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La Gomera

From a distance La Gomera appears as an impenetrable fortress ringed with soaring rock walls. Noodle-thin roads wiggle along cliff faces and up ravines, and the white specks that turn out to be houses seem impossibly placed on inaccessible crags. Up-close, however, that rough landscape translates into lush valleys, awe-inspiring cliffs, glittering black-pebble beaches and bold rock formations sculpted by volcanic activity and erosion.

Without the standard tourist-resort trappings of golden sands and animated nightlife, La Gomera has a tangible bohemian air; many foreign residents arrived here in the 1960s flower-power days. Pastel-painted capital San Sebastián is the low-key hub, while the laid-back southern beach towns draw sunseekers. The island is relatively laborious to reach, and, apart from those day-tripping from Tenerife, most visitors tend to be walkers heading for the hiking trails that weave across this spectacular land, which unravels around the ancient laurisilva (laurel) forests of Garajonay.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout La Gomera.

  • See

    Drago de Agalán

    The island’s oldest drago (dragon tree) rests in a palm-sprinkled valley, 2km north of Alajeró. Take the signposted road 300m west (downhill) from the Imada junction on the CV13, which leads to an old farmhouse; from here, a signed trail drops steeply for around 10 minutes to reach a lookout point with views down to the drago, a further five- to 10-minute walk below. For hikers, from the Imada junction, a signposted stone path leads 0.9km directly to the drago. You can also hike from Alajeró to the drago along Route 21 (2.4km, 45 minutes).

  • See

    Torre del Conde

    Set in a grassy subtropical park, the distinctive, 1477 stone-and-whitewash Torre del Conde is considered the Canary Islands’ most important example of military architecture. It was here that Beatriz de Bobadilla, the wife of the cruel and ill-fated Hernán Peraza, had to barricade herself in 1488 until help arrived. The fort was the first building of any note to be erected on La Gomera, and is about the only one to have been more or less preserved in its original state.

  • See

    Museo Etnográfico de La Gomera

    Housed in a handsome 20th-century building with maroon trim, this two-storey ethnographic museum explores the island's natural resources and ecosystems through topics such as fishing, forestry, agriculture, farming and architecture, with info in English and Spanish. Sections on crafts include pottery, weaving and basketry, and there are displays on wine-making, Silbo and the extraction of guarapo (palm honey), which is unique to the island.

  • See

    Parque Etnográfico Los Telares

    A reconstructed 19th-century gofio (roasted Canarian grain) mill sits at the heart of this multifaceted private ethnographic centre, which also takes in a traditional, self-sufficient organic orchard and a gallery showcasing the local rural lifestyle, typical crafts, Silbo Gomero and the island's history. Visits are with multilingual audioguides. There's also a good gift shop and a cosy cafe.

  • See

    Iglesia de la Virgen de la Asunción

    Columbus and his men supposedly prayed at this ancient church before setting off for the New World. The original chapel was begun in 1450 but destroyed by a fire; original-period features include the pointed arch between the altar and the nave, while the facade is a prime example of Gothic Atlantic architecture (influenced by Portuguese Manueline). The 18th-century triple-nave church here today mixes Mudéjar, Gothic and baroque architectural styles. The floral-carved wooden entrance lobby is stunning.

  • See

    Casa de Colón

    In the style of its 17th-century predecessor, this simple cream-coloured house with handsome wooden galleries and floors is built on the site where Columbus supposedly stayed while on the island. Today it hosts a small museum; the highlight is the gallery of stunning pottery crafted by the South American Chimú tribes, who lived in the region between Ecuador and Lima during the 11th to 15th centuries. The upstairs space has temporary art and photography exhibitions.

  • See

    Ermita de Guará

    Dedicated to the island's patron saint, the Virgen de Guadalupe, this tiny white 1960s chapel perches on a spectacularly scenic crag 6km southwest of El Cercado, engulfed in sweeping panoramas across the Barranco de Argaga to the ocean and, beyond, the distant island of El Hierro. A gentle walking trail leads here from El Cercado (around 1½ hours). The chapel was built by a local shepherd in thanks for one of his cows not dying when it fell down a gorge.

  • See

    Mirador de Abrante

    High above little Agulo, enjoying sprawling panoramas across the ocean to Tenerife, this Fred-Olsen-owned lookout point revolves around a spine-tingling glass box jutting out into thin air. There's also a Canarian cafe-restaurant (set menu €14.50) where Silbo demonstrations happen daily sometime between 12.30pm and 3pm. It's a 10km drive southwest of Agulo, via Las Rosas, and a popular stop with visitors.

  • See

    Playa de la Caleta

    The best beach in the Hermigua area, 5km northeast of town, Playa de la Caleta is one of northern La Gomera's prettiest black-pebble beaches. Framed by rocky headlands, it has fabulous views across the water to Tenerife's Mt Teide, along with picnic space, a tiny chapel, a seasonal beach bar and a colony of friendly cats. It's signposted from the seafront at Hermigua.

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Just back from: La Gomera, Canary Islands

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