One of the prettiest towns in the Canary Islands, the historic (and bureaucratic) capital of the island, Santa Cruz de la Palma is a compact city strung out along the shore and flanked by beautiful, fertile green hills. The city centre is breathtakingly picturesque, while the beach and kilometre-long promenade have considerably boosted the city's summer-in-the-sun appeal. Wandering the historic streets around and uphill above Plaza España, either during the day or at night (when they are even more sublime), is a joy. With its location midway down the east coast, bus connections across La Palma and proximity to the airport, the city makes for a very good-looking base for getting pretty much everywhere.