switch places and stay in multiple locations around the island.

No matter where you stay in La Palma, we are sure that you will soon fall in love with the natural beauty of this place and you will definitely want to come back in the future to explore more.

Best things to do in La Palma

Puerto de Tazacorte is your best bet for a sunny holiday if you're visiting La Palma in winter. That's not to say that the weather is bad in all the other parts of the island; it's just that statistically, you have more chances to see the sun on this part of the west coast of La Palma than in other places. Even when other areas are cloudy or rainy, Puerto de Tazacorte may well be sunny and dry, perfect for a stroll along the coastline. 

The village of Tazacorte is only 2 km inland from Puerto Tazacorte and it's still a place that retains its Spanish vibe, with local eateries and bars where you can enjoy a relaxed Spanish meal with authentic products. 

Puerto de Tazacorte is also a good place to stay in La Palma for those who want to be close to the beach, as it has a lovely beach with black volcanic sand, typical for the Canary Islands.

Where to stay in Tazacorte - Recommended hotels 

• Adults Only:   Hotel Hacienda de Abajo - the best premium hotel in Tazacorte, located in the historic center of the town and 2 km away from the beach. The hotel has a heated outdoor pool,  a garden filled with exotic plants and a spa with a Finnish sauna and hydromassage pool.
• Amazing views: Residencial Tazacorte Luxe - This place has amazing views of the sea and it's located 15-20 minutes away from the beach by walking. The rooms have a kitchenette, so it's a good place to stay if you want to do some light cooking. 

Puerto Naos is a place dedicated to tourism in La Palma, so here you'll find a nice and big beach, with fine black sand and lined with palm trees. 

The area next to the beach is now a pedestrian promenade where you can walk along the ocean, with lots of terraces and restaurants along the way. 

Although it does not have the local Spanish character similar to Tazacorte, Puerto Naos is still a nice and quiet place to stay in La Palma, also situated on the west coast, which gets more sun and less rain especially during the winter months like December and January .

Where to stay in Puerto Naos - Recommended hotels 

• Beachfront:   Sol La Palma - This hotel has a great location close to the beach, plus swimming pools, a gym, children's playground and professional star-gazing facilities.

Both El Paso and Los Llanos are good areas to stay if you want to go to the Cumbrecita, the Caldera or do the Pico Bejanado walk. In fact, the distance by road between both places is around 8 km and both of them situated on the west coast of La Palma, which is the perfect area to stay if you want to go explore the best trails on the island. 

Los Llanos has the advantage that it's located somewhere in the middle between El Paso and Puerto de Tazacorte, so by staying in Los Llanos de Aridane, you would also be closer to the coast. This means that by staying in Los Llanos you get the both of best world, easy access to both hiking trails and the ocean and a beautiful beach.  If one day you decide to spend your time relaxing on Playa de Tazacorte it would be a quick journey of only 15 minutes if you have a hire car. 

Where to stay in Los Llanos de Aridane & El Paso - Recommended hotels 

• Central location: Hotel Edén - Centrally located in the heart of Los Llanos de Aridane, the hotel offers a sun terrace and free Wi-Fi in common areas. It is an affordable place to stay, especially if you want to be out all day exploring the island.

Santa Cruz de La Palma is the island's capital, hence it's the largest town in La Palma, the liveliest and also the place where you will find the only Mercadona on the island (so in case you're interested in doing a big grocery shopping before going to your accommodation in some other part of La Palma, you may want to visit the big Mercadona supermarket).

Santa Cruz de La Palma is a really charming town, with beautiful buildings and lots of nice restaurants. You can walk around the old streets of the town and it's also a good base to start your trips around the island. 

The capital is also very close to the airport and it's also where the ferries arrive from other islands, in case you're coming over to La Palma by ferry from Tenerife or Gran Canaria .

Where to stay in Santa Cruz de La Palma - Recommended hotels 

• Modern hotel:   El Hotelito 27 - a family-run hotel, with a great location if you want to explore Santa Cruz on foot. The design is very minimalistic and modern, and guests love the breakfast served here.
• Budget-friendly: Pension La Cubana - great location, located inside the pedestrian town center of the capital. The beach is also only 10 minutes away on foot, so you are getting the best of both worlds. Also, the hotel is newly renovated and the rooms are clean and comfortable. 

If you don't want to stay right in the middle of town but you still want to be close to the capital, Los Cancajos is a good compromise. Located only 5 km away from Santa Cruz de La Palma, Los Cancajos is a tourist destination for those who want to enjoy the beach, with all the facilities found in popular tourist areas around the Canaries.

There's a nice long beach, Playa Los Cancajos, lots of restaurants and bars and it's a place mainly geared towards tourists, not really towards residents on the island.

Where to stay in Los Cancajos - Recommended hotels 

• Beachfront: H10 Taburiente Playa - situated on the east coast of La Palma, this hotel offers some amazing views of the ocean if you choose to book a room with sea view. It's a 4-star hotel, with 3 outdoor pools and free parking, as well as a sauna and tennis courts. You can also book at an All-Inclusive rate.

