El Tablado brings together a protected landscape and traces of local history. Hiking trails, traditional houses and cultivated land reveal different sides of the destination. When planning your visit, it is worth separating the time needed for the routes from the nature and cultural highlights: the hiking options differ in duration, route and return journey.
Nature between ravines and cultivated land
The area is a protected natural area in the “Protected Landscape Area” category, located between the Los Hombres and Fagundo ravines. The ravines preserve remnants of laurel forest; on abandoned cultivated land, Fayal-Brezal formations shape the vegetation. Areas for breeding, rearing and refuge also make the area important for migratory birds. The laurel pigeons Turqué (Columba bollii) and Rabiche (Columba junoniae) are also found here. This natural environment can be explored both through its vegetation types and its role in supporting birdlife.
Hiking trails and planning your time
The GR 130 long-distance trail passes through the protected landscape area. Its section from El Tablado to Santo Domingo de GarafĂa is 13.6 kilometres long; the estimated duration is six hours and 30 minutes each way. This is a substantial block of time for one direction and should be taken into account when planning your day. Another option is the PR LP 09.1 between Roque del Faro and El Tablado: the route takes two hours, and the return is by road. The time comparison is therefore not like-for-like: the GR 130 estimate is for one direction, while the return by road is specified for the PR LP 09.1. Check current trail conditions before setting out on a hike.
The protected landscape area can be reached by car from GarafĂa via the LP-1 road. Check road conditions before setting out.
Cultural history and continuing agriculture
The houses in El Tablado are examples of La Palma’s traditional architecture. The neighbourhood still has land cultivated for self-sufficiency; green terraces show the cultivation of maize and potatoes. Historically, the production of wood and charcoal made El Tablado an economic power on La Palma. Residents and workers from the neighbourhood carried materials down an imposing zigzag path to the La Fajana landing stage. The protected landscape area also contains pre-Hispanic rock engravings.
These details offer different perspectives across time: land cultivated for self-sufficiency remains in use, while the economic role of wood and charcoal belongs to the past. The rock engravings date back to pre-Hispanic times. Together with the houses as examples of traditional architecture, they offer several ways to explore El Tablado’s cultural history.
Views and getting there
The El Moral viewpoint is part of the El Tablado neighbourhood and is one of its four viewpoints. From there, you can enjoy impressive views of the Barranco de Fagundo. It offers a different way to experience the landscape alongside the hiking trails: here, the focus is on the view of the ravine, while the routes are defined by their course and the time they take.
Discover more destinations: GarafĂa, Santa Cruz De La Palma, Breña Baja, Fuencaliente De La Palma, Los Llanos De Aridane, Hoya Grande, Villa De Mazo, Puntallana.
For the main travel overview: La Palma.
