Guide to Villa de Mazo
Mazo municipality lives in the far south east of La Palma from where it enjoys glorious sunrises. The main town, also called Mazo, clings to the hillside on which it has spread over time and is renowned for its steep, cobbled streets. But the town uses this to its advantage when it celebrates Corpus Christi every year, as the streets are decorated with tapestries made of flowers, petals, shrub leaves and even seeds. The Villa de Mazo municipality has many volcanic cones, most of them covered by beautiful vegetation.
Location
Mazo has three neighbours – Breña Baja to the north, Fuencaliente to south and El Paso to the west. Mazo Google Map: https://goo.gl/maps/o6hgZ3Z9FSkDTMDj8
Data
The municipality of Mazo covers 27.48 sq. km. rising from sea level to ridge of the Cumbre Nueva. The town is at 472m above sea level and it has a population of 4,791 residents as of the year 2018. With 16 significant villages and hamlets within the boundary of Mazo, you will start to get the idea of how spread out it is.
History
In 1813, Mazo became independent of Santa Cruz and with its own Town Hall and elected Mayor. In 1837, Mazo and the municipality Fuencaliente were separated and became governed independently of each other.
In 1956, it was decided that Mazo should hitherto be titled ‘Villa de Mazo’ to differentiate it from other places already called Mazo.
Commerce
Agriculture is the main industry in Mazo and it is particularly well known for its livestock, especially pigs and cattle. However, there are also banana plantations near the coast and vineries which produce the El Hoyo de Mazo wine.
Embroidery also was, and to some extent still is, an important part of life in Mazo with creations still being sold at the weekend market.
Main Points of Interest in Mazo
San Blas Church
Belmaco Archaeological Park
Corpus Christi
Lighthouse
Casa Rojo Embroidery Museum
Santa Cruz de la Palma Airport
Mercadillo (Market)
Bodegas el Hoyo winery
El Molino, artisan craft shop houses within original windmill
San Blas Church – located in Calle La Calzada up a steep cobbled road is sometimes claimed to be one of the most important landmarks outside of Santa Cruz. It was originally a small hermitage which was built in 1512 and dedicated to St. Blaise.
Two centuries later a pair of naves were added with Mudéjar-style walls and with Moorish roots, it has a central baroque altarpiece made from mahogany and dating between 1709 and 1711. Also of interest within the church there are Flemish images of the 16th century, among which the sculpture of the patron, Saint Blaise, can be seen.
Next to the church stands the rectory which is highly valued due to its age. It also houses various artworks and objects (especially from Flanders) including wood panels, goldwork, and a pair of 16th-century paintings of St. Anthony "the Great" and Dominican order founder St. Dominic.
Belmaco Archaeological Park - This comprises 10 caves that used to be inhabited by pre-Hispanic aborigines. Many archaeological remains were found as bones, tools, pottery and rock carvings.
Open: Monday to Saturday from 10am till 6pm. Sundays from 10am till 3pm.
Corpus Christi (meaning Body of Christ) - Since 1950, the Corpus Christi is celebrated in May or June every year, 8 to 9 weeks after Easter. The fiesta is in honour of Eucharist – the body of Christ.
Casa Roja (Red House) Museum – this is the only museum in Spain dedicated to the Fiesta of Corpus Christi which is a particularly celebrated in Mazo. Additionally, in the museum, there is also a comprehensive display of local embroidery on the 1st floor.
Open: Monday to Friday from 10am to 2pm, and from 3pm to 6 pm. Saturdays from 11am to 6pm. Sundays from 10am to 2pm.
Lighthouse – the need for a lighthouse on the east coast of La Palma was identified in 1989 as this section of coast was not covered (the only other lighthouses are three located off Barlovento in the north east, Puerto Naos in the mid-west and Fuencaliente in the south west. Located on a cliff eight metres above sea level and 38m tall, the Mazo lighthouse became operational in 1993. The lantern has a focal height of 65 metres and a range of 20 nautical miles.
It is of particular interest due to its modern design. It is registered under the international number D2849.51 and has the national identifier of 13025.
Santa Cruz de la Palma Airport – yes, we’ve included the airport here because it is in the municipality of Mazo although also it’s also in Breña Baja as it straddles the border line.
Operated by Aena who operate the majority of civil airports in Spain, one of the most important things to remember is the airport code which is SPC a- knowing this helps to avoid ending up at the wrong airport such as Las Palma (Gran Canaria), La Palma (Majorca) to name but a couple.
The current airport which is the third to be built on La Palma, was opened in July 2011 and has a total capacity of 3 million passengers per year. With 25 check-in desks, 4 baggage carousels and 9 boarding gates this replaced the smaller (and more attractive) airport. Like the previous (second) airport that it replaces, it is located on reclaimed land next to the sea, 12km south from Santa Cruz.
At the time, there was a lot of dissention on La Palma as the ‘old’ airport was built in the Canarian style with wooden ceilings and imitation balconies. It is still said by those that live on La Palma that this latest airport lacks character, smells of concrete and is too big. Maybe one day we’ll get used to it.
The first airport, Buenavista, was opened in 1955 and this was inland opposite Ikea in the east at an altitude of 350m above sea level and about 8km from Santa Cruz.
