21st of December, 2020
A visit to the capital city of La Palma is a “must”! Santa Cruz is not only an important port, but also an architectural heritage and one of the most beautiful towns within the Canarian archipelago. Colonial-style houses, cobblestone streets, the famous balconies on the Avenida Maritima and plenty of plazas and palaces.
We spent around half a day climbing up and down the stairs of the old city, discovering hidden plazas, colourful houses and tiny stores. At the Plaza de la Alameda you will find the replica of the Santa Maria ship; the ship of Columbus in which he reached America in 1492. It houses the Museum of Navigation.
Plaza de España is the most important square of Santa Cruz. It is surrounded by Renaissance buildings and the famous Church of San Salvador. Civic ceremonies take place here and people gather to exchange the latest gossip! The door of the town hall (Ayuntamiento) was open and we quickly sneaked into the council chamber.
On the Avenida Maritima we admired the famous Casas de Los Balcones, decorated with plenty of pretty flowering plants.
We definitely forgot to visit a lot of other historic and interesting buildings, but maybe next time?
