La Palma is the fifth largest of the seven Canary Islands. It is one of the most westerly, being 200 kilometres from the Moroccan coast. The island rises steeply from the coast and the central mountain range is over 2,000 metres above sea level. Due to its geography, the north east of the island gets the most rainfall with the southern end being drier and sunnier.

La Palma is also known as 'La Isla Bonita' due to its natural beauty. The capital is Santa Cruz. The island was conquered by the Spanish in the late 1490s and there are a number of old churches and other buildings dating back to the 16th century. The tourist industry is not as well established as Tenerife and Lanzarote with no large tourist resorts.