6 Best Sights in La Palma, Canary Islands

What strikes you first about Caldera de Taburiente National Park is its sheer verticality, jutting over 3,000 feet (900 meters) above sea level, which feels dramatic considering that the ocean is only a couple of miles away as the crow flies. Trails here take you through dense Canarian pine forests, meadows of wildflowers, dramatic gorges, and burbling streams. All around you are even higher, jagged cliff tops whose peaks are often hidden above the cloud line. There are essentially two routes: one uphill and one downhill. The latter is far and away more enjoyable, but you'll have to hire a taxi (approximately €55; try to split the fee with other hikers) at the Barranco de las Angustias (aka Parking de la Villa) to drop you at the trailhead at Mirador Los Brecitos. You then walk the scenic route from Los Brecitos back down to the taxi stand, 4–7 hours depending on how pokey you are. The hike is steep with lots of uneven surfaces and not suited to all travelers. Bring plenty of water and snacks. If you visit in spring or early summer, you'll be treated to jaw-dropping indigo tajinaste flowers in bloom. Islabonitatours ( www.islabonitatours.com) is an outstanding English-speaking tour company that can make all transportation arrangements and provide knowledgeable mountain guides.

Also known as Bosque de Los Tilos, this protected biosphere is home to one of the best-preserved laurisilva forests in the archipelago. Take a leisurely walk beneath mossy lianas and towering laurel trees up to the Espigón Atravesado viewpoint, about one hour each way, or take a three- to five-hour hike along the Marcos y Cordero route, skirting beneath waterfalls. There's also a quick out-and-back trail (30 minutes total, give or take) to the Los Tilos Waterfall; follow signs for "Sendero a la Cascada." There's a well-appointed visitor center at the end of the LP-105 road (follow signs for "Los Tilos") with maps and English placards on local history, flora, and fauna.  Mudslides and inclement weather cause occasional closures; check with your hotel or the tourist office for updates.

La Palma native Victoria Torres Pecis has been quietly making some of the finest Canarian wine on the market since taking the reins at her late father's hilltop winery in 2010. A fifth-generation winemaker, she understands the island's soils and microclimates, and she adheres to a minimal-intervention philosophy in both vineyard and cellar. “A volcano constructs and at the same time destroys; my vines grow in volcanic ash, and this is part of who we are," she said, reflecting on the 2021 eruption. Snap up as many bottles as you can—Torres's wines (ranging from floral Malvasía to earthy Negramoll) sell out quickly and are hard to come by anywhere else. Visits are private and by email appointment only. 

Powdery black sand is the main draw at this urban beach with a boardwalk, which is pleasant to walk or jog along. When the ocean is calm and the weather is slightly overcast (which makes the sand less likely to singe your toes!), it's an idyllic spot to relax and swim. There's a playground for kids. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free). Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

Little do many science buffs know that La Palma boasts the second-best astronomy observatory in the Northern Hemisphere, outdone only by Mauna Kea in Hawaii. Situated within the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, it has three extremely powerful telescopes and sits above the clouds at an altitude of 7,861 feet (2,396 meters). Though the site is operated by an astrophysics institute, small-group visits, lasting 70–90 minutes and always held at dawn, are subcontracted to a company called Ad Astra. The tour with a certified guide includes entry into one of the telescopes.    

Beside two picturesque lighthouses (one built in 1903 and the other in 1985) are salt flats set amid a starkly black lava landscape. Placards along a footpath explain how salt is extracted from ocean water according to an ancient method. There's a souvenir shop selling various types and textures of salt as well as local wines, T-shirts, postcards, and more, and a good oceanfront restaurant specializing in salt-baked fish that's filleted tableside.