La Palma

…an island with heart!

La Palma is located in the north-west of the Canary Islands and has a surface area of only 708 square kilometres and a population of no more than 85,000 inhabitants. Despite its small area, the island is extremely steep, reaching a height of 2,426 metres at its highest point, Roque de Los Muchachos.

In its northern third we find a huge depression of erosive origin, which forms the crater of the Caldera de Taburiente. This mountain range, which runs from the centre to the south of La Palma and is known as Cumbre Vieja, is home to a number of recently erupted volcanoes. These include the San Juan volcano (erupted in 1949), the Martín volcano (erupted in 1646), the San Antonio volcano (erupted in 1677) and the Teneguía volcano (erupted in 1971).

Despite the dry volcanic landscapes of the south of the island, La Palma has a vast area of forest, consisting of both Canary Island pines and lush laurel forests
This wooded vegetation spreads as a green blanket over the highest areas and especially over the entire northern slope. The spectacular laurel forests with their huge ferns and magnificent lianas can also be found in many gorges due to the permanent humidity of the trade winds.

The forest of Los Tilos with its waterfalls is one of the most beautiful and lush areas of La Palma. In this area are the Marcos and Cordero springs, a paradise for hikers.

To the west we find sunnier and Mediterranean looking landscapes with idyllic rural towns. In the central part there is the huge crater Caldera de Taburiente, National Park since 1954, where the layers and formations of stone exposed by erosion allow us to travel back in time to the origin of the island. The lava masses of the volcanoes Taburiente I and II as well as the baltic walls and the cushion lava formed on the sea bed are witnesses of the island, which is about 3 million years old.

Small tourist centres also exist alongside beautiful beaches and conventional offers. Both in Puerto Naos in the west and Los Cancajos in the east, visitors will find hotels and restaurants in tourist style all year round. There is also a marina in the port of Tazacorte, from which various leisure and tourist boats offer excursions and sea trips for whale watching.

However, the authentic character of the inhabitants of La Palma can be found in the two main urban centres: Los Llanos de Aridane to the west and Santa Cruz de La Palma, the capital, to the east. 

In recent years, La Palma has become a worldwide benchmark for stargazing. Many observatory facilities are located on the second highest island of the Canary Islands archipelago, optimal conditions due to its island nature, low population density and, as a consequence, low light pollution. 
Declared as Stargazing Island, various companies and guides have been offering nighttime stargazing with telescopes for the last few years.

Our guests in the VISTA AZUL flats can discover and intensively enjoy all the possibilities that La Palma offers during their stay on the island.
For our part, we will be happy to provide you with all the necessary information and instructions upon your arrival.