La Gomera

A perfect place for connecting with simple life. For exploring kilometres of trails in almost virgin, natural environments without worrying about the time of year, as any day is right for doing open-air activities in the best climate in the world, the climate in the Canary Islands.

On his way to discover the New World, Christopher Columbus made La Gomera his last port of call before setting sail towards the unknown, leaving his mark on this little Atlantic island also known in Spanish as the ‘Isla Colombina’ (Columbus’s island).

How could you not feel unique on this beautiful, quiet, green island, discovering every part of it and its curious traditions that have stood the test of time?

But La Gomera is not just Garajonay. The ways around the island also explore landscapes that are radically different to the lush forest. As is the case of the deep ravines that open out into the sea, whose sides have been carefully worked by Gomera farmers, creating a beautiful landscape of perfectly laid out  terraces. A rich variety of scenery that also includes leafy palm groves that shroud many areas of the island’s geography in green.

Enjoying nature through this extensive network of trails, most of which are old roads that have remained throughout time, also gives us the opportunity to slowly stroll around charming hamlets and discover the island’s traditional architecture and rural atmosphere.

Can you imagine feeling like you are ‘floating’ in thin air? At the Abrante viewpoint, you can experience exactly that, thanks to the glass floor that stretches out over the precipice like a cantilever, where you will feel like you are flying over Agulo, a picturesque little town in the north of La Gomera, with the impressive Teide on the neighbouring island of Tenerife as a backdrop.

In addition to containing a monument to the ‘silbo gomero’ whistling language, the Igualero vantage point offers some extraordinary views that stretch from the island’s peaks down to the sea. In the midst of this immense panorama is La Fortaleza, a huge mass of rock with a flat top that houses one of the most important archaeological sites on La Gomera.

From the island’s highest point, Alto de Garajonay, you can see almost the entire island on clear days, in addition to La Palma, El Hierro and Tenerife, and even Gran Canaria in certain atmospheric conditions. But there is still more: under our gaze stretches out an enormous cover of intense green that curves over the mountains. A real show for the senses, whose magic captivates us.

Visit delightful hamlets

The abrupt relief of La Gomera has not prevented small settlements forming where quiet rural life goes slowly on, in no hurry, between the sides and floors of ravines, or on the peaks, always surrounded by almost-virgin nature.

Delightful hamlets scattered around the island, where you are guaranteed to disconnect from stress and where having a conversation with the locals is a cheering experience. One of these oases of peace, El Cedro, is next to Garajonay National Park. Surrounded by primitive laurisilva, its houses still retain traces of traditional Canary Islands architecture.  

Imada, amid terraces of crops and Canary Islands palm trees, is another idyllic hamlet on La Gomera, with scenery featuring rocks that look like they are watching over the village while herds of goats graze untethered on the slopes. From the El Santo vantage point, you get the best views of Taguluche, somewhere time appears to have stopped, with its whitewashed houses and a splendid palm grove, flanked by the imposing sides of the deep ravine the opens out into the sea.

The sea around La Gomera also has surprises in store, and this one is special, an experience loaded with emotions: watching the different species of cetaceans, such as short-finned pilot whales or friendly dolphins, swimming in the wild at any time of year.

And if, after all these emotions, we want to relax sunbathing and having refreshing dips in the transparent waters of the ocean, the island has pleasant beaches with dark sand where we will also enjoy unforgettable moments.  

Another characteristic product of this island is ‘almogrote’, a kind of cheese pâté, and we mustn’t forget about goat meat and watercress stew. To end, we have to have the famous Gomera desserts and the wines with designation of origin. A real gastronomic experience.

Listen to ‘silbo gomero’

Declared Intangible Cultural Heritage, this ancestral form of communication that still survives today is one of the most peculiar traditions of the Canary Islands. Using this whistled language, the inhabitants of this island with its abrupt geography used to exchange messages that were transmitted from ravine to ravine, until they reached the recipient.

For decades, La Gomera has been making a sustained effort to conserve this cultural jewel and one of the actions for achieving this was to make it part of the school syllabus on the island. In this way, many children have learned and practise 'silbo', guaranteeing that it will be conserved for future generations. Hearing a ‘conversation’ in this language is a curious, moving experience that will definitely surprise you. Who knows? Perhaps we will be overcome by an unstoppable urge to learn ‘silbo gomero’ and practise until we become expert ‘silbadores’ (whistlers).

The island is also home to other ancient traditions, such as handcrafts and folklore, including the original ‘baile del tambor’ (drum dance), unique in the Hispanic world, featuring unusual stars: ‘chácaras’. These are percussion instruments that are tied to your hands and produce very peculiar sounds. Shall we dance?