Fodor's Expert Review Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory

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.