La Palma
In the months of January and February of 2021 we visited the Canary Island of La Palma. In the exact 10 weeks we have been there, we have had extensive time to get to know the island in all its facets.
Read below about our experiences and adventures on La Palma.
La Palma
From January 4th to March 15th 2021 we spent 10 weeks on the Canary Island of La Palma. We had decided to spend the winter 2020/2021 in the Canary Islands, on the one hand because this seemed like a good destination due to the Covid-19 situation and on the other hand because the islands absolutely attracted us and then certainly La Gomera, La Palma and El Hierro. Small islands that are more unspoilt than the traditional ‘holiday’ islands, islands with lots of peace and nature.
After sailing the ferry from Armas Naviera from La Gomera to La Palma on January 4th we stayed the first week in a super nice little apartment in Brena Baja.
Brena Baja
The first week we stayed in Brena Baja on the east coast. We had chosen this as it is close to the port where we arrived. It is also close to the capital Santa Cruz de La Palma. Brena Baja is the low part of the village, higher up is Brena Alta.
The village is known for the cultivation of tobacco and bananas. We were in a super nice apartment this first week on a banana plantation with the super sweet people Luisa and Pedro.
In our first week at La Palma the weather was bad for the first few days. We were dealing with Storm Filomena. But that didn't bother us and Brena Baja was a great location to explore the island in the first week.
The second week on La Palma we stayed in the small village of Tijarafe on the west coast. During the first week during our exploration we decided to stay in Tijarafe to spend the second week. Tijarafe is located on the northern side of the west coast. By now we had understood that the weather on the west coast is more often beautiful, that the sun shines more and that it is warmer. In Tijarafe we stayed in a very nice and authentic house Casa El Drago, but at about 600m altitude. There aren't many places on La Palma that are really at sea level. Due to the geology of the island, places quickly lie at some height. From the coast it goes up directly in many places. Similarly near Tijarafe.
Because we were at that altitude it was often pleasant during the day with about 18 degrees (in January). But later in the afternoon and in the evening and night it was certainly still fresh. From Tijarafe we mainly discovered the west coast in that week. Especially the trips to Poris de Puntagorda and Poris de Candelaria were highlights. And the hike to Los Tilos with a visit to the waterfall was also great.
Tijarafe
Tijarafe is located in the northwest of the island of La Palma on the coast and approx. 2,500 people live there. The coast is sharp, raw and difficult to access, and ensures that there is little activity on the coast, there are no beaches.
Near Tijarafe is the magical Poris de Candelaria, a small fishing village where there are small houses and caves where people actually still live. Such a similar place, Puerto de Puntagorda, is located about 10km north of Tijarafe. As mentioned, the coast is raw, not accessible but stunningly beautiful.
During the week in Tijarafe we stayed in El Jesus, a very small village just a little higher up in the mountains than Tijarafe. As a result, we had beautiful sea views and we had a few enchanting sunsets.
On La Palma, just like on La Gomera, we wanted to stay longer at one location. Already before we went to Tijarafe we had picked a very nice accommodation in Las Indias. Las Indias is located on the southwest coast, a few kilometers north of the southern tip. In the first week on La Palma we put quite a bit of time into finding a good accommodation for a longer period of time. And in Las Indias, we absolutely found it.
Initially we had rented the accommodation "Balcon Atlantico" for 4 weeks. The house is spacious, with beautiful outdoor space and swimming pool (fresh in January and February) and above all has fantastic views over the Atlantic Ocean. The 4 weeks ended up being 8 weeks and in those 8 weeks we saw a lot of great sunsets.
Although Las Indias is located in the southwest, it is still a good base for many fun activities and walks on the entire island. Of course, it is great for visiting the Vulcano’s San Antonio and Teneguia, the Lighthouse of Fuencaliente and the beaches of Zamora and Puerto Naos. This is all really close by. But from Las Indias we actually did almost all the activities on La Palma and sometimes we had to drive a bit, but we have all the time in the world.
In addition to the activities mentioned above, the visit to the vulcanic caves Cuevas de Las Palomas, the hikes in the Caldera de Taburiente, the visit to Roque de los Muchachos, the hikes along the Ruta de los Volcanes and the wine tasting in Bodegas Teneguia were real highlights. And on La Palma we discovered a great vegan café, Palmerita Cafe. We have been there several times for breakfast or lunch. The owners Laura and Jorge have a super nice café and we are glad we were able to make these new friends.
Another highlight was the visit of our good friend Thomas from Badhoevedorp in the Netherlands. Despite the difficult Covid-19 situation and travel advice, he still came to La Palma in the first week of March 2021. He had a great week and enjoyed the island at least as much as we did.
Las Indias
Las Indias is located against the hills of the southwestern part of the island. The houses of Las Indias are largely built along the LP-209 road that runs from Fuencaliente through Las Indias down to the coast. About 600 people live in Las Indias. It is a popular small village because it is located on the good and sunny side of the island.
Las Indias is despite being located in the southwest an excellent base on La Palma. And the views over the Atlantic Ocean and the sunsets are fabulous from anywhere in the village.
We had a fantastic time on La Palma, what a great island. The island is very diverse in terms of nature and landscape and there is a lot to do and see. In addition, the climate is very pleasant. In winter it is very mild on the coast but it can be quite fresh in the mountains. In summer it is warm on the coast but it is wonderfully pleasant in the mountains. Not to mention, the people on La Palma are very friendly and always make you feel welcome. We have closed La Palma in our hearts forever.
If you want to read and learn more about La Palma point of interest, please have a look at the specific La Palma blog posts below.
La Palma Blog posts
Winetasting on La Palma
On La Palma grapes are grown to produce wine, so we visited one of the wineries for a guided tour and a very enjoyable wine tasting
Poris de Candelaria
Poris de Candelaria, a gigantic watercave under an impressive cliff, is one of the most beautiful places to visit on La Palma
Caldera de Taburiente
During our 10 week stay at La Palma we have visited the national park Caldera de Taburiente several times and did some fantastic hikes
Palmerita Cafe: Discover this Great Vegan Cafe
At La Palma we discovered the great vegan cafe Palmerita Cafe in La Laguna. A lovely cafe with delicious plant-based dishes and very friendly owners and staff
Storm Filomena
During our first week on La Palma we had to deal with Storm Filomena. The storm set rainfall records on La Palma and caused a huge mudslide