Volcanic scenery, stunning night skies and new friends on tap – Donna Smiley fell head over heels for La Palma

Standing above the clouds and taking in the dramatic rock formations and giant,  other-worldly telescopes, I tell my friend Jeremy – who I met just three days ago – that I think this must be what Mars looks like. 

We are 2,400m above sea level at the Roque de los Muchachos viewpoint in La Palma on the Canary Islands, which gives a breathtaking panoramic view of a giant 1,500m-deep volcanic crater, covered with trees and stunning volcanic rock formations.