La Palma

Day 3: April 16

Roque de los Muchachos - Caldera de Taburiente

4/16/2026

La Palma

Itinerary

Today’s plan is a tour of the Roque de los Muchachos observatory.

Roque de los Muchachos is the highest point on the island of La Palma, about 2,400 m above sea level.

From our house to the observatory it’s only 25 km, but the drive takes almost an hour — we’re going along steep mountain switchbacks.

At one point we rose above the clouds — it was amazing.

Now we are above the clouds. The clouds are like a white sea...

It’s cold at the summit. Serzhyk is getting dressed. And I’m already wearing everything I have.

The tour begins at 11 a.m.

First, we get acquainted with the CTAO and MAGIC telescopes. I’m seeing ones like these for the first time, and they are mesmerizing.

Each telescope consists of approximately a thousand small mirrors, which together form a surface about 17 meters in diameter.

These telescopes capture gamma radiation from space.

They study the most powerful phenomena in the Universe - supernova explosions, black holes, and cosmic rays that cannot be seen in the usual way.

MAGIC telescope - its mirrors are square-shaped.

We’re in the telescope mirrors :)

CTAO is a new generation of telescopes that is still under development.

Their mirrors are hexagonal in shape, and they are much more sensitive and precise.

But the main difference is that CTAO is an entire network: dozens of telescopes in two hemispheres — on La Palma and in Chile, in the Atacama Desert, where we were (but we didn’t see any telescopes there :)

CTAO telescope with hexagonal mirrors. Installation is still underway.

And another CTAO

Next, we head to the “classic” telescope Gran Telescopio de Canarias.

Gran Telescopio de Canarias is the largest optical telescope in Europe and one of the largest in the world.

And we can go inside!

Gran Telescopio de Canarias Telescope. Soon we’ll be under the dome!

First, the robot tells us a little about the star telescope and shows a short video.

Then we go upstairs, where the telescope mirror, 10 meters in diameter, is installed.

To use the telescope, astronomers submit applications more than a year in advance, and only the best projects are granted access.

This robot was showing a video and talking about the telescope

Under the telescope dome. A mirror is installed in the center. It’s probably not very clear from the photo where it is.

After a two-hour tour, we were tired and cold (it was cold inside the telescope too :)

On the way, we stop to have coffee and cake at a popular café with a beautiful view.

The view really is very beautiful, but both the coffee and the cake were so-so.

Still, it’s nice to realize that we’ve already learned to make coffee better than at a trendy café.

Coffee and Sachertorte

View from the café terrace. The white rectangles are covered banana bunches.

On the way to our new home. Caldera de Taburiente National Park

Our new accommodation is incredibly beautiful, it is located among the mountains in the Caldera de Taburiente National Park. I’m delighted and already sad that we’re only here for two nights..