Two weeks in La Palma, Canary Islands: everything you need to know

We spent two weeks in La Palma at the end of November. We rented an Airbnb in the capital, Santa Cruz de La Palma, and spent four days each week working and the rest of the time exploring the island. In total this gave us more like a week actually exploring La Palma which was ideal, if not a little short. There are still things I’d love to see and do in La Palma. But at the same time, we definitely made the most of our trip and experienced a lot of the hikes, beaches, and local cuisine. It’s a beautiful island and by far the quietest and most traditionally (read: least touristy) of the Canary Islands we’ve visited.

Other top spots in the Canary Islands for a warm holiday in winter include Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife.

Things you need to know about La Palma

How do you get to La Palma?

We flew from Gatwick airport to Tenerife South with EasyJet and then from Tenerife to La Palma with Binter, the airline that connects the Canary Islands.

While there are some direct flights to La Palma from the UK, they run seasonally. So when we visited in November, we travelled to Tenerife and then got a 30-minute flight from there to La Palma. It’s very quick and easy, but it does add to your travel time as you’ll need to self-transfer. This means allowing the standard two hours as a layover in whichever airport you travel from. 

The benefit of this is that you are already through Spanish/Canarian customs by the time you land in La Palma so you can leave the airport with no queues. The downside (other than the longer travel day) is that, depending on the times of your flights, you may have to stay a night in either Tenerife or Gran Canaria if you don’t have enough time to book a connecting flight on the same day. However, when we booked there were at least three flight options that made same-day travel possible.

Gran Canaria and Madrid were also operating flights to La Palma at the time we travelled, but flights via Madrid were a lot more expensive.

When is the best time to travel to La Palma?

Like all the Canary Islands, La Palma benefits from year-round sun. In the last week of November and the first week of December, the weather rarely dropped below 18ºc – a perfect climate for hiking, going to the beach, and wandering the towns without feeling too uncomfortable in the heat. In summer, La Palma can get very hot and is generally busier than in the off-seasons.

How much time do you need in La Palma?

We spent two weeks in La Palma which was perfect for relaxing and seeing a lot of the sights whilst working during the week. If you want more time to chill, you could make your trip longer. But realistically you could probably fit most of the main attractions into a one-week holiday if your time is more limited.

Is La Palma expensive?

We found La Palma to be the most affordable of the Canary Islands we’ve visited. Though our Airbnbs and car hire wasn’t super cheap, the food and drinks and activities in La Palma are more affordable than Tenerife and Gran Canaria. This is likely because the island is smaller, harder to access (there aren’t many direct international fights), and less touristy than the other, more populated islands.

Is La Palma good for beaches?

La Palma has beautiful beaches including those in towns and more remote coves. All the beaches we went to in La Palma were black sand, which is just as soft and comfy to lie on as golden sands. Although there are also quite a few rocky or pebble beaches too.  If you want a pure beach holiday, Gran Canaria or Fuerteventura would be better choices for Canary Islands to visit. 

Find our favourite beaches in La Palma here: The best beaches in La Palma. 

Is La Palma good for food?

If you like tapas, you’ll like La Palma. We had some amazing local tasca and seafood both in Santa Cruz de la Palma and in more rural areas where you might not expect the food to be as impressive.

You can also easily find classics like Italian, Mexican, and even Chinese and sushi in La Palma. 

Find out our favourite places to eat and drink here: The best places to eat and drink in La Palma. 

Is La Palma good for nightlife?

La Palma has plenty of bars and restaurants, especially in towns like Santa Cruz de La Palma, but nightlife isn’t really this island’s vibe. If you want to party in the Canary Islands, you’re better off going to the Las Americas area of Tenerife.

Is La Palma good for family holidays?

La Palma does have some larger hotels and is a popular stop for cruise ships. It would be a good family holiday destination if you’re all active and like hiking and exploring. But it’s not the most family-oriented of the Canary Islands. Tenerife and Lanzarote have a lot more family resorts and activities aimed at kids. 

Do you need a car in La Palma?

Ideally you do need a car in La Palma. There are taxis and buses (guaguas) that can get you around the island but with a car you can easily visit more remote areas without being restricted by timetables of taxi fares. We hired our car in La Palma from Cicar which has branches at the airport and at the port in Santa Cruz de la Palma. 

One thing to note if you’re staying in the city is that there’s very little parking and it’s very tight and steep on many of the roads. We ended up parking in the free spaces on Avenida los Indianos most of the time and walking 10 minutes to our Airbnb. 

Be sure to book ahead as we tried to book a second car for our final weekend in La Palma (we didn’t need one during the week and as parking is so limited we only hired ours for a four-day weekend) and most of the trusted rental companies were fully booked.

Is it easy to travel around La Palma?

If you have a car you can get to most of the sites in La Palma within an hour. In Santa Cruz de la Palma there are plenty of taxis and buses which make local travel fairly easy. But if you’re staying somewhere more remote this could be harder. 

What is the main thing to do in La Palma?

Hiking and star gazing are two of the main things to do in La Palma. There are diverse trails covering coastlines, mountains and volcanoes, and forests. And there is so little light pollution that it’s one of the best places in the world to see the night’s sky at one of the many observatories. 

The small towns, beaches, and many miradors are other highlights from our fortnight in La Palma. 

What do I need to pack for a holiday in La Palma?

What you pack for a trip to La Palma depends on the season and what you’re planning to do. We visited at the end of November and the weather was mild but in the evenings, a layer was needed. If you’re planning a lot of hiking you’ll need to pack sensible, warm clothes as the mountains in the centre of the island are often covered by clouds even when the coasts are bathed in glorious sunshine.

If you’re visiting in summer you can probably get away with shorts and t-shirts, but if you’re coming to the Canary Islands for winter sun, don’t be fooled – the fast-changing climate and windy coastlines can easily catch you out. So bring at least a light jacket or jumper and a pair of trousers just in case you experience cooler days.

For a full list of what I packed for a month in La Palma in November, read my blog: What to pack for a holiday in La Palma.

Where to stay in La Palma

We stayed in an Airbnb in the centre of Santa Cruz de La Palma, which was perfect. The location was convenient for walking to restaurants and the beach. But if you prefer something a little quieter and more secluded there are plenty of options for Airbnbs and hotels in more remote areas. 

That said, there are far fewer accommodation options in La Palma than Tenerife, Gran Canaria, or Lanzarote – especially if you’re looking for a large resort hotel. In La Palma, the accommodation tends to be more quaint and authentic, like small hotels or old homes that have been renovated into flats.