Astrotourism · All year round
Stargazing: the darkest skies in Spain and around the world
To see the Milky Way you need what almost no city has: darkness, clear skies and, ideally, some altitude. The Canary Islands have some of the best skies in Europe, protected by law, and around the world there are deserts and mountains where the stars reach almost down to the horizon. Best on moonless nights.
Updated 21 October 2026 · How we make our guides
In the Canary Islands
Their skies are protected by law and their summits host some of the most important observatories in the world.
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SpainLa Palma
The world’s first Starlight Reserve: a law has protected its sky since 1988, and the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory sits at the top of the island. There are stargazing viewpoints all over the island.
Things to do in La Palma -
SpainTeide
Above the clouds, at over 2,000 metres, in the national park next to the Teide Observatory; there are guided sunset trips with telescopes.
Things to do in Teide -
SpainEl Hierro
The smallest and quietest of the seven main islands, with very little artificial light and clear skies.
Things to do in El Hierro -
SpainFuerteventura
Volcanic plains and beaches with hardly any lights, good for seeing the Milky Way on summer nights.
Things to do in Fuerteventura
On the mainland
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SpainSierra de Gredos
The northern side of the range is a Starlight Destination: mountain villages with dark skies a couple of hours from Madrid.
Things to do in Sierra de Gredos -
SpainAlbarracín
In one of the least populated areas of Europe, the Sierra de Albarracín has some of the darkest skies on the Iberian Peninsula.
Things to do in Albarracín -
SpainMonfragüe
Besides vultures and the red deer rut, very dark nights in the heart of the Extremadura dehesa, far from any city.
Things to do in Monfragüe
Around the world
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ChileSan Pedro de Atacama
The driest desert in the world has more clear nights than almost anywhere else: that’s why some of the planet’s great observatories are there. Stargazing tours leave every night.
Things to do in San Pedro de Atacama -
ChileElqui Valley
The first International Dark Sky Sanctuary, with public observatories and clear skies almost all year.
Things to do in Elqui Valley -
New ZealandLake Tekapo
In the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, with the Mount John Observatory above the lake.
Things to do in Lake Tekapo -
AustraliaUluru
In the heart of the Australian desert, hundreds of kilometres from any city, with the southern Milky Way overhead.
Things to do in Uluru -
MoroccoMerzouga
A night in a camp among the Sahara dunes, with no lights for miles around.
Things to do in Merzouga
Frequently asked questions
Where can you see the stars in Spain?
In the Canary Islands, especially on La Palma and at Teide, with skies protected by law and major observatories; and on the mainland, in sparsely populated areas such as the Sierra de Gredos, Albarracín or Monfragüe.
When is the best time to see the stars?
On moonless nights, around the new moon, with clear skies and far from lights. In summer the centre of the Milky Way is best seen, and in mid-August come the Perseids, the best-known meteor shower.
What is a Starlight Reserve?
A place certified by the Starlight Foundation, with UNESCO support, for the quality of its night sky and for protecting it from light pollution.
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Cover photo: Benedikt Markus (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.