Rooftop Viewpoints

Traditional roof with a space to view the port.

These days, Santa Cruz de la Palma is a bit of a backwater. But three hundred years ago, it was the third biggest port in the Spanish Empire. Almost every ship traveling from Spain to the Americas stopped here. In the 19th century, it was still a major port, and many of the inhabitants waited anxiously for a ship bringing their merchandise, letters from family members who'd emigrated to Cuba or Venezuela, or the loved ones themselves, as passengers or crew.

Consequently many of the older houses have viewpoints on the roof, like a little crow's nest. They're all designed to give a view of the port, although in some cases the view is now blocked by a tall, new building, like these houses in the Calle Real. They're a nice reminder of the past, and I have fun trying to spot them, even though I can't believe that they get much use in the internet age

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La Palma's Museum

The entrance to the island's museum, beside the church of San Francisco.

The Island's Museum is in the old convent of San Francisco. The building itself is lovely. It dates from the early 16th century; work started in 1508, just fifteen years after the Spanish conquest. (Forty years ago, it was the technical school, and my husband studied there. It certainly looks better than the concrete box I studied in.) The church is still a church, and the music school stands beside the museum, so you often get music floating out over the square.

The building has two courtyards, one of which is full of orange trees, planted by the great and the good who came for the official opening of the observatory, in 1985.

The courtyard of orange trees.

The inside reminds me of a cross between an attic and the Discworld's Unseen University. There's a bit of almost everything. It's a surprisingly large museum for such a small island, and I think most of the collection was donated by people who felt they couldn't throw the Granny's old stuff out, but certainly weren't about to give it house room. Don't get me wrong: it's all nicely displayed and labled. It's just that you never know what you're going to find around the next corner. That's exactly what I loved. Besides, I wouldn't want a collection of stuff sharks heads at home either. Much better to have them here, delighting blood-thirsty 8-year-olds. (Kids will be happy to hear that some of them have serious teeth.)

Downstairs, I they have woodworking tools (lots for shipbuilding), lots of sea shells, starfish, turtles, a seal, lots of birds, tools for preparing flax, wool and silk, a loom, drinking troughs for animals, straw baskets, and probably a partridge in a pear tree and a kitchen sink.

Upstairs there's a small selection of paintings (some very old) and musical instruments.

For most of the year the museum is open from Monday-Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm, and Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. In high summer (July August and September) they open Monday-Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm only.
Stuffed sharks and other fish.

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Casa Lujan

Courtyard of Casa Lujan, Puntallana

Casa Lujan is much more fun than you'd expect from the brochures, which describe it as an "ethnographic museum". But it's not a collection of stuff in dusty display cases. It's an 18th century house, with whole rooms restored to show how the comfortably-off lived between about 1920 and 1960. Even better, there are people "living" in the house. And rather than use shop mannequins, the "inhabitants" are giant rag dolls, called mayos because they traditionally make an appearance at Fiesta de la Cruz, in May. So one set of mayos are smoking and playing dominoes in the living room.


Living room of Casa Lujan, Puntallana

While this lady is busy sewing. (I used to have a reconditioned, treadle, Singer sewing machine much like this. I also used to have similar hair and glasses.)


Morning room Casa Lujan, Puntallana

Meanwhile this servant is working in the kitchen


Kitchen of Casa Lujan, Puntallana

In 1919 the local council bought the house to use as a village school until about 1980, and the school room downstairs has been restored too.


The schoolroom, Casa Lujan, Puntallana

It's not just the furniture: they have posters on the walls explaining why you shouldn't go birds'-nesting, notebooks on the desks, and an old set of weights and measures.

Set of measures in the school of Casa Lujan, Puntallana

Open Monday-Saturday 10 am- 1 pm and 4 pm - 7 pm
Google map here. Admission is free, but there's a box for donations in the school room.


School notebook, Casa Lujan, Puntallana

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These days, Santa Cruz de la Palma is a bit of a backwater. But three hundred years ago, it was the third biggest port in the Spanish Empire. In the 19th century, it was still a major port, and many of the inhabitants waited anxiously for a ship bringing their merchandise, letters from family members who'd emigrated to Cuba or Venezuela, or the loved ones themselves, as passengers or crew.

Consequently many of the houses have viewpoints on the roof, like a little crow's nest. They're all designed to give a view of the port, although in some cases the view is now blocked by a tall, new building, like these houses in the Calle Real. They're a nice reminder of the past, and I have fun trying to spot them, even though I can't believe that they get much use in the internet age

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