Mercadillo (Market) – the Mazo market is hosted in a permanent building with the market open every weekend. Here you can buy fresh produce from local small holdings which include fruit and vegetables. Plus local meat, goat cheese, cakes and traditional pastries, La Palma wine, flowers/plants and handicraft products such as embroidery from local artisans. Open: 10.00 to 18.00hrs Saturdays and 09.00 to 13.00hrs Sundays
Bodegas el Hoyo, Ctra. Hoyo de Mazo, Los Callejones 90 – open 09.00 to 13.30hrs and 15.30 to 17.30, Monday to Thursday. 09.00 to 13.30hrs on Fridays. Closed at weekends.
El Molino, the Windmill – this is an original old windmill where cereal grain was ground. Inside, the machinery which moved the stones and turned the blades of the windmill can still be seen. Nowadays, the windmill houses an artisan workshop where clay dishes, bowls etc., are made in the same style as the pre-Hispanic earthenware and which are for sale.
Fiestas in Mazo
03 May: el Día de La Cruz” (3 de mayo): the founding of the city of Santa Cruz de La Palma by the Spanish Conquistadors which took place on 03 May, 1493. Indecently, this is also why many towns name a street ’03 Mayo’ (Third of May) or ‘El Tres de Mayo.’
Corpus Christi celebrated the Thursday after Trinity Sunday. To celebrate this, the town is decorated with thousands of flowers, seed and shrubbery carpets which cover the cobbled streets in the town centre and with beautifully decorated arches.
Beaches
Salemera beach – a sandy beach near the Arena Blancas (white sands) lighthouse. Don’t expect the usual picture of white sands though, it’s more the dark grey but with glittering white bits which are in fact specks of crushed shells.
Although 4km from the main road, it’s popular with the locals for swimming, spear fishing and rod fishing. Also, because it is a little community of weekend and holiday shanty dwellings, there is a bar open now and then plus a little playground for children.
Nearby - Los Cancajos – this is a small beach resort located off the main road between the airport and Santa Cruz de la Palma. There are three beach areas, which are two together and then a small, separate cove. They are all great for swimming and snorkelling.
Facilities in Mazo
Bank - La Caixa/Caja Canarias, main street – has ATM. Open 08.15 to 14.00hrs Monday to Friday plus 16.30 – 19.45hrs Thursdays only.
Chemist (Farmacia) – main street, next to Bank.
Spar Supermarket, main street – open 08.00 to 20.00hrs, Monday to Saturday. Closed Sunday.
Post Office (Correo) in the main street – open 09.00 to 11.00hrs Monday to Friday, except Bank Holidays.
Hardware store (Ferretería) – ‘FerroBox’ located in Calle La Molina, one road lower than main street, open 08.00 to 13.30hrs and 15.30 to 19.30hrs weekdays. Saturdays, morning only closed Sundays.
Bazar Mazo, Calle Maximiliano Pérez Díaz – for all your little knick knacks! Open 09.30 – 13.00hrs and 17.30 – 20.00hrs. Closed Sundays.
Paper shop (Libreria) Ortega Libreria y Papalia, Calle Maximiliano Pérez Díaz (stationery, newspapers, books, gifts, etc.
Health Centre (Centro de Salud), open 7 days per week, 24 hours per day Google maps: https://goo.gl/maps/PMgUhB5nqQgF1kcJA
Town Hall – (Ayuntamiento) – open between 08.00hrs to 13.00hrs, weekdays only.
Police station – within the Town Hall
Restaurants Mazo Municipality
Restaurant Casa Goyo – we call this the airport restaurant but don’t let that trick you because this is one highly unusual restaurant and not even located at the airport! What makes it so charming and out of the ordinary are the individual, roughly-made wooden cabins with table and chairs just for you or your group. The fish is super fresh so there is no menu, just what has been caught that morning. And the other unusual thing are the aircraft coming into land – just above your head! Well worth a visit.
Restaurant Cocina in Mazo main street.
Restaurant/Café San Blas, Calle Maximiliano Pérez Díaz (one road below main street) – specialise in seafood including lobster, mussels, shrimps, etc.
Cafés and bars in Mazo Town
Café Bar Amanecer, main street
Café Bar Roser, main street
Café Bar Diber (Hamburgueseria)
Walking trails to and from Mazo
1. GR130 Camino Real to Fuencaliente (bus or taxi return)
2. GR130 Camino Real to Santa Cruz (bus or taxi return)
- The GR130 does not actually pass through the town of Mazo. However there is a wide footpath just 50m past the Post Office which leads to it. The path heads uphill for approx 150m whereupon it meets the GR130 and is clearly signposted.
Mazo Buses
Number 200 bus runs between Santa Cruz and Fuencaliente in the south. From Santa Cruz, it goes via San Antonio then San José before arriving in Mazo 17 minutes later.
Number 201 bus also runs between Santa Cruz and Fuencaliente and is a slightly quicker option at 12 minutes as it does not go via San José.
Check the bus timetable here : www.tilp.es
Bus Prices
0 – 10 km Price: 1.50€
10 - 20km Price: 2.40€
20km+ Price: 2.60€