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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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