I have been to La Palma countless times, the greenest of the Canary Islands. It is wonderfully varied: hiking, biking, diving, black sand beaches, wine and honest food, plus one of the clearest starry skies in Europe. You can swim almost all year round. If you are going for the first time, here is everything for your planning. And because many ask: yes, La Palma has long been fully open again after the 2021 eruption.
As of 2026, after the volcano: The Tajogaite volcano in the Cumbre Vieja erupted from 19 September to 13 December 2021. La Palma has long been fully open to visitors again. The lava flow mainly changed the area around Todoque and the central west coast. Puerto Naos and La Bombilla were closed for a long time due to escaping volcanic gas and have been reopening gradually since 2023, with a few zones still monitored. As of August 2026, Puerto Naos is fully open apart from a few corners. The volcano itself is now an impressive place to visit.
Choosing the right side of the island
A quick, very simplified orientation: the north is green and forested, shaped by the Canary pine. The south is barren with lava landscapes. The east has the airport, the capital Santa Cruz and the resort town of Los Cancajos. The green north-east is almost jungle-like. The west with the town of Los Llanos has a bit of everything: fine scenery, good infrastructure and the best weather.
My tip on location: choose the place according to your activities. I prefer the Aridane Valley in the west of the island, roughly the triangle between Los Llanos, Tazacorte and Puerto Naos. This region is easy to reach and pleasantly warm even in winter, because Cumbre Vieja and Cumbre Nueva keep it in the rain shadow. In practice: for hiking and the caldera, base yourself in El Paso or Los Llanos. For beach, promenade and sunsets, Puerto Naos or Tazacorte are ideal. And if you want quiet and stars, you will find lonely corners in the north around Barlovento and Franceses. Because the island is small, you can reach almost everything from a good base in the west in under an hour.
The best time to go
La Palma is worth it all year. Winter from November to April is mild and the flight schedule denser, summer warmer and drier. In the west you can swim almost year-round, with only a few stormy days. Hikers love spring and autumn, when it is pleasantly cool at altitude. An insider tip is late winter (mid-January to late February), when the almond trees blossom in the north around Puntagorda. The area around Las Tricias (Puntagorda) is especially famous.
Flights and getting there
La Palma has its own airport (SPC) in the east near Santa Cruz. The winter schedule (roughly November to early May) is much denser than summer, and connections change seasonally, so check them before booking.
- From Germany (direct): Condor flies from Frankfurt, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Munich and Stuttgart, seasonally also from Nuremberg. Some routes are served by Eurowings or Discover Airlines. easyJet flies seasonally direct from Berlin and Basel (roughly October to May).
- From Switzerland (direct): Edelweiss from Zurich, plus connections from Basel.
- From Austria: usually no direct flights, mostly a change in Madrid, Frankfurt or Zurich.
- Reliable year-round: via Madrid with Iberia or Iberia Express, often several times a day. Alternatively change on the neighbouring islands, from Tenerife North or Gran Canaria with Binter or Canaryfly.
A continuously updated flight schedule is kept at la-palma24.info.
Accommodation: hotel, holiday home or apartment
There are several options:
- Los Cancajos: the only classic tourist resort, near the airport in the east, with plenty of infrastructure.
- Puerto Naos: for me the finest beach on the island, a long promenade for walks and several restaurants. Besides the large choice of holiday flats, there is the big Meliá La Palma hotel here.
- Holiday flats and houses: La Palma is known for having hardly any hotel blocks, but a large choice of holiday rentals. That is always my choice.
You can book through tour operators, through La Palma 24 with German-speaking operators, booking.com or Airbnb.
Rental car: almost a must
La Palma is best explored by car. Book it for your whole stay, it is cheap and makes you far more flexible. Good providers with German-speaking service are La Palma 24 (also motorbikes and e-bikes), Monta, Tamanca, CAR 7 and Cicar. The roads are winding and partly steep, so allow a bit more time for journeys, the views along the way are worth it.
Good to know
As everywhere: if you are friendly, people are friendly to you. A few basics in Spanish help:
- Hello = Hola
- Please = Por favor
- Thank you = Gracias
- A coffee = Un cortado
- Two white wines = Dos vinos blancos
- Three small beers = Tres cañas
- The bill = La cuenta
La Palma is famous as a “star island”, on clear evenings the sky is a sight in itself. There are almost no chains and prices are fair: dinner with Palmeran cuisine from about €10, a beer in a bar around €1.80 and a cortado around €1.20. Take enough water when hiking, and watch the flags on the beaches, if it is red it is better to stay out of the water.
That gives you the basics. You will find the finest beaches, the guided tour to the Tajogaite, hikes and dive and bike spots in my active guide to La Palma.
