What should you book?
Daytime guided tours of the Roque de los Muchachos Astrophysical Observatory
The Roque de los Muchachos Astrophysical Observatory is a premier scientific facility and therefore it is not possible to visit it freely on your own. Visits are always carried out by local companies that have starlight guides, experts who know the night sky and the telescopes of La Palma. To obtain all the details about the visit and to be able to book, you only have to go to the website of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias or the authorized companies specialized in astrotourism.
Important
Guided tours of the telescopes at the Astrophysical Observatory are always carried out during the day, since scientists carry out their work at night in the same facilities and it is not possible to combine both activities. If you wish to make any night observations, then you must contact local companies specialising in astrotourism, which will carry out astronomical observations with professional mobile telescopes from the most privileged locations on our peaks.
Parking reservation at the Mirador de La Cumbrecita
The Mirador de La Cumbrecita, in the municipality of El Paso, offers one of the best views towards the interior of the Caldera de Taburiente, our spectacular National Park. But there is something important that you should keep in mind: its parking is very limited, as it only has 20 parking spaces. For this reason, any day of the week during the busiest time slot (from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) it is only possible to access this viewpoint by prior free reservation of a parking space, which you can do online on the National Park website or in person at the Caldera de Taburiente Visitor Center. After 4:00 p.m., access is free.
