Casa Roja Museum

Casa Roja is a historic townhouse in the heart of Villa de Mazo, a small town on the eastern coast of La Palma in the Canary Islands. Its bright red facade with white balustrades makes it one of the most recognizable buildings in town, and inside it holds Spain's only museum dedicated to the Corpus Christi festivity.

How do you get there?

Villa de Mazo sits in the southeastern part of La Palma, roughly 20–25 minutes by car from Santa Cruz de La Palma. Casa Roja stands right in the town centre, next to the main square, so once you reach Villa de Mazo the building is easy to spot on foot — just head toward the parish church. Parking is available nearby, and since the town itself is compact, exploring the centre doesn't take long.

What will you see inside?

The house was originally built as a private residence for Leopoldo Pérez Díaz, a wealthy local landowner. Over the years it changed hands and uses several times, including a spell as a small hotel, a period that shaped the building's current colour scheme. After the town council took it over, a thorough restoration between 1994 and 1996 returned the house to its original layout.

Today Casa Roja houses two permanent exhibitions spread across two floors. The ground floor is home to the Corpus Christi Exhibition Centre, displaying documents, photographs and reconstructions tied to the town's tradition of laying elaborate carpets of flowers and dried plants along the streets during the Corpus Christi procession — a custom with an especially long history in Villa de Mazo. Upstairs, the Embroidery Museum showcases the island's traditional needlework: embroidery and openwork lace (locally known as calado), crafted for generations by women across the region. The display includes both finished pieces and the tools and techniques behind them.

Casa Roja is the only museum in all of Spain built entirely around the Corpus Christi festivity, making it a distinctive stop for anyone interested in the religious traditions and handicrafts of the Canary Islands.

When should you visit?

The museum is open from Monday to Saturday, though hours vary by day — most weekdays it opens both in the morning and again in the afternoon, while Saturday hours are shorter and limited to the morning. It's worth planning ahead and calling to confirm current hours, since as a small municipal venue Casa Roja can occasionally close outside peak tourist season. Mornings tend to be the quietest time to visit.

Pair a visit to Casa Roja with a walk through Villa de Mazo's centre — the town has kept its low-key, traditional Canarian character, with older buildings clustered around the nearby parish church.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a visit to Casa Roja take? Given the building's modest size, seeing both floors usually takes about 30–45 minutes.

Is there an entrance fee? Yes, admission is ticketed, but the fee is modest — it ranks among the cheaper attractions on the island.

Are guided tours available? The museum is small and mostly self-guided, with information panels accompanying the exhibits.

Is it worth combining with other sights in Villa de Mazo? Yes — the town offers a relaxed stroll through its historic centre and views typical of La Palma's eastern coast, making Casa Roja a good fit for a short local excursion.