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The Island of La Palma
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La Palma, the most westerly of the Canaries, is also known as the Isla Verde, the green island.
The island’s main attraction is the island itself, unspoilt nature, the topographic variety ranging from bizarre volcanic cones to tropical green ravines, gigantic mountains and black sandy beaches. La Palma is a peaceful island with a mild spring-like climate – without mass-tourism.
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La Palma: The Caldera de Taburiente, nature and hiking paradise at the heart of the island.
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The true centre of the island is the crater of the volcano Caldera de Taburiente with its 9 km diameter. Around 400.000 years ago the colossal roof of the volcano collapsed and formed the present basin. Pieces of the original roof are to be found lying as rocks in the crater bottom (left).
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The inside walls of the crater, now a declared national park, drop at a sheer 900m and are mostly covered in pine forest. The north rim, at 2000 m, is topped by the summit of the Roque de los Muchachos at 2.426 m. Well kept and attractive trails offer the visitor unique hikes and imposing views changing with every step. As throughout the whole island excellent guided hikes are also provided.
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The blue “Addershead” bush is one of the many plants singular to La Palma.
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Through an ancient break in the crater wall in the southeast a deep, steep sided valley has been formed. The Rio de las Angustias , in summer a hidden trickle amidst the lush verdure of the ravine, becomes a raging torrent in winter, wild and foaming on its path to the ocean.
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Beautifully restored church in the Barranco de las Angustias
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The southernmost and geologically youngest half of the island shows plainly its volcanic origin in perfectly formed cones, heaps of multi-coloured ash and rivers of now cold lava. Even after 30 years since the last eruption, parts of the surface of the volcano Teneguia (above) are hot underfoot.
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The southern half of the island is home to expansive beaches with fine black sand and pebbles.
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Both of the beaches, Los Cancajos in the east and Puerto Naos (right) in the west have been awarded the Blue Flag. This is not only for the excellent quality of the water – this goes for all water around the island – but for the amenities such as public sanitation etc.
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In addition to large beaches are numerous small bays with fine sand, rock-pool bathing and sea-water swimming pools.
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Above: Peces Verdes, Right: Viejas, not only a colourful sight but a culinary speciality of the island.
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Puerto de Tazacorte has the longest beach on the west coast and a large fishing harbour. Lying next to the colourful fishing boats that daily supply the little restaurants on the promenade with the best fish, are the deep-sea fishing vessels and pleasure boats. Dolphins play around the coastline of La Palma and with luck whale sightings can be made.
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The diving base with its diving school in Puerto Naos organises underwater excursions.
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The mountain range of the Cumbre divides La Palma from south to north in an east and west half. The eastern side of this meteorological divide holds the clouds brought by the trade winds and thus assures that the west has brilliant blue skies.
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The dense crowns of the pine trees, with fine needles up to 30cm length, catch and hold the clouds brought by the trade winds.
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During the winter the chestnut forests in the east are a Mecca for mushroom gatherers. In addition to the delicious boletus edulis and chanterelle there are over 700 varieties of fungi on La Palma and catalogued by Rose Marie Dähnecke in 1997. The author offers “fungi excursions” during the winter months.
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Jungle like chestnut forest in winter.
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The capital is the town of Santa Cruz de La Palma on the east coast of the island. The mountain range not only acts as a weather divide but has been the cause for the inhabitants of the west to make Los Llanos de Aridane their own unofficial capital and with its 19.000 inhabitants it has become the busy commercial centre of the island.
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Nuestra Senora de los Remedios on the Plaza Espana.
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In the small alleyways above the Plaza in Los Llanos attractive and typical single-story canary houses can be found.
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The cultural and social life of Los Llanos is to be found on the “Plaza”. Here concerts are performed, Fiestas celebrated and the latest gossip exchanged accompanied by a Cortado in the shade of the spreading laurel trees. Los Llanos, with its numerous small shops, is the ideal place for a shopping spree.
A little below the Plaza is the large indoor market where daily the fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, meat and the specialities of the island, such as smoked goats cheese, are on offer.
Right: View of the Plaza Chica. Secluded cosy niches and benches are a traditional popular rendezvous for lovers.
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Above: Plaza de Agual.
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Turning north on leaving the fertile Valle de Aridane one reaches the villages of Tijarafe and Puntagorda with their large variety of succulents predominantly the “spurges”. In the lower and middle regions are palms and almond groves and when reaching the higher mountain zone they give way to pine forest.
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A witness to the golden age of the sugar barons in the 17th century are the manorial merchants houses surrounding the Plaza de Abajo, a quadrangle fringed with palms and eucalyptus trees and now part of greater Los Llanos.
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Indian figs (prickly pears)
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Apart from the rich variety of unique flora on La Palma there are many plants that once introduced to La Palma have spread over the whole island. An example is the Indian fig (prickly pear), imported from Mexico in the 16th Century as a host plant for the cochineal louse and now a characteristic sight in the countryside. These very prickly Indian figs are edible and when carefully peeled, are a refreshing addition to the summer fruit.
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A spectacular view through the great Baranco Jurado, short of the village of Tijarafe. The gorge is under a preservation order as a nature reserve, so it offers with its inaccessible walls the ideal biosphere for alpine crows, kestrels and wild doves.
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In spring when the almond trees flower the whole landscape turns into a magical pink fairytale world. The centre of the almond cultivation is Puntagorda where the annual almond-blossom festival is held.
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For generations the land has been terraced for cultivation, held back with dry-stone walls it now lies mostly fallow and nature gradually reclaims it.
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Precipitous cliffs on the north-west coast of the island.
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The wildly romantic north of the island is reached at the first sighting of the dragon trees. A relic of the tertiary period are the laurel forests of the north and together with the mythical dragon trees are survivors of the past. They are endemic to the Canaries and nowhere seen as frequently as on La Palma.
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Wherever naked rocks appear, whether on the cliffs at the ocean, the mountain ridge of the Caldera or the peak of the Roque de los Muchachos, one can find a variety in the structure, colour and shape of the rocks.
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The diverse mineral sediment is responsible for the rich palette of colours in the rock stratum and reminiscent of the weave in cloth.
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In the lonely northern heights the plants seek protection in the Barrancos from the driving wind. Whoever ventures here finds a completely unspoilt landscaped “garden” with a captivating beauty.
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High plateau in the north close to Garafia.
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Nature is both changeable and adaptable. There, where the wind blows, the tiniest marguerites and low growing, thorny cacti with deep red fruit, duck close to the ground.
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Those who prefer to enjoy the view of the spectacular northern coastline from the sea, can do so best after plunging into the crystal-clear water of the sea-water swimming-pool at La Fahana and then drying in the sunshine.
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© LasCasasCanarias 2003 - 2007, All rights reserved.
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