Santa Cruz de La Palma (La Palma) / Spain

In the middle of the eastern coast of the island of La Palma in the western part of the Spanish Canary Islands archipelago lies Santa Cruz de La Palma. The main and second largest city of the island has about 13,000 inhabitants.

Santa Cruz de La Palma was founded in 1493 by the Spanish conqueror Alonso Fernández de Lugo. The settlement, originally known as Villa del Apurón, served as a port for ships on routes between Europe and the newly discovered Americas and also for exporting sugar cane and other products from the island. Because it was attacked and destroyed by pirates, it was fortified, but a later economic crisis brought it decline and a decrease in population. Today, Santa Cruz is once again a popular port with ferries heading to the Spanish Cádiz and to the surrounding islands of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, or Lanzarote.

Santa Cruz de La Palma is considered one of the most beautiful towns in the entire archipelago. It is known for its centuries-old architecture, cobbled streets, and bustling port. The kilometer-long waterfront promenade is lined with a beautiful black sand beach and excellent restaurants and cafes with sea views. The buildings on Plaza de Espana are beautiful examples of Canary Islands Renaissance architecture: among them are the historic town hall, a 16th-century fountain, and the Church of Saint Salvador. Other valuable houses can be seen along Calle Real, the main, largely cobbled street with a number of shops ideal for souvenir shopping.

The former 16th-century monastery now hosts a museum with a wide collection of artifacts and exhibitions on the natural history and ethnography of the area, as well as works of Spanish painting from the 20th and 21st centuries, and a replica of the ship Santa Maria of the famous explorer Christopher Columbus then the Maritime Museum. The fortresses of La Catalina and La Virgen still remind us of the times when the city was fortified against pirate attacks in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Anyone who conquers the approximately 4-kilometer ascent (it is also possible to get here by car or bus) to the pilgrimage church of Santuario de la Virgen de las Nieves from the 17th century will be rewarded with rich interiors with carved wooden ceilings and a sacred statue of the Virgin Mary from the 14th century. Families with children will also enjoy Maroparque, a small zoo with exotic animals and an aviary in a beautiful setting.

Santa Cruz de La Palma is an ideal starting point for exploring the entire island, also known as La Isla Verde. Not without reason: the mountainous islet is covered with lush forests and flora that will dazzle botanists. Inland lies the Caldera de Taburiente National Park with waterfalls and dozens of kilometers of hiking trails and the highest mountain on the island (and the second highest in the entire archipelago) Roque de Los Muchachos, from whose summit at an altitude of 4,246 meters breathtaking views open up. The volcanic landscape of Fuencaliente in the southern part of La Palma is also a great place for a hike.

Anyone who came to Santa Cruz to taste has something to look forward to. Among the island's specialties are papas arrugás con mojo, small potatoes cooked with lots of salt directly in the skin and served with green mojo sauce, thick potaje soup, or bienmesabe, a dessert made from yolks, almonds, and sugar, all washed down with excellent local wine or barraquito, coffee with condensed milk, sweet liqueur, cinnamon, and lemon peel.

Places worth seeing

Plaza de Espana - Visit the beautiful square with the most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture in the Canary Islands.

Museo Naval - Take a look into the interesting maritime history of the island in the museum in a replica of Columbus's 15th-century ship.

Castillo de Santa Catalina - Return to the time when the island's capital was fortified against pirate attacks.

Playa de Bajamar - Relax, sunbathe, and swim on the beautiful beach with black volcanic sand not far from the port.

Maroparque - See exotic species of animals and walk-through aviaries in a small but beautiful zoo.

Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente - Go on a hike through the beautiful landscape of the national park with majestic volcanic peaks and mighty waterfalls.

Santuario de la Virgen de las Nieves - Visit the beautiful pilgrimage church with a carved ceiling and a statue of the Virgin Mary from the 14th century.