Weather lowdown
A great way to escape the usually cold temperatures of northern Europe in the late fall/winter is by visiting La Palma in November. The average temperature this month is 21°C (70°F), while the average low is 18°C (64°F) and the average high is 23°C (73°F). The beginning of the month brings mostly sunny skies with occasional clouds, a slight chance of rain, and an average daily temperature of 22°C (72°F). The middle of November sees more of a mix of sunny and cloudy skies, an increased chance of rain, and an average daily temperature of 21°C (70°F). The end of the month follows this pattern, as more cloudy days are seen, the chance of rain increases, and the average daily temperature drops to 20°C (68°F). The lowest ever recorded temperature in La Palma in November is 10°C (50°F) and the highest ever recorded temperature is 32°C (90°F).
The trend of days with less sun as the year goes on continues with November. The average daily sunshine this month falls to five hours. Although this is tied for the lowest total of the year in La Palma, this is still ample time to enjoy outdoor activities before the sun sets. Along with less sun in November is an increased amount of rain. The average rainfall this month jumps up to 60mm happening over the course of eight days. This is the second highest rain total that La Palma sees for the year, but is still generally a small amount.
Along with cooler outside temperatures is cooler ocean water. The average sea temperature in November is 16°C (61°F). This is considered fairly cool and much more than a quick dip would be hard for most people to tolerate. However, the warm outside temperatures can still make a day sitting in the sun at the beach enjoyable.
The average humidity in November is 70%, a decrease of 5% that remained steady from June through October. This is a fairly high level, but with temperatures becoming milder this month, the humidity should not cause discomfort.
Where to stay
Aparthotel El Galeón has 25 apartment style rooms available to its guests, consisting of three room types studios, standard apartments, and double apartments. Each room has a bedroom, full bathroom, and fully-equipped kitchen. The standard and double rooms also have a living room separate from the bedroom. Not every room has views of the sea but there is a rooftop solarium with sunbeds and tables and chairs for relaxing with views of the sea. A buffet breakfast is available in the lobby every morning and they also have a buffet-style restaurant. Aparthotel El Galeón is about a six minute drive (or 12 minute walk) south of Santa Cruz.
Aparthotel El Galeon, La Palma.
Apartamentos Cancajos is a complex consisting of just eight apartments and is located just off of the beach is Los Cancajos. Each room has a bedroom with varying size beds, a fully-equipped kitchen, a living room with a couch and other furniture like a dining table, and a private terrace. Most rooms also have sea views. They do not have a restaurant on-site, but just a three minute walk away is the Hacienda San Jorge who lets the guests staying here eat at their restaurant, serving buffet-style breakfast and dinner with views of the sea. Massages and other body treatments are available as well, taking place on your personal terrace, in the comfort of your own room. The apartment complex is about a 14 minute drive south of Santa Cruz.
Things to do
A great way to experience some of La Palma's nature, while also creating some excitement, is by rock climbing. La Palma has numerous steep cliffs and rock faces for climbers of any experience level to climb. Guided climbs are tailored to the group's experience and fitness levels and therefore can last anywhere from three to five hours. Anyone six years or older is welcome to join the climb. The guides know the island well and are familiar both accessing and traversing the climbing spots. The climbs cost 35 and this includes qualified guides and all of the necessary equipment. Since the climbs take place all over La Palma,transportation can be arranged for an additional 8.
La Palma is an island full of history and in order to learn about some of it, take a trip to The Museum of Archaeology. The museum explains the history of the ancient civilizations and people that used to live on La Palma, including how they first created their settlements, information about their religion, and eventually to their cultural innovations. These people created items out of stone, ceramic, bones, and other animal parts in order to use as tools, or for trading/collecting purposes. Some of these items are on display at the museum, as well as things like rock carvings and mummies. The museum is open from Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM to 2 PM and from 5 PM to 8 PM. It is about a 38 minute drive west of Santa Cruz.
Hit the beach
La Veta Beach is difficult to access, but it is worth the trip. There is a steep path down a cliff that leads to the beach and looks daunting, but is scary than it looks. The beach is made up of black sand that becomes filled with more stones in the winter because of the changing currents. This beach is usually crowded, especially among locals, but will be less packed during November. Swimming is possible here, but as there can be strong waves at times, being aware at all times is necessary. There is not much accommodation close by, but La Muralla restaurant is about an eight minute drive away and offers fresh seafood and delicious wines, with incredible sea views. La Veta Beach is about a 70 minute drive west of Santa Cruz.
Where to eat and drink
Tasca Barbanera restaurant is a great option if you are in search of some delicious tapas. They have a wide variety of tapas like Manchego cheese and Serrano ham or shrimps in garlic. If you require more of a "real" meal, they also have dishes like grilled fish and over 10 varieties of pizzas. Tasca Barbanera also serves a nice selection of Spanish wines. They are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12 PM to 11 PM and closed on Mondays. The restaurant is about a 38 minute drive southwest of Santa Cruz.
Tasca Barbanera, La Palma.
Restaurante Thai La Ola is a unique restaurant for La Palma since it specialises in Thai food, but also has international options available as well. They offer a selection of starters (Thai spring rolls), soups (spicy prawn), rice and pasta dishes (noodles with beef and mushrooms), fish and meat dishes (king prawns with vegetables and garlic or sweet and sour chicken), and international options (grilled flounder and chips). They also have a selection of desserts as well as a beer and wine menu. They are open from Tuesday through Sunday from 1 PM to 4 PM and from 7 PM to 10:30 PM and are closed Mondays. Restaurante Thai La Ola is about a 12 minute drive south of Santa Cruz.
