Santo Domingo: Culture, Rock Art and Cheese-Making Tradition

Santo Domingo is home to the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de La Luz, whose two-nave layout is considered unique on La Palma and one of only a few of its kind in the archipelago. The present-day church was built between 1651 and 1664 and is considered one of the most significant surviving Mudéjar buildings in the Canary Islands.

A holiday apartment in Santo Domingo provides a practical basis for planning your trip. On the accommodation pages, travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions can be viewed as separate details. This information is presented alongside local topics ranging from culture and rock art to cultural hiking trails and coastal landscapes, as well as traditionally made cheese and wine.

Culture and History

The Museo Etnográfico is located in the Casa de la Cultura de Santo Domingo (Garafía). The Museo de Interpretación y Etnográfico of the Villa de Garafía introduces visitors to agricultural and livestock activities, historical transport and communication routes, handicrafts, archaeology, built heritage, festivals, traditional customs and social forms of community life in the Villa de Garafía.

La Zarza also offers deep insights into the island’s history. With 29 engraved panels, Parque Cultural La Zarza is one of the largest rock art sites on La Palma. The La Zarza archaeological complex was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural on 4 April 1995. Shortly afterwards, an archaeological park with an on-site museum was established at La Zarza.

Hiking and Landscapes

The restored cultural hiking trails around Santo Domingo pass old windmills and petroglyphs. Information panels along the route provide details about cultural and landscape attractions. The PR LP 09 hiking trail connects Los Andenes with Santo Domingo de Garafía. Different routes and content give each day of hiking its own cultural or landscape focus.

Some of the spectacular coastal cliffs of the municipality of Garafía are protected as part of the Reserva Natural de Guelguén. The Pinar de Garafía is home to centuries-old trees that can grow up to 50 metres tall; the area is designated as a Reserva Integral. From Santo Domingo’s old pier, there is a view of the cliffs of the Roques de Santo Domingo.

These natural features are situated in different spatial contexts: the coast, the forest and the view from the pier form separate reference points within the landscape described. Together with the cultural hiking trails, this creates a structure in which historical traces and protected natural areas each retain their own place.

Local Specialities

Santo Domingo is home to numerous artisan cheese dairies. A cheese route with tastings of different types of cheese, preparations and stages of ripeness is recommended. For the San Antonio del Monte festivities in 2026, registration was open for traditional island-wide competitions for artisanally produced cheeses and wines with a Denominación de Origen.

More Destinations

More destinations: Las Tricias, Tablado.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Garafía.