La Palma is the northernmost Canary Island and a territory of Spain.  The island has incredible diversity in landscapes that include palm trees, laurel forests, and pine trees and boasts everything from an active volcano, a huge caldera, beautiful beaches and vineyards on fertile volcanic soil. La Palma is an astronomer’s paradise with many clear nights and a stable atmosphere that ensures good seeing. This is why some of the world’s most sophisticated professional telescopes can be found here, including the world’s biggest ground-based single-aperture optical telescope, the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). The island has also been declared as a World Biosphere Reserve and Starlight Reserve, thus helping preserve its pristine night skies.