El Paso
Located in the center and west of La Palma, El Paso is a majestic, traditional municipality as well as the core and heart of the island. It’s a place of interest for everyone who visits it due to its nature. The recent eruption of La Palma’s new volcano must be added to this, whose traces can still be seen today.
Delve into the Heart of La Palma
The interior of the municipality of El Paso contains the famous and spectacular La Caldera de Taburiente National Park. This natural wonder is eight kilometers in diameter and about one and a half kilometers deep. An immense and monumental mantle of canary pine covers its terrain, and has steep ravines and steep cliffs. The Caldera de Taburiente is, in essence, the heart of the island of La Palma, and a must-see. Same-day access is open and free of charge, in case you want to camp you must request a free permit that can be obtained on the National Parks website.
The visitor's center is located in El Paso, where there are books, an exhibition room, a projection room open to several languages, a video library and a thematic library of the National Park, among other things. Visiting it is interesting in order to precisely understand every corner, species and space of La Caldera de Taburiente. In these terms, and for lovers of photography, the image of clouds cascading down the slopes of the mountains is one of the most beautiful that can be captured on the island of La Palma..
Once you have learned about the park, the best thing is to get lost in its many trails, such as the one leading to Cumbrecita Viewpoint, a natural balcony overlooking the immensity and abyss of the national park.
Within the park we will also find Pico Bejenao, a great volcanic elevation located southwest of the island of La Palma and reaches 1,854m high. To access this peak you must follow the PR LP 13.3 trail and to reach the top you have to walk and overcome steep slopes, but the reward is worth it. From the summit of Bejenao you can admire the splendor of the island landscape and the magnificent panoramic views of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park, the Route of the Volcanoes and Aridane Valley.
El Paso is also home to the El Pilar refuge located between Cumbre Nueva and Cumbre Vieja. This is one of the oldest recreational areas of La Palma and has numerous spaces, drinking water areas, restrooms, grills and benches, to spend a day in its environment. In order to camp, a permit must be obtained from the Consejería de Medio Ambiente.
Another area well worth a visit is Los Llanos del Jable, an astronomical viewpoint near where the routes to the vicinity of the new volcano of La Palma, carried out by authorized companies, start on foot.
The Volcanoes Route starts at El Pilar Refuge. This route has a length of more than 20 22 kilometers where you can pass through much of the ridge of La Palma and admire the historical eruptions of La Palma, such as the Deseadas. The route, especially spectacular under a full moon, allows us to contemplate both the east (on one side) and the west (on the other). It’s also one of the routes along which run some of the configurations of the famous Transvulcania mountain race.
Learn About the Recent Volcanic Eruption of La Palma
For those wanting to know the recent history of the place, the new volcano of La Palma emerged in El Paso in 2021. From the municipality you can see firsthand the traces that the eruption left behind in the orography of the island.
On the other hand, and for the more adventurous, El Paso is also the cradle of several mountain races such as the Reventón Trail. The race, in its ultratrail version, has a distance of 67km and a cumulative elevation gain of 7,882m. Great trail runners at the national level are usually concentrated on it, and also usually scoring for various running circuits, so going as public in some area of its route is an ideal plan for most fans.
Traditions and Starry Nights
One of the most deeply rooted traditions in El Paso is the production of palm silk. This is an ancestral technique, unique in Europe, which begins with the breeding of the worms and ends with the making of garments. It is a laborious process that requires the collaboration of several specialists and culminates in the production of a high quality fabric. For those who want to observe and learn about this laborious craft technique, El Taller de Las Hilanderas has an exhibition about its process.
El Paso has one of the most famous pilgrimages of the island: the pilgrimage of the Virgin of the Pine. Every three years this festival attracts a large number of visitors from all over La Palma. The atmosphere is one of togetherness, fellowship, joy and devotion. The locals come to this celebration dressed in the typical costumes of the different municipalities of the island, carrying their guitars and baskets full of local products such as cheese or pork rinds, which serve to support the pilgrimage. The floats are also elegantly decorated with mops and baskets, while sounds like the folia, a popular song whose origin dates back to the 16th century, are played. For the exact dates of this celebration, please consult the agenda on this page.
The feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus takes place a week after Corpus Christi and fills the municipality with arches and carpets.
In addition, there are incredible views from this municipality. One of the most impressive, apart from the views of the new volcano of La Palma, is the mountainous area where the sea of clouds is formed and which is one of the most unique landscapes of the island.
Another of the most impressive views of this municipality is obtained from the Llano del Jable Viewpoint, at 1,200m above sea level. Visitors who visit this viewpoint during the day will get splendid views of Aridane Valley, while at night they will be surrounded by a blanket of stars, since the entire island is recognized as a Starlight Reserve and Destination for the quality of its sky. The viewpoint has an information panel and ample parking, although it lacks nearby services; so it is advisable to bring warm clothes and some provisions.