If you love the night sky, La Palma is your island. Known as "La Isla Bonita", it's also one of the best places on the planet for stargazing, with a sky so protected that some of the world's most powerful telescopes have been installed here. At OWA we experience it every week with our astronomer guides, and we know exactly when the sky gives its best show.
La Palma was the world's first Starlight Reserve. Three factors make it exceptional:
With the naked eye you can make out the Milky Way in astonishing detail. With a telescope: planets like Saturn and Jupiter, clusters, nebulae and galaxies. On moonless nights, the show is breathtaking.
La Palma has Starlight-certified guides and viewpoints designed for comfortable, safe observation. No previous experience needed: the astronomer guide teaches you to spot constellations, planets and deep-sky objects, and sets up the telescope for you.
You can observe year-round, but new moon nights are best. Summer offers the Milky Way at its most spectacular and warmer nights.
> Watch the stars with an expert guide. Book the [Stargazing](/activity/stargazing) experience with OWA: professional telescope, astronomer guide and the best observation spots.
If your Canary Islands trip includes Tenerife, Teide National Park is also a Starlight Reserve and offers a different experience: stargazing from 3,718 metres, with the option to combine it with sunrise above the sea of clouds. Discover the [Teide Ascent](/activity/teide-hike) and compare two of the best skies in Europe.
Under La Palma's sky you'll understand why astronomers from all over the world choose this island. It's, quite literally, looking at the universe through Europe's best window.