Casa Gamez

Situated almost in the centre of the island, just to the west of the central mountain range, this renovated farmhouse makes an ideal base from which to explore all four corners of La Palma. At the same time, Casa Gamez's setting is wonderfully peaceful, and with charming interiors and plenty of outside space to enjoy, the house is equally suited for those simply seeking a relaxing break in authentic surroundings.

Casa Gamez stands at an altitude of 650 metres, just over 1 km from the village of El Paso, one of the first villages you reach after emerging from the mountain tunnel that links the island capital Santa Cruz and the airport on the east coast with the statistically sunnier western half of the island. The visitor's centre at the entrance to the stunning Caldera de Taburiente National Park lies just 3 km beyond El Paso, heading back towards the tunnel, whilst in the opposite direction you reach the lovely little town of Los Llanos de Aridane with its array of traditional shops, cafés and restaurants after about 5 km. The west coast beaches of Puerto Naos and Puerto de Tazacorte are 10 - 12 km away, and thanks to the tunnel road Santa Cruz can be reached in little over half an hour. There are several excellent hiking trails in the surrounding area.

Casa Gamez offers rustic but comfortable accommodation, with ceramic floor tiles, wooden ceilings and sash windows lending the interiors plenty of homely charm. The heart of the home is the spacious living-dining room with satellite TV (limited English-language channels), an open fireplace and an air-conditioning unit that doubles up as a heater for the cooler season. The open-plan kitchen is well equipped with a large fridge-freezer, 4-ring ceramic hob, oven, microwave, toaster, kettle and coffeemaker. Towards the rear of the house are two bedrooms with twin beds, a shower room, and a small laundry room with a washing machine. WiFi is available free of charge, and a CD player and hairdryer are provided.

Casa Gamez stands in a good size plot and offers a choice of outside areas with different aspects. To the front of the house, accessed through patio doors from the lounge area, is a partially covered, west-facing terrace which on clear days enjoys panoramic views across the whole of the Aridane valley towards the ocean, definitely the place for a glass of wine whilst watching the sunset. Adjoining the rear of the house is an walled courtyard with a built-in barbecue, and just across the parking area lies the flower-filled garden where you will find the private swimming pool, surrounded by a terrace with views towards the mountains.