La Palma

Departure to the district of Mirca and from there we begin to ascend to Roque de los Muchachos. Soon we will transition from one ecosystem to another, ranging from thistles bushes along the coast, through mid-altitude palm trees, laurel and pine forests, to high altitude vegetation such as codeso (Canary Island flatpod) and brooms, where the "viola palmensis" stands out at this highest point. Here is where we will make our first stop, at the Degollada de los Franceses Viewpoint. 

We will then continue on to the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory, on the height of 2,426 metres above sea level, home of the most important telescopes in the Northern Hemisphere, including the GRAN TECAN, which is currently the world's largest and most sophisticated telescope.

After this stop, we will go down to the recently inaugurated Roque de los Muchachos Visitor Centre, to learn about the importance of astronomy in the island. La Palma's clear skies are an stargazing and astronomy paradise.

We will continue our way down to have lunch in the area of The Royal Island Shrine of Nuestra Señora La Virgen de Las Nieves.

In the afternoon, we will visit the capital city, Santa Cruz de La Palma, and will take a stroll through its Historic-Artistic Site, so declared in the 1970s. The pedestrian street Calle Real and the most representative buildings such as the town hall, the church of El Salvador or the typical balconies along the promenade, are an obligatory stop.