The Palm wants to recover the tourism lost after the eruption of the Cumbre Vieja volcano, which officially ceased to be active at the end of the year. In this period of reconstruction, La Palma inaugurates the new Visitor Center at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory , scientifically considered one of the best in the world to see the stars. This new space of reference at a scientific and tourist level will bring the world of astronomy closer to its visitors, will you be one of them?
The Center is located in a privileged enclave , located around a unique landscape environment, at an altitude of 2,400 meters, which guarantees the best conditions for observing the sky, housing in its vicinity some of the most important astrophysics telescopes at an international level . For this, it has had a budget of 6 million euros.
The best place in Spain to observe the stars.
WHAT THE VISIT OFFERS
During the visit you can enjoy an experience close to what is lived from inside the Observatory's telescopes. The building has three exhibition halls : the first of them, called 'Canarias', a window to the universe, where the unique conditions offered by the archipelago are explained, and especially La Palma and Roque de los Muchachos for astronomical observation; the second, called 'Exploring the universe', which shows, in a synthetic way, the current state of knowledge we have about the Universe, and the third called 'Back to Earth', which shows the framework where the Observatory is located.
Likewise, all areas of the building have been covered with basalt, including the roofs, the vaulted ceilings and false ceilings, creating an effect that is highly integrated into the volcanic environment where it is located.
The winter visiting hours It will be from Monday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., while in summer it will be from Monday to Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The tour will be done in groups, complying with the health protocols, which will be accompanied at all times by a guide, and can host up to 100 people at the same time in different rooms.
During the first months it can be visited by the population of the island and by tourists for free. You have more information here.
See images: The most exciting trails to discover the island of La Palma
A SINGLE SKY
The Observatory is an essential place to visit, whether you understand astronomy or not. Its beauty has captivated the cinema on numerous occasions, since it has dark and clear skies throughout the year, a perfect setting for seeing the stars.
It is at the highest point of the island where the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory is located, above the so-called "sea of clouds" , where there is a clean atmosphere, without turbulence and stabilized by the ocean. All the more reason to plan a visit.
Furthermore, the island was the first Starlight reserve of the world , has the recognition of Starlight Destination and was also a witness in 2007 of the First International Starlight Conference, in which the World Declaration in Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to Observe the Stars , one of the main milestones in this field.
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE
As well as the visit to the new Visitor Center, the possibilities of discovering the island from an astronomical point of view are abundant. One of the most popular is to tour the trails and astronomical viewpoints enabled, in which we can also count on the explanations of specialized guides. The Llanos del Jable, the Wall, the Llano de la Venta, the Montaña de las Toscas are some of the most spectacular.
Furthermore, numerous hotels and rural tourism houses of the island have in their establishments basic instruments for observation (telescopes, binoculars,...) for all amateurs or beginners. The experiences even reach gastronomy. Some restaurants offer themed menus with dishes with suggestive flavors, textures, images and names that remind us of planets, galaxies or constellations.
Every year, the island also hosts the festival astrofest , an event full of events related to the awareness and dissemination of astronomy among palm trees and visitors, which, for example, has a curious blackout on its agenda.