Enjoy the natural surroundings at a gentle pace

Most holiday makers go to La Palma for a calmer style of holiday and that is what you get here.  With a large proportion of the island designated as Nature Reserves and with the generally lovely countryside you won’t be looking for nightclubs and water-parks here.

What you will find are friendly and courteous locals, good food and wine, great landscapes and a slower pace of life.

But when you need to get out and about, what is there to see and do?

Drive yourself around this lovely island at a leisurely pace, the best way to do this is to split the island in two – don’t try and tackle it all at once there is too much to see and do and en route so many stunning views to look at. La Palma is naturally split north and south by the mountains.

You can visit Roque de los Muchachos, the highest point on the island, or Mirador la Cumbrecita which is a major viewpoint in a mountain forest, on a clear day you can see all the way down through the valley to the sea, and if you are not that lucky the cloud formation hovering over the mountain top and the clear air and those stunning views do make it worthwhile. Before venturing to the National Park, do look in at the visitor centre which is on the north side of the tunnel through the mountains that links north and south of the island. It has all the history and maps and other information about the Nature Reserve that you may need.

If you stick to the southern part of the island, places to visit include El Paso, a typical village and the Parque Paraiso de las Aves, which shelters endangered bird species and gives guided tours, Los Llanos in a fertile valley has typical Canarian architecture and the Pueblo Parque, botanical gardens, is just outside the town.
Tazacorte is a fishing village with a harbour and beach and some good fish restaurants… one could extend this list but the travel guide we will give you with your tickets will be more helpful.

The knowledge of our local team is excellent and they will be able to advise you on the spot. 

Suffice to say the countryside and mountains are well worth exploring whether you take an organised excursion or a hire care.

Hiking and Trekking

One of the nicest ways to experience the landscapes here, there are marked trails of different lengths and difficulties and the local tourist board will have the appropriate maps and explanatory brochures.

Museums

Museo Insular San Francisco (Island Museum) in the capital Santa Cruz is in a former
Convent, where there are four exhibitions  covering Art, Archaeology, Natural Science and Ethnography, traditional handicrafts.

Casa Roja in Mazo we mentioned has the embroidery museum but it also has a museum, the only one in Spain, that celebrates the spring fiesta of Corpus Christi.

There are various churches both in the capital and in some of the lovely villages in the mountains worth having a look around.

Visit the wine area of Fuencaliente, wines have been produced here for centuries.  Today the wines are either Dry White or Sweet Malvasia White, or the younger slightly lower alcohol Reds and Rose wines, all very palatable.  The is a wine which is more typically from La Palma and they are called Tea wines, they are fermented in Canary Pine wooden casks, and if you like wines with character then they are worth a try. By the way Tea Wine is pronounced teh ah.

Scuba Diving

The clean clear waters of the Canaries makes this a popular activity and there are diving companies in several locations in La Palma, each area around the island has a different underwater landscape,we can give you more detail if you wish. 

Other water activities are available from the larger beaches such as Tazacorte which is the best place to take a boat trip around the island and if you are fortunate you may see dolphins.
Canoeing is done from Puerto Naos or Los Cancajos where the waters are quieter than is other coastal areas of La Palma.

Mountain Bikes

There are a couple of Bike Stations on the island, in Brena Baja or Los Llanos, you can opt to cycle with or without a guide.  Obviously sharing this experience with like minded others and someone who knows the terrain would make this more enjoyable.

Paragliding

The wind streams make La Palma ideal for this sport which can be done year round here.  Santa Cruz, Los Llanos and Fuencaliente are the best areas.

Horse riding can be done from stables in El Paso or Brena Alta.