Holiday houses & apartments on La Palma

Volcanoes and a view! Find a truly unique holiday home on La Palma

A holiday home in La Palma, sitting at the north-western edge of the Spanish Canary Islands archipelago off the coast of Morocco, offers an experience a world away from the throng of Tenerife, Majorca and Gran Canaria. It is a volcanic island of deep and diverse natural beauty, and its lack of golden sandy beaches has kept a lot of resort and hotel development at bay. Instead, you'll find a range of private holiday homes among a world of snowy mountain peaks and eerie caves, jagged cliff formations and lush forest valleys - perfect for active holiday-makers and families with pets.

Welcome to La Palma, the Canaries' best-kept secret

Unlike the rest of the Canary Islands, La Palma has been little changed by tourism and development over the past several decades. Rent a holiday apartment in La Palma and you'll find yourself surrounded by a world of unfathomable natural beauty and pure tranquillity, with an occasional trip to the local village market and some historical architecture thrown in for good measure.

Stargazing under a UNESCO-protected sky

The entire island of La Palma is a designated UNESCO biosphere of great importance, meaning that the island has maintained an amazing natural landscape as well as ensuring La Palma has not fallen prey to big hotel and resort development. For that reason, there's a diverse range of independent holiday homes across La Palma. The pinnacle of El Roque de los Muchachos on La Palma is the site of an important astronomical observatory, and light-pollution restrictions keep the sky over La Palma pristine. Whether you find a holiday apartment with a pool, a modern 5-room villa with a fully equipped kitchen, or a cosy one-room mountain hut, you'll be able to gaze up at this unspoilt sky!

Casual or curated: take your pick with delicious Spanish cuisine

Even if you're hidden away in the island's wild interior, you'll always be within reach of great food in La Palma. Find holiday homes across La Palma with your own kitchen and outdoor dining area where you'll be able to impress friends or host the whole family. There are local markets where you can find mouthwatering seafood, bananas grown on the island, and home-made versions of both green (coriander, parsley or green pepper-based) and red (from La Palma's special pimienta picona red chilli) mojos sauces. These sauces are used as the base for many meat, fish and vegetarian dishes throughout the Canaries. Goat in various forms is the local speciality you'll find in La Palma's restaurants, and it is definitely worth a try, best accompanied by locally-made rum and wine.

Hike into the hills straight from your holiday home in La Palma

A holiday home on the Canary Islands may be synonymous with a holiday home at the beach, but La Palma does things a bit differently from its neighbours. Something La Palma has that no other Spanish island can match is sensational volcanic formations and varied landscapes, and a great way to explore the diverse wilderness of La Palma is by hiking. The island is covered in well marked, well maintained hiking trails that range from easy strolls suitable for kids and elderly people to the challenging GR130 hiking trail that follows ancient donkey tracks around the entire island. If that tickles your fancy, have a look at the selection of holiday homes off the beaten track on TUI Villas, because lots of them connect directly onto the GR130 trail.

Ornate 16-century architecture – it's not just the landscapes that are beautiful on La Palma

You're not only up for incredible natural beauty with a holiday apartment in La Palma. The island's culture and heritage are as pristine and preserved as its landscapes. The island's major town, Santa Cruz de la Palma, is characterised by majestic 16th-century facades that recall the height of the Spanish colonial era. La Palma boasts more than its fair share of beautiful churches, too, many of which can be found in Santa Cruz de la Palma. The serene Santuario de la Virgen de las Nieves, a gentle 2km walk above Santa Cruz, is a particular highlight as it also affords great panoramic views over the city and the sea, although the lesser-known Iglesia San Salvador, with its Islamic-style 16th-century wooden ceiling, is just as impressive.

Easily explore the island's national parks from your holiday home in La Palma

It's easy to find holiday homes in La Palma nearby stunning natural attractions. For tapping into the riches of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park (think cascading waterfalls, impenetrable forests of Canary pine, freshwater springs and stunning rock formations) then the sleepy town of Tijarafe is a great base. Alternatively, Los Llanos de Ariadne, immediately south of the national park is the best starting point for exploring the subterranean volcanic tube of Cueva de Las Palomas as well as easy beach access at Tazacorte. For something seriously unique, find a holiday home in the shadows of La Palma's famous volcanic crater, Cumbre Vieja, in the south of the island.

How to get to your holiday home on La Palma

The international airport in Santa Cruz de la Palma receives scheduled flights from mainland Spain, Paris and Milan, as well as charter flights from Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and the UK. There are also small inter-island flights and ferries between Tenerife, El Hierro, Gran Canaria and La Palma. The best way to get to your holiday home once on La Palma is by rental car, for which there are numerous companies available. Having a car will give you real freedom to explore the island's many natural sights – although there's still a lot of La Palma that is only accessible by hiking, so be ready for a walk if you want to get right into the heart of it.

When to go to La Palma

There's never a bad time to book a holiday home in La Palma. The island benefits from a semi-arid tropical climate and constant sea breezes that help to minimise seasonal fluctuations in temperature. The peak summer months of July and August don't get scorching hot for this reason, and they make for a great time to find a holiday home at the beach, which won't be as crowded as on other Spanish islands. Be aware that snow is common in the higher parts of the island between the months of December and February, and you'll put up with more cloud and precipitation during this time, though the winters are far from brutal and temperatures rarely drop below 15°C.

Neighbouring holiday regions La Palma

• El Hierro
• La Gomera
• East coast of La Palma
• West coast of La Palma
• North coast of La Palma
• Garajonay National Park
• Tijarafe and the surrounding area
• Los Llanos de Aridane and the surrounding area
• Teno-Gebirge
• Cumbre Vieja