At the northern end of the seafront, the Castillo de Santa Catalina was one of several forts built in the 17th century to fend off pirate raids. Named after a hermitage nearby that was dedicated to Santa Catalina, it was the main castle in a series of defences protecting the city.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Santuario de la Virgen de las Nieves
1.85 MILES
For splendid views down the valley to Santa Cruz, put aside time to tackle the 4km uphill hike north of town to La Palma’s main object of pilgrimage, the…
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Parque Nacional de la Caldera de Taburiente
6.99 MILES
Declared a national park in 1954, this beautiful park is at the heart of La Palma, both geographically and symbolically. Extending across 46.9 sq km, the…
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Volcán San Antonio Visitor Centre & Volcán San Antonio
14.79 MILES
The visitor centre is your first stop if you want to explore the volcanoes. Displays are well-captioned and informative, but the layout is not very…
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7.07 MILES
At 1854m, clambering up to this peak offers glorious views over the pines, valleys and ridges of the Caldera de Taburiente. The peak marks the conclusion…
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15.68 MILES
Wind your way down the lovely, sinuous LP-112 to the settlement of Santo Domingo and then turn left in the village and follow the signs to the Puerto de…
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Observatorio del Roque de Los Muchachos
8.99 MILES
The huge telescopes on the peak of Roque de los Muchachos belong to the island’s astronomical observatory, one of the world’s best places to study the…
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8.34 MILES
Creatively designed Charco Azul is a blending of moulded concrete with natural volcanic rocks. The effect is stunning, especially when the waves are…
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5.58 MILES
This handsome ochre-red mansion (built in 1911), located down one of the steep streets from the main road, has downstairs exhibits on Corpus Christi – a…
Nearby Santa Cruz de la Palma attractions
0.08 MILES
This Renaissance church is decorated with a magnificent coffered ceiling.
0.1 MILES
Gaze north across leafy Plaza de la Alameda and you may think Christopher Columbus’ ship, the Santa María, became stranded here. This is actually the city…
0.11 MILES
This excellent museum is housed in a former 16th-century monastery with diverse exhibits ranging from Guanche skulls to cupboards of sad stuffed birds,…
0.14 MILES
A simple whitewashed 17th-century chapel that gives the name to the street on which it stands.
0.17 MILES
This modest 17th-century castle is more like a simple fortress that was built as a defence against piracy. The castle looks out over lovely views of the…
0.21 MILES
This lovely church dates to around the 15th century and was the first to be built in Santa Cruz after the Spanish conquest. One way to reach it is to…
7. Playa de Santa Cruz de La Palma
0.22 MILES
With boardwalks to protect your feet from the scorching sand, this superb, huge and very deep black-sand beach is quite a sight, stretching along much of…
0.35 MILES
The interior of this magnificent church boasts a glittering baroque pulpit dating back to 1750 and a stunningly intricate and coloured 16th-century wooden…