Fuencaliente is the municipality situated in the very south of La Palma, where you can explore the remains of two volcanoes: Teneguia (the volcano responsible for the most recent land eruption in the Canary Islands in 1971) and San Martin. You could also visit the Fuencaliente Salt Pans, see how the salt is extracted and maybe buy some salt to take back as a souvenir (we think it's a better gift than buying magnets made in China...).

Los Canarios is the town where you could stay during your time spent in Fuencaliente, but we would not recommend spending all your holiday here unless you've been here before and you know the area. Since Fuencaliente is in the very south of the island you would be far from other areas of interest and you may find yourself spending a lot of time in the car driving around the island every day. We recommend staying here only for a few nights, before moving on to another destination. 

Where to stay in Fuencaliente - Recommended hotels 

• Local Guest House: Pensión Los Volcanes - this guest house is a good place to stay while exploring the south of La Palma. It offers simple accommodation, with a terrace, free wifi and a good price-quality ratio.

In the end, it depends on what you plan to do while in La Palma and what types of places you like.

If you come to La Palma mainly for hiking, stay in either Los Llanos, El Paso or even Puntagorda. 

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For a beach holiday and coastal walks in La Palma (not hiking in the mountains), we would recommend staying on the west coast in Puerto de Tazacorte or Puerto Naos during the colder months, or in Los Cancajos in summer (we recommend this because the west coast tends to have more sun in winter and less rain compared to the east coast).

For an authentic local vibe, we recommend staying in Santa Cruz de La Palma, where you admire the beautiful typical architecture and see how the rhythm of life really is on a small island like La Palma. 

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What to do at the world's most beautiful lakes

From swimming to standup paddleboarding, boating to biking, here’s how to have the ultimate adventure on and around nine of world’s most beautiful lakes.

Boosted by a growing awareness of the mental and physical health benefits of wild swimming, lakeside adventures have captured the imaginations of people keen to take the plunge. From glacial Alpine tarns to tropical jungle-wreathed lagoons, lakes can boost moods, reconnect us with the elements and help us to press the reset button. They also offer a wealth of options for intrepid travellers. Whether it’s canoeing across a mountain-clasped lake in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, diving down to a ghostly petrified forest in Kazakhstan, fishing in Finland’s Lakeland as ospreys soar overhead or hiking up to the world’s clearest lake in New Zealand, these activities and excursions promise adventure while simultaneously soothing the soul.

1. Lake Louise, Canada Best for: canoeing

For a taste of Canadian wilderness, few places rival Banff National Park in the Rocky Mountains, where grizzly bears amble through pine and spruce forests, mountains loom overhead and jewel-like lakes dot the landscape — the most scenic of which must be Lake Louise. Hemmed in by rugged, snow-cloaked mountains, this glacier lake sits at 5,200ft, just below Mount Victoria and right on Alberta’s border with British Columbia.

While you can admire the lake’s brilliance from its shores, you’ll get a wholly different perspective by grabbing a paddle and canoeing in silent wonder across its waters, your gaze forced upwards to the parade of towering peaks and pearly shimmer of the hanging Victoria Glacier. The startling azure colour of the water can be attributed to light reflecting off small particles of ‘rock flour’ (glacial silt) carried down from glaciers above.

2. Blue Cave, Greece Best for: subterranean boating

Carved over time by the erosive force of the sea, the entrance to the Blue Cave, near the tiny island of Kastellorizo in the Dodecanese, appears almost concealed until one enters its confines. The roof collapsed thousands of years ago following an earthquake, and now when the sun is low, light filtering through the ceiling gives the chamber an otherworldly quality, with intense blue hues reminiscent of an Yves Klein painting. With passengers ducking or lying flat on their backs, tiny boats navigate narrow passages in the rock before a vast chamber reveals itself, its roof reaching heights of 115ft.

On hot summer days, the opportunity to swim beneath the cave’s stalactites provides a refreshing escape from the heat. Near the coast of Turkey, the island of Kastellorizo is remote and peaceful, home only to a scattering of dwellings and a few characterful harbourside tavernas.

3. Lake Atitlán, Guatemala Best for: hiking

With volcanoes, waterfall-filled tropical forests and richly cultured Maya villages hugging its shores, Lake Atitlán in Guatemala’s southwestern highlands is a hiker’s paradise. Measuring 1,120ft at its deepest point, the lake fills the crater of an enormous volcano that blew its top around 85,000 years ago.

The three volcanoes that guard its shores are ideal for trekking enthusiasts, and the oldest, San Pedro, last erupted around 40,000 years ago. The route to its summit is a five-and-a-half-hour hike that passes coffee plantations and avocado farms to enter cool cloud forest alive with exotic birds like the endangered horned guan. More challenging still is Volcán Tolimán, an ascent of 10,361ft that involves starting at dawn and trekking up forested slopes to a shallow crater and the remains of ancient lava flows.

Hardest of them all, however, is 11,598ft-high Volcán Atitlán, one of Guatemala’s most extreme hikes up steep, rugged terrain. The rewards are worth the climb: glimpses of rare birds like the electric blue-green quetzal and phenomenal summit views over Lake Atitlán and a ripple of volcanoes to the Pacific Ocean glimmering in the distance.

4. Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan Best for: diving

A drop of turquoise in Kazakhstan’s snow-capped Tian Shan mountains, Lake Kaindy requires an off-road adventure to reach, but it’s worth braving the bumpy ride from the village of Saty, a 35-minute drive away. This 1,300ft-long, 98ft-deep lake was created by a huge earthquake in 1912 that triggered a limestone landslide and formed a natural dam. Fed by a glacial river, this lesser-known star of the Kolsai Lakes National Park looks like something from a Tolkien fantasy. The slender trunks of a submerged Picea schrenkiana (Asian spruce) forest rise from its depths to spear the flawless blue sky.

Under the water, it gets more otherworldy still. The frigid, oxygen-rich water has frozen the trees in time, protecting them from decay, while branches swathed in thick curtains of algae create an underwater labyrinth so ghostly locals often refer to it as ‘dead lake’. Due to its altitude and the depth of the water, with divers descending to around 30ft, this is a realm for experts only. While swims are tempting, given the temperature, it’s likely to be a quick plunge: temperatures get to a maximum of 6C even in the summer. In winter, meanwhile, the lake ices over entirely.

5. Lake Päijänne, Finland Best for: fishing

Finland, viewed from above, resembles a tapestry woven from forests and lakes. With almost 190,000 lakes scattered across the country, it’s almost impossible to explore without encountering these sprawling bodies of water. Among them, Lake Päijänne stands out as the second-largest, resembling a fjord nestled within the expansive Finnish Lakeland. Located at the heart of the national park that shares its name, Lake Päijänne stretches for around 80 miles, its waters bordered by ancient spruce, pine and silver birch forests; speckled with islets and sandy esker islands, shaped during the last Ice Age. When the midnight sun burns, Finns come to slip back to nature in lakefront cabins or pitch tents on remote stretches of shoreline.

Birds like herons, ospreys and lesser black-backed gulls flock here for the fish, and whether casting lines from the shore, navigating the waters by boat or venturing out to the lake’s numerous islands, fishing enthusiasts, too, are rewarded with the chance to hook prized species such as perch, zander, pike and brown trout. The lake’s reputation as a prime fishing destination is boistered by its rich underwater ecosystem and the surrounding landscape. Don’t miss the chance to swim, with water temperatures rising to 20C in summer.

6. Blue Lake, New Zealand Best for: paddleboarding

Lake Tikitapu in the Rotorua Bay of Plenty region on New Zealand’s North Island is known as Blue Lake thanks to its dazzling aqua hue, created by pumice and rhyolite on the lake bed. Skirted by the native bush and exotic redwoods of Whakarewarewa Forest, this volcanic crater lake is steeped in Māori history. Their spiritual connection to the land is profound, and for centuries Tikitapu has been a place of spiritual reverence, where rituals and ceremonies were performed to honour ancestors and seek guidance from the natural world.

Visibility is excellent, making Blue Lake an ideal place to swim, but hiring a paddleboard will open up remote reaches of the water. Secluded coves dot its shoreline, as do caves that flicker with glow worms after dark. While paddling, look out for native birds like the tui and fantail flitting through the trees along the shoreline.

7 . Lake Constance, Europe Best for: cycling

Straddling Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Lake Constance — or Bodensee, as it’s known locally — is Central Europe’s third-largest freshwater lake, and there’s no better way to see it than by bicycle. The 162-mile Bodensee-Radweg (Lake Constance Cycle Path) makes a spectacular loop of the lake, passing orchards, farms, vineyards, bird-rich wetlands, baroque pilgrimage churches and medieval castles. Stay in historic towns like Konstanz on the northwest shore and break up the pedalling with a swim. Particularly pretty is Hörnle beach; avoid pausing there in July and August, when it’s very crowded.

8. Great Lake of Alqueva, Portugal Best for: stargazing

Among the olive groves, cork oak forests, vineyards and snow-white towns of rural Alentejo is Portugal’s Great Lake of Alqueva, Europe’s largest reservoir. Sitting close to the Spanish border, this 97sq-mile lake has beaches and islets to explore by kayak, with castle-topped hill towns to hike to afterwards. The world’s first Starlight Tourism Destination and an official dark sky reserve, Alqueva shines at night. With a pair of binoculars, it’s possible to spot constellations, distant galaxies and meteor showers. For more serious stargazers, use the telescopes at Monsaraz observatory, or opt for a starlit canoe tour.

9. Laguna Colorada, Bolivia Best for: wildlife watching

On the Bolivian altiplano, Laguna Colorada is a sight to behold. This shallow, 23sq-mile lake sits 14,035ft above sea level, the pink-red tint of sediment in the water contrasting with the blue skies and snow-streaked volcanoes. Filled with algae and plankton, its mineral-rich waters draw thousands of flamingos, including three of the world’s six species (Chilean, Andean and the rare James’s flamingo). Watch them skim over the water at sunset, with the Andes towering behind.

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