La Palma

La Palma enjoys year-round spring-like weather and little seasonal variation. The island’s resorts can expect nine or 10 hours of sunshine per day in the summer months with temperatures of between 22 and 27 deg C. Rain is rare on the coast in the summer.

At Christmas and New Year the sun likely to shine for six hours a day and temperatures will reach 22 deg C.

Spring and autumn offer mild conditions, ideal for hiking, with generally clear skies and warm temperatures. As a lush, green island it does have more wet weather than some of the other Canary Islands.

October to February are usually the wettest months with the inland mountain slopes getting more rain. The highest mountain tops may see some snow.

Winter visitors seeking the best of the sun should head for the western coast, where the weather is drier and warmer throughout the year. A jumper or jacket may still be needed in the evenings.

Santa Cruz de la Palma holds a unique carnival (more like a wild party) in February, called Los Indianos.  On the Monday before Shrove Tuesday (or Mardi Gras), thousands of locals and visitors dress in white suits or colonial costumes and throw talcum powder over each other to celebrate the return of Los Indianos. They were emigrants who, many years ago, came back from South America, bringing with them great wealth.

The carnival also features a parade through the city, sugar-cane mojitos, and live Cuban music.

There are numerous other fiestas held in the towns and villages across La Palma throughout the year that welcome visitors with open arms (and sometimes talcum powder).

In July/August, La Bajada de la Virgen de Las Nieves (the Descent of the Virgin of the Snows) festival takes place, with street parties and entertainment in several villages.

In November, there is the Fiesta de San Martin, a celebration of the grape harvest season. Many wine cellars are opened up for visitors to sample the wines and other local delicacies.

Tazacorte holds the annual festival San Miguel in September to worship the island’s patron saint. This includes more street celebrations, exhibitions and the exuberant, colourful ‘dance of the Fufo horses’ (in which highly decorated hobby horses are ridden through the streets!).

Car hire: La Palma has a good road network and is best explored by car, particularly the more rural and remote areas. There are numerous car hire companies.

Bike hire: No need to take your bike with you – mountain bike hire shops can be found in numerous locations, particularly near the main biking trails.

Taxis: All town centres have taxi ranks. A number of taxi companies offer airport transfers and island tours.

Buses: Buses link all the main towns and are particularly good from the capital Santa Cruz. There is a reasonably priced island-wide ticket system in place.

Ferries: You can get from La Palma to most of the Canary Islands and southern Spain. Tenerife and La Gomera are the closest islands, therefore fast crossings are provided almost every day. However, travelling from Lanzarote and Gran Canaria takes a little longer, with just a couple of sailings each week.

Black is the new yellow! You won’t find golden stretches of sand on La Palma. Its volcanic origins mean that its beaches are made up of black or dark-grey sand.  Never mind the colour of the sand, La Palma has some lovely beaches.  Discover our favourites in our La Palma beach guide.