Hotels in La Palma

La Palma

La Palma is the north-westernmost of the Canary Islands, a steep and green island of 708 square kilometres known as "La Isla Bonita", the beautiful island. The whole island is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and it rises to 2,426 metres at the Roque de los Muchachos, the second-highest peak in the archipelago after Teide. At its heart lies the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, a huge crater about nine kilometres wide and up to 1,500 metres deep whose interior can only be reached on foot. Near the summit, the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory hosts the Gran Telescopio Canarias, and thanks to its clear, dark skies La Palma was the first place to be named a Starlight Reserve. The north-east keeps the laurel cloud forest of Los Tilos, while the south is a chain of young volcanoes that the Ruta de los Volcanes trail follows down to Fuencaliente and its salt pans. In 2021 the eruption on the Cumbre Vieja ridge lasted 85 days and reshaped part of the west coast, and its new lava fields are now part of the island's landscape. Banana plantations fill much of the Aridane valley around Los Llanos de Aridane, the largest town, and Tazacorte, whose harbour beach faces the sunset, while Puerto Naos has a long black-sand beach. The capital Santa Cruz de La Palma has a well-kept colonial old town with carved wooden balconies, and the beach resort of Los Cancajos lies just south of it, close to La Palma Airport. The airport has flights from Tenerife, Gran Canaria, mainland Spain and several northern European countries, and ferries link the port of Santa Cruz with the other islands. With rural houses, apartments and a handful of resort hotels on the coast, hotels in La Palma suit hikers, stargazers and travellers looking for a quiet island.