La Palma is the northernmost Canary Island and it belongs to the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

It stretches over 708 square kilometres and it has a population of more than 85,000 citizens. Split up in 14 municipalities, it offers a wide scenic and climatic diversity. Rough, beautiful, high, surprising, marvellous, spectacular…could easily be some of the adjectives which could justify its nickname: “the pretty island”. An ideal island to lose yourself…

In 2002, the entire island of La Palma was declared a “World Biosphere Reserve” by UNESCO. It was the great variety of landscapes which, to a large extent, contributed to this, as every bend in the road reveals a new vista: barren lava flows which alternate with lush pine forests, deep ravines and high cliffs, small coves with their beaches of black sand, summits covered with laurel forest, and, somewhere or other, a herd of goats crossing the road.

In 2006, La Palma became the first place in the world to de declared a “Sustainable Tourist Destination”.

The exceptional quality of the island’s night skies, which are further protected by a specific “Sky Law” designed to minimise light pollution, are the main reason why many countries have installed their telescopes here. Would you like to learn more about the universe and the stars with a portable telescope?