The Canary Islands are one of the biggest overseas hotspots for Britons wanting to soak up the sun.
The latest figures show that nearly five million travelled there from the UK, though that number is wildly skewed to just a few locations: Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Fuerteventura.
There is, however, a wealth of islands that make up the Canaries that boast jaw-dropping scenery, stunning landscapes, and few tourists.
Of them, La Palma, is perhaps the most beautiful, on which several tiny towns sit undisturbed and unspoiled, including Los Llanos de Aridraine.
Though it is the most populous municipality on the island of La Palma with 22,000 residents, Los Llanos has managed to hold on to its so-called Old World charm.
This is true of its Old Town which is filled with old Canadian houses in the brightly coloured and low-sitting style. Reviews online rave about the Old Town. One word is consistently used to describe the slice of paradise: “Atmosphere.”
Much of this atmosphere is found on the town’s many squares, or plazas as they are known, several of them in the Old Town, which has its roots in the early 19th century when the town itself was established.
Much of what was built back then survives to this day, like the beautiful City Hall, which was originally located in a traditional house but was moved and rebuilt in 1945.
Then there’s the Plaza de España, what has been described as the beating heart of Los Llanos. It isn’t the town’s only square, but it is the one where the majority of people who live flock to meet with each other, rest, take part in activities, and see outdoor shows, among other things.
Plaza de España is among Los Llanos’ top spots to visit according to many travel websites, a real taste of what it is like to live as a local on the isolated island. On this square sits the highly rated Kiosco Aridane, a little bar where food and drinks are sold.
It is, according to the website TripAdvisor, one of the area’s highest-rated such boltholes, with visitors glowing in their verdicts on it.
“Right in the heart of Los Llanos De Aridane. A truly great place for a drink, snack or an ice cream. The staff are friendly and service is good,” wrote one user.
“A wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by. It truly oozes charm underneath the trees on Plaza De Espana. Friendly locals all enjoying the great ambience of this delightful place.”
Squares and old buildings are, however, but a fraction of what the town has to offer.
Llano de Argual, perched just outside of the town centre and on a hill, is the place where the Aridane Valley’s economic history began, an area where the cultivation of bananas and irrigation of the fields led the region to where it is today.
About 20 minutes drive — or 25 minutes on a bus — is an altogether different attraction.
Charco Verde beach hugs the island’s southwestern coastline and opens out onto the vast Atlantic Ocean.
It is an unusual beach in that there isn’t any sand, or rather not the kind of sand we’re used to.
That is because its 150-metre-long shoreline is covered in an entirely black type of sand that gives it the look of tarmac or coal.
It is home to an ancient hot spring which was once used for medicinal purposes, and since 2009, it has been the holder of a Blue Flag, an accolade given only to those beaches dedicated to conservation and sustainability, and in the last week has seen temperatures of up to 25C.
