La Palma blogger: Santa Cruz de La Palma

If you come to St. Cruz, looking to park your car in the city, it should be a Sunday. All other days of the week you need to park outside the city, right between the Atlantic Ocean and Avenida de la Maritima, because the city is incredibly filled up with business and traffic, and crowed in the small alleys.

Santa Cruz de La Palma from a mountain near harbor

But – getting off the car, crossing Avenida de la Maritima, your are one step away from the historic heart of St. Cruz and the history of Spain anyway. Go two more blocks inside and you will hit Cale de O’Daly where you easily find Plaza Espana and the old historical core of the capital.

Plaza Espana embodies all the proud and glory and wealth of the former world power, like it would be still alive today and is the most exquisite jewel of the city. Nevertheless of modest dimensions, depending on lava shaped landscape, Plaza Espana is the geographical, social and religious center.

Behind a line of impressive royal palms, the church of salvation, Iglesia del Salvador, takes the entire north front of the plaza, which was rebuild after Le Clerc’s pirates robed and burned down the city in 1553. Iglesia del Salvador is the most important religious building on the Canary Archipelago and filled with art treasures and impressive handicrafts of the last five centuries. Particularly the hand carved high altar, entirely covered with gold leave, is just one piece of the rich and precious decorated church. The heavy and massive, quadrangular tower, accommodate the vestry, was build in 1567 and is known as the oldest original part of the Iglesia del Salvador.

Iglesia del Salvador at Plaza Espana in the heart of St. Cruz

Coming out of the church, down the stairs to the right, under a green roof, you see the public fountain from 16^th century, which was in earlier times the social center of the city and is not needed anymore, since water is in every household now. Diagonally opposite the church, rich decorated houses of inhabitants were build. The house with the number 1, known as Casa Cabana or Casa Valcarcel, is counted to be the most beautiful and magnificent building of St. Cruz.

Plaza Espana No.1 - the most beautiful citizen house in town

Across Cale de O’Daly the city hall, finished in 1563 after 4 years of building and decorated with coat of arms of the Habsburger, of the city of Santa Cruz and a medallion of King Phillip II. Stepping up the handicraft, wooden stairway, colossal wall paintings of expressionist Mariano de Cossio show episodes of native farmers, fishermen and winegrowers of La Palma.

City hall of St. Cruz and La Palma at Cale de O'Daly

Strolling on Cale de O’Daly, away from Plaza Espana to the north, you’ll pass more magnificent citizen houses. The one to the right, just before Avenida del Puente has the oldest and most beautiful pharmacy on the island. Stucco ceilings, handmade renaissance furniture and mosaic sales counter are the highlights you want to see here.

Inside the most beautiful and magnificent old pharmacy of St. Cruz

Shops, bars and restaurants vary in the beautiful alleys of the historic city on your way to Plaza Alameda. Here is, where you could have a coffee at an outside table, rest a moment and enjoy the beauty around of the city. Here is also where a replica of Columbus ship Santa Maria is located and waiting for visitors, even Columbus never set a foot on La Palma.

View through Cale de O'Daly to the massive tower of Iglesia del Salvador

Now walking back south on Avenida de la Maritima, watching the waves hitting the seawall, the big crabs on the rocks and the beautiful old houses on the other side of the Avenida, we turn right into Avenida del Puente. Crossing Cale de O’Daly, you’ll come to the little Plaza del Teatro Chico, where on Fridays and Saturdays is held the most colorful flower market. One house further uphill, there is the Plaza de Mercado, the market hall of the city. In the main hall you’ll find the widest selection on islands vegetables and fruits, while in the side halls all kinds of fresh meat, seafood, cheese and bakery products are offered.

Walking the alley to Plaza Alameda

Leaving the market hall through the main entrance, moving down to Cale de Alvarez de Abreu, you stroll along another alley of historic buildings, where small businesses have taken place in today. Just watching the front windows or shopping for your loved ones, is the thing to do here, before you turn left to Avenida de la Maritima and the parking area on the ocean, where your little city tour ends.