San Andrés
Highlights:
- Small traditional town
- 16th century church
- Natural salt water pools
San Andrés is a very charming, well-kept little town with a real unspoilt La Palma feel to it. Situated in the north east of the island, it offers an ideal stop for a couple of hours if you are touring the island by car, coach or on foot. Strolling around the charming cobbled streets, soaking up the quiet atmosphere and viewing the fine but simple architecture is a delight.
It’s a good starting point from which to walk or explore and the surrounding area is good for hiking with many major trails accessible by foot. This is a definite bonus as in other areas of the island, the trails are not within walking distance and you need transport to get to them.
The area itself is lush and green compared to some parts of the island, with its volcanic history set way in the past. The community consists both of the town of San Andrés and Los Sauces, which together house some 5,500 inhabitants.
The beautiful church is the 16th century Iglesia de San Andrés Apóstol which is situated near to the centre of San Andrés in a street of date palms and typical examples of Canary balconies. The church was one of the first temples to be built in the islands by Spanish conquerors and the patron saint of Nuestra Señora de Monserrat is celebrated with a festival in the first week of September each year.
Los Sauces is around 2.5 kilometres north west of San Andrés and can be accessed by the newly constructed bridge of Los Tilos. This spans the Barranco del Agua which at 357 metres is said to be the longest arched bridge in Spain. The town is busier than San Andrés and is wrapped around the road which passes through it.
Close to this area are the springs of Marcos y Corderos, set in the hills above San Andrés and the forest of Los Tilos. This area is considered to be a place of outstanding natural beauty and is therefore under the protection of UNESCO.
If you are visiting this area, we also recommend a visit to Charco Azul.
Honest Reviews by Outdoor Views
We visited San Andrés on one of the Natours Walking Tours and loved it. It was a beautiful, quiet little town full of character and charm with cobbled streets and beautiful palms. The exterior of the church was lovely. We also saw two papaya trees, one male and one female which have different shaped fruits and you can guess which one is which! At the end of the tour, the group met up at the Bar Miami, a basic but quaint little bar in the town for a quick drink before heading home.
It’s a nice little traditional town to stop off at and enjoy at your leisure and is worth a visit.