La Palma is the north-westernmost of the Canary Islands — a volcanic island of extraordinary diversity, packing lush laurel forests, a mighty erosion crater, fresh lava fields and the clearest night sky in the northern hemisphere into 708 square kilometres. No mass tourism. No concrete hotel blocks. Instead: genuine nature, genuine cuisine and an island that has remained true to itself — the Canaries as they once were.
Anyone who truly wants to understand La Palma needs more than a brief description. This guide covers everything: the Nationalpark Caldera de Taburiente, the volcano Tajogaite of 2021, the finest hiking trails und Strände, the finest gastronomythe History of the Benahoaritas and all the practical travel tips for 2026.
What is La Palma?
La Palma — officially San Miguel de La Palma — is the north-westernmost and third smallest of the seven Canary Islands. At just two million years old, it is one of the geologically youngest. And yet: nature has packed more into its 708 square kilometres than many an island ten times its size. 2,426 metres altitude at the Roque de los Muchachos. An eight-kilometre-wide erosion crater at the heart of the island. Laurel forests from the Tertiary era. And a volcano that reminded the world of its existence in 2021 for the first time since 1971.
Since 2002, the entire island has been a UNESCO-Biosphärenreservat. Since 2012 it has held the Starlight Reserve certificate — the first island in the world to do so — for the protection of its extraordinary night sky. And the Caldera de Taburiente National Park has been one of Spain’s oldest national parks since 1954. La Palma is no recent discovery — but one that has not yet been worn out.
The Caldera de Taburiente — the National Park at the Heart of the Island
This impressive erosion crater, eight kilometres across and up to 1,700 metres deep is the geographical heart of La Palma and has been an official national park since 1954. No road leads into the centre of the caldera. Those who wish to go inside must go on foot: through the Barranco de las Angustias, the gorge of anguish, or down from Los Brecitos into the valley where the Río de Taburiente rushes between rocks and waterfalls.
Canarian pines, tree heathers, cedars and endemic ferns cling to the steep cliffs. Kestrels circle above the rocks. And the Roque Idafe — a free-standing lava pillar rising from the crater floor — was the holiest site of the Benahoaritas, the island’s original inhabitants. From the Mirador de la Cumbrecita — the park’s most visited viewpoint — one looks out into this silence. A shuttle reservation is required.
The Caños de Fuego visitor centre in Las Manchas (El Paso municipality) opens up the lava field with exhibitions, guided tours and free access to the viewpoint. Puerto Naos, the coastal town to the west of the lava field, is largely accessible in 2026 — the CO₂-Ampelsystem system monitors air quality continuously. Anyone who visits La Palma without seeing Tajogaite has missed one of the most remarkable natural stories of our time.
Hiking on La Palma — Discovering the Island on Foot
La Palma is regarded by connoisseurs as the finest hiking destination in the Canary Islands — and with good reason. More than 1,000 kilometres of marked hiking trails criss-cross the island from sea level to the 2,426-metre summit of the Roque de los Muchachos. The vegetation changes within a matter of hours: Banana plantations on the coast, laurel forests in the humid zones, Canarian pines at higher elevations, and high-altitude vegetation at the summit. Lizards dart across the paths, butterflies accompany the hiker, and on clear days the views across the Atlantic and to the neighbouring islands are limitless.
Highlight-Wanderungen
The absolute highlight hikes include the walk from Los Brecitos through the calderathe Ruta de los Volcanes along the volcanic chain of the Cumbre Vieja, the ascent of the Roque de los Muchachos und walks through the laurel forest of Los Tilos in the north-east. Those who want to experience the full length of the island take the GR 130 — the long-distance trail that circuits La Palma in 14 stages.
Day Trips — Observatory, Pirates‘ Cove and Sea Caves
At the highest point of the island — the Roque de los Muchachos at 2,426 metres — stands the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos — one of the world’s most important astrophysical research facilities, with more than 20 telescopes including the Gran Telescopio Canarias with its 10.4-metre mirror, one of the largest optical telescopes on Earth. In 2012, La Palma became the world’s first island to be certified as a UNESCO-Starlight-Reserve . The Milky Way is visible here with the naked eye.
Activities on La Palma
A few hours by boat from the north-west coast, the Cueva Bonita glows — a sea cave whose lava walls shimmer in bioluminescent blue-green when the sea is calm. The Piratenbucht Porís de Candelaria near Tijarafe hides beneath a gigantic rock overhang: around 20 small white houses, carved into the cliff or built between the rocks, once a hideout for smugglers and pirates, today home to local fishermen. And the Salinas de Fuencaliente produce pink sea salt right at the foot of two extinct volcanoes.
In the north, the Naturpools Charco Azul and the Piscinas del Fajana bei Barlovento offer sheltered swimming even in heavy swell. In the south, the Playa Echentive near Fuencaliente — black sand on volcanic rock, right beside the salt pans. And the Charco Verde bei Puerto Naos is a tranquil, green natural pool, ideal for families.
Food & Drink — Palmero Cuisine
The cuisine of La Palma is honest, rustic and deeply rooted in the island’s natural resources. Papas arrugadas con mojo — small wrinkled salt-cured potatoes served with Mojo Rojo (spicy, with paprika and chilli) or Mojo Verde (mild, with coriander and parsley) — are the staple Canarian dish. Queso Palmero is a goat’s cheese, often smoked over almond shells or pine wood, which tastes best fresh or briefly fried with mojo.
