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La Palma lies in
the north west of the Canary Islands, about 17º West
and 28º North. Together with Tenerife, Gran
Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Gomera and
El Hierro, it makes up a group of seven islands,
under Spanish sovereignty. This Archipelago
is located about 100 kilometres off the African coast,
out in the Atlantic Ocean.
The geographical location
of La Palma explains its mild climate (after all,
the island is a mere 5º north of the Tropic
of Cancer.) Its proximity to the Sahara desert is
off-set by the moisture provided by the trade winds,
with the north east trades predominating for most
of the year. That menas the average temperature on
the island hovers around 20 degrees Centigrade throughout
the year, with mild winters, temperate summers and
little rain.
There are so many
reasons to come to La Palma that it is difficult
to sum them all up in just a few lines. The island
has enough attractions to please everyone: from nature-lovers,
sports enthusiasts, culture vultures, food connoisseurs,
shoppers and those who want to do all of this at
the same time.
To begin with, La
Palma has a privileged environment, which is why
UNESCO declared it a World Biosphere Reserve in November
2002. One National Park, 19 nature reserves (representing
about 35% of its surface area), dozens of black sand
beaches and breathtaking volcanic landscapes are
only some of the island's assets.
For all these reasons,
La Palma is the ideal place for adventure and sports
lovers. On land, sea and air, the island is ideal
for enjoying the great outdoors. Among the many activities
on offer, you can choose from hiking, horse riding,
paragliding, mountain biking, diving and boat trips.
But our island is
also rich in cultural traditions, with hundred-year-old
festivals, a wide network of museums and visitor
centres, exquisite handicrafts, an important architectural
heritage and trails used for centuries. Low taxes
and open air shopping centres offer extraordinary
opportunities for shopping-oriented visitors. And
last, but not least, La Palma's restaurants will
reward visitors with an astounding variety of dishes,
reflecting the influences of Castilian, Portuguese,
Creole and even pre-Hispanic cuisines .
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LA PALMA
Click
the pictures to enlarge!
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