The Palmero Cigar Museum offers a unique experience to understand the history, economy, and legends surrounding one of the symbols of La Palma Island: the Palmero cigar.
The unique flavor of handcrafted Palmero cigars: history, manufacturing process, and more
This museum showcases the cultivation techniques and crafting of hand-made cigars by pure Palmeros. Visitors can appreciate the area dedicated to tobacco plant cultivation and learn about the process of creating the famed Palmero cigar. Moreover, the museum presents significant moments of La Palma’s socio-economic culture, such as emigration and other monocultures like grapes, sugarcane, cochineal, and bananas. Don’t forget to visit the museum store where you can buy handcrafted cigars for a price of 2-3 € and typical island products.
Palmero cigar History of the cigar
Breña Alta is a beautiful valley on La Palma Island, initially devoted to cattle grazing. After the Conquest, the lands were cultivated by wealthy Castilian families, who built lavish haciendas to enjoy the pleasant climate of the area. Agriculture focused on vineyards, cereals, and fruit trees.
In the 19th century, many inhabitants emigrated to Cuba seeking better living conditions, and owing to this connection, tobacco cultivation was introduced in La Palma. Emigrant peasants who returned from Cuba introduced it to the island, making La Breña one of the best areas for its cultivation. Indeed, the Fiesta de los Indianos, an iconic celebration, annually revives the parody of the return of the Palmeros from Cuba. The cigar became one of the main economic drivers of La Palma Island from the 1920s to the 1960s.
In 1967, the blue mold disease severely affected the harvest, leading many “chinchales” (tobacco growers) who cultivated tobacco for Palmero cigars to ruin. However, cultivation has slowly recovered, although not reaching the heights of past decades.
Although only a small number of chinchales currently produce cigars in La Palma, they are considered some of the world’s best. Additionally, some producers have diversified their business to keep the tradition alive.
Museum Hours:
MON-FRI: 10-13
SAT: 10-14
How to get to the cigar museum
How to reach the Palmero Cigar Museum
The museum is located in Parque de Los Álamos at San Pedro, Breña Alta. The park is the nerve center of the town of Breña Alta, as it has a cafe, restaurant, and an area for children. It is the venue for many town festivals. Also, inside, the farmer’s market takes place every weekend.
BY CAR:
Los Álamos Park is located on Lp202 road in the center of San Pedro, but the entrance to the Palmero Cigar Museum is on 30 de mayo street, right next door.
