Renting a car on La Palma Island is a straightforward, safe, and budget-friendly process. However, there are some peculiarities compared to car rentals on other Canary Islands. I’ll share insights and personal experiences of renting a car specifically on La Palma, along with tips to help you navigate this green island.

Renting a car on La Palma: General Information

You can find a comprehensive article about car rentals in the Canaries, including traffic rules, documents, deposits, insurance, police, fines, and parking, by following the link. Here, we’ll focus on renting a car on La Palma and the island’s peculiarities.

  • La Palma is a volcanic island, with its highest peak rising over 2400 meters above sea level. There’s only one wide, four-lane highway on the island, stretching from the capital to the airport, which is 8km long. Most other roads are narrow, single-lane roads.
  • All roads on the island are toll-free, and almost all parking areas are free too. Paid parking zones are only found in the center of the capital city, Santa Cruz de La Palma.
  • Traffic on the island’s roads is light, with few cars, and traffic jams are rare except in the capital.
renting a car on la palma
The island’s layout resembles a volcano, with driving routes characterized by constant ascents and descents over its rugged terrain.
  • Most of the island’s roads are winding routes with ascents or descents. Yes, there are sections that traverse hills and mountainsides. “Traversing” means moving along the slope of a mountain without changing altitude. However, such sections are few on La Palma.

It’s important to note:

For instance, if you’re staying at a beach resort and want to visit the island’s main attraction, Caldera de Taburiente National Park, or Roque de los Muchachos, which is at an altitude of 2418 meters above sea level, it’s about an hour or an hour and a half drive on winding roads. While the views are stunning, such drives can be challenging for novice drivers. Just keep that in mind. Regardless of where on the island you want to go, you’ll encounter winding roads.
rent a car la palma
One example: the main road to the island’s main attraction and its highest peak is a 50km serpentine route, with many cliffs, and the last 10km are above the clouds. A tip for novice drivers: focus on the road, not the drop-offs.

Police presence on La Palma’s roads is minimal. Sometimes there are checkpoints, but they rarely stop vehicles for document checks. If you’re not breaking any rules, the chances of being stopped by the police are minimal.

Prices and Where to Find Car Rentals on La Palma

Over the past five years, the entire car rental business has shifted online. Ten years ago, there were many rental offices, especially in the capital. Today, while you can still find available cars on the spot, it’s difficult and expensive. Always book your car in advance, especially during peak season. The main pickup points today are the airport and the main port in Santa Cruz.

Here are the two main car rental services on La Palma, offering a wide selection of cars and excellent service. I use both, booking where the deposit is lower, and the price is more competitive.

  • LocalRent – works with small local rental companies. Low deposits are a huge plus.
  • DiscoverCars – one of the largest global platforms, working with all car rental companies on La Palma. Use the search filter to find cars without a deposit and with zero deductible. Personally, I recommend Cicar and Budget; you can filter cars by these providers.
car rental Palma Canary Islands
The average deposit for car rental on La Palma is 700 euros. However, some rental companies may require up to 2000 euros. Read the rental conditions carefully before booking.

Car Rental Prices on La Palma:

On average, economy car rental prices on the island range from 20 to 50 euros per day. Prices vary greatly depending on the season and how far in advance you book. For those who are adept at booking 4-5-6 months before their trip, there are often juicy discounts of up to 50%, and sometimes rates as low as 10 euros per day from reputable rental companies. Of course, renting a car without a deposit is more expensive than with a deposit. So, decide for yourself what suits you best: a refundable deposit of 700 euros or a deposit-free car, albeit 50 euros more expensive.

Travel Tips

Important to know:

La Palma Island is quite large in area, but its population is low; there are twelve times fewer people living here than on Tenerife. While there is public transportation on the island, it only connects the main towns. Without a car, you won’t be able to reach half of the island’s top attractions.

Here are two useful articles for those planning to visit La Palma:

Here are some tips specifically applicable to car rentals on La Palma:

  • Car theft is much less common here than on Tenerife or Gran Canaria. However, never leave anything valuable in the car; always hide your belongings in the trunk.
  • Gasoline here is 10 euro cents per liter more expensive than on the main islands, due to the costly logistics between the islands.
  • Important: There are no gas stations on the road to the island’s summit, Roque de los Muchachos. Don’t attempt the trip with an empty tank; make sure you have at least half a tank of gas. With over 2400 meters of ascent via winding roads, any car’s fuel consumption triples on such inclines.
  • Many cars on the island are manual transmission. If you’re not comfortable with manual, pay attention to this when booking. Otherwise, you might be unpleasantly surprised when picking up the car.
  • It’s advisable to opt for full insurance or zero deductible when renting a car specifically on La Palma. The island has rugged cliffs, and rocks often fall onto the roads.
la palma car rent price
Protective nets like these are not everywhere on the island; many sections lack them. In general, I recommend not skimping on full insurance; it’s inexpensive, and with some rental companies like Cicar, it’s already included in the price, ensuring your rental car on La Palma is fully protected. Even if something happens, you won’t have to pay anything. This photo was taken just 10km from Santa Cruz de La Palma. And the amazing Los Tilos waterfall has been closed to tourists for four months due to landslides.

If you want to visit several different islands during your vacation, read the article “Route through the Canary Islands,” which will help you plan the optimal route to see the various Canaries.

How many days do you need to rent a car on La Palma:

To explore the entire island at a leisurely pace and dedicate a whole day to Caldera de Taburiente National Park, you’ll need 4 full days. If you plan to stay in the island’s capital, rent a car for 4-5 days; that should be sufficient, and you can spend the remaining days relaxing on the city’s great beach. Buses run every 30 minutes from the capital to the airport, and you can walk to the port to catch a ferry.

In conclusion, renting a car on La Palma Island is hassle-free. The most important thing is to book your car as early as possible. When booking, pay attention to the deposit amount, whether zero deductible is included in the price, and the type of transmission. Always hide your belongings out of sight when parked. With these precautions, your vacation on La Palma will go smoothly.

Useful links to help you plan your dream trip to Canary Islands:

  • Car Rental: LocalRent or DiscoverCars – the most popular car rental platforms.

  • Accommodation:
    • Trip.com – the largest accommodation booking platform.

    • or TripAdvisor – to compare prices among other platforms and choose the best one.

  • Budget-friendly vacation packages to Spain and Canary Islands: CheapOair.

  • Tours and activities: GetYourGuide or Viator – hundreds of offers, whales and dolphins, entrance tickets with discounts.

  • eSIM and internet: Airalo.

  • Flights: WayAway compares prices among dozens of companies.

  • Travel Insurance: EKTA.