Volcanoes, Pastries and a Small-World Surprise - La Palma

Volcanoes, Pastries and a Small-World Surprise — La Palma

Today we explored the dramatic southern tip of La Palma in the Canary Islands, near the village of Fuencaliente, visiting both the San Antonio volcano (which erupted in 1677) and the site of the powerful 2021 Cumbre Vieja eruption.

The crater of San Antonio is remarkably well preserved and fully accessible. Walking along its rim was breathtaking — the scale and stark beauty are difficult to capture in photographs (though we tried!). One image of the 2021 eruption was taken from the nearby town of Fuencaliente at the height of the event — a dramatic reminder of how recently nature reshaped this landscape.

Pic of 2021 eruption taken from village of Fuencaliente

After our volcanic explorations, we stopped in Fuencaliente for coffee and some truly wonderful pastries at a local bakery — a perfect contrast to the morning’s rugged terrain.

Date palm in Fuencaliente 

On the drive back to Santa Cruz de la Palma, we were treated to an extraordinary sight: a blanket of low-lying clouds stretching across the ocean, with the snow-capped peak of Mount Teide on Tenerife rising above them in the distance — some 150 kilometres away. It looked almost surreal, like an island floating in the sky.

Lunch at La Lonja in Santa Cruz was exceptional. We enjoyed it so much that I forgot to take photos — except for the spectacular chocolate lava cake topped with dragon fruit sorbet. That one deserved documentation.

And as if the day hadn’t delivered enough surprises, we discovered during lunch that one member of our group had been my neighbour on Ontario Street in Toronto’s Cabbagetown in the mid-1970s.

What a small world.

What a fantastic day.