For fish lovers: Vieja a la plancha — grilled parrotfish — is La Palma’s signature dish, best enjoyed at the fishing harbour in Tazacorte. Vino de Tea — wine from the north, aged in barrels made from the heartwood of Canarian pine — has a resinous aroma found nowhere else in the world. And to finish: Bienmesabe, a sweet almond cream made from Puntagorda almonds.
Nature & Flora — Laurel Forests, Dragon Trees and Tajinaste
La Palma’s plant life is fascinatingly diverse within a remarkably small area. In the north-eastern Biosphere Reserve of Los Tilos grows one of the best-preserved laurel forests (Laurisilva) in the Canary Islands — already recognised by UNESCO in 1983, long before the whole island became a biosphere reserve in 2002. Here thrive stinkwood laurel, Canarian laurel and Indian persea, tree heathers and gale, and on damp slopes the climbing chain fern grows to a size that seems scarcely believable.
The most spectacular floral display in the Canaries is the Tajinaste rosada — its glowing flower spires transform the Roque de los Muchachos into a natural wonder from May to June, the likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Gnarled old dragon trees are found mainly in the north-west, in the municipality of Garafía. And along the coast grow spurges and prickly pears, while in the laurel forests the Canarian bellflower with reddish-yellow blooms
In 1492 — the same year Columbus discovered America — General Alonso Fernández de Lugo conquered La Palma. In the 16th century, Santa Cruz de La Palma became the third most important port city in Spain. The wealth of that era remains visible to this day: in the Balcones Típicos, the magnificent wooden balconies along the Avenida Marítima, in the manor houses and churches of the old town, and in the street names that recall Dutch, English and Genoese merchants. In the 19th century, the Indianos — returnees from Cuba and Venezuela — shaped the island’s architecture with their white villas and their cosmopolitan outlook.
The Finest Villages and Towns — from Santa Cruz to Garafía
The capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma, was founded in 1493 and is one of the best-preserved colonial towns in the Canaries: a heritage-listed old town, magnificent churches, monasteries and manor houses with the famous Balcones Típicos. Los Llanos de Aridane in the fertile Aridane valley is the gastronomic centre of the western side. Tazacorte has the finest fishing harbour. Fuencaliente in the south combines salt pans, volcanoes and vineyards on lava soil.
In the north-west lies Garafía — the wildest and most unspoilt part of La Palma. Deep ravines, abandoned harbours, ancient petroglyphs and the island’s finest goat’s cheese. Puntagorda is almond-blossom country: in January and February the almond trees burst into bloom in one of winter’s most beautiful natural spectacles. And Tijarafe on the high plateau above the west coast is home to the pirates‘ cove, the Cervecería Isla Verde — the island’s only craft brewery — and with 37 fincas the largest holiday house offer on La Palma.
Getting There and Practical Travel Tips
The La Palma Airport (SPC) is located on the east coast in Breña Baja, ten minutes south of Santa Cruz. Direct flights are available from Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, München, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart and Hanover — with Condor, Discover Airlines, Eurowings and TUI fly. Flight time: approximately 4.5 to 5 hours. La Palma is accessible by ferry from Tenerife daily (Fred. Olsen, Naviera Armas, approximately 2.5–3 hours).
A hire car is virtually indispensable on La Palma. Local providers such as Acoron, Cicar and PlusCar typically include fully comprehensive insurance with no excess in their base price. For accommodation: Clariso La Palma is the go-to address for holiday houses — 114 vetted fincas in 8 municipalities, all on the sunny side of the island. Hotels in Los Cancajos and Puerto Naos for a more classic beach holiday. The key rule of thumb: the west coast below 500 metres means almost daily sunshine in winter.
On La Palma, a hire car is not a luxury but a necessity. Local providers, prices and practical information.
Direct flights from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, alternative routes via Tenerife or Madrid, and booking tips.
Accommodation on La Palma for every type of traveller: holiday house, apartment, hotel or campsite.
Frequently Asked Questions About La Palma
La Palma is known for the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, the 2021 Tajogaite volcanic eruption, Europe’s clearest night skies, extensive hiking trails, pristine laurel forests, and its nicknames Isla Bonita and Isla Verde — the beautiful and the green island.
La Palma can be visited year-round. November to March for winter sun on the west coast. April to June for hiking and the Tajinaste bloom at the Roque de los Muchachos. January to February for the almond blossom in Puntagorda. July to October for the warmest water.
Yes. Puerto Naos and the Tajogaite lava field are accessible in 2026. The CO₂ traffic-light system monitors air quality continuously. La Palma is a completely safe travel destination.
Almost essential. The TILP bus network connects the main towns, but the Caldera, Garafía, mountain fincas, many beaches and the Pirate Cove are not reachable without a car. Book locally: Acoron, Cicar or PlusCar — fully comprehensive insurance is usually included in the base price.
The Caldera de Taburiente from La Cumbrecita, the Tajogaite lava field, the Roque de los Muchachos at sunset or for stargazing, the Pirate Cove at Porís de Candelaria, Playa de Nogales, and the old town of Santa Cruz de La Palma with its Balcones Típicos.
Papas arrugadas con mojo (essential), Vieja a la plancha (grilled parrotfish), Queso Palmero (smoked goat’s cheese), Bienmesabe (almond cream dessert) and Vino de Tea (wine with a pine resin aroma). Look for small kioskos and guachinches in the villages — that’s where you eat most authentically.