La Gomera

• 🌍NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE San Sebastián de La Gomera (East). A very civilized capital and main port – the ferries from Los Cristianos arrive here. A good base for walking as all the local buses leave (starting at 10:30) from the bus station to the villages of La Gomera. Columbus set sail from here. It has several nice black sand beaches and some historic buildings like the Count's Tower or the Church of La Asunción. Throughout the years it has grown over the hills and inside the valley. 
• 🌍 Agulo (North-West). Compact small town divided in two parts by Hermigua, it is surrounded by massive mountains. It has a charming town center and great views to Tenerife. On the rainy season you can get to see waterfalls from each mountain. 
• 🌍 Hermigua (North-East). The first stop of the north route departing from San Sebastián. Formerly a wealthy agricultural valley, it still has many banana and exotic fruits plantations, and due to this bucolic landscape it now has become a destination for exclusive travellers. The town is stretched out down the valley. It features the island's only natural swimming pool, several charming beaches with views to Tenerife and is a great trekking base to discover Garajonay National Park and the island's green north due to its proximity to San Sebastián and El Cedro Forest. 
• 🌍 Playa de Santiago (South). Small tourist resort dominated by large hotel complex owned by Fred Olsen, the ferry company. Formerly a fishing port with a canning factory, it has become the island's second largest touristic area thanks to the large hotel Tecina. The island's only golf course sits here. 
• 🌍 Valle Gran Rey (South-West). Main tourist resort, thanks to its beaches. It is a former hippie hangout that retains an alternative feel in places. It is in the westernmost part of the island. It's named after the "Great King", who ruled for a brief period over all the kings of the island. 
• 🌍 Vallehermoso (North). A small town, it is the last stop of the northern route. Its symbol is the Cano Rock, the largest eroded volcano chimney remaining in the island. As Hermigua and Agulo, it has evolved from agricultural-based economy to a slow tourism destination linked to trekking. 

There is a contrast between lush forests around the summit and in the national park with dry vegetation on the flanks of the island. It is of real interest to botanists for its variety of plant life and number of endemic species. It has a good climate all year round, especially in the south. La Gomera is one of two Canary Islands without direct tourist flights from mainland Europe, the other being El Hierro.

Spanish is the main language. English is widely understood in Valle Gran Rey, where German is easily the second language after Spanish. Most menus are printed in three languages.

It is famous for El Silbo - whistling language which was used to communicate across the deep valleys. The local council are trying to revive El Silbo; it is now a compulsory (and popular) subject in schools on the island.

• 🌍 Playa de Vallehermoso. With El Castillo del Mar - former loading station (mostly for bananas), which had been restored and turned into a venue by a long-time resident German photographer but is permanently closed now. 
• 🌍 Los Organos cliff. Striking basalt columns, similar to the Giant's Causeway, but only visible from the sea. Boats departing from Playa Santiago and Valle Gran Rey offer weekly trips around the island to visit it. Its name is because of the rocks, shaped by water and lava as church organ tubes. 
• 🌍 Mirador Cesar Manrique (on the road between Arure and Valle Gran Rey, marked by a metal, kinetic sculpture). Stunning views into the valley through the huge windows in this strangely formal establishment. Very hard to spot this place from the road below except at night when the lit windows float eerily in the darkened mountains. There is a nice well-kept garden and a beautiful view. 
• 🌍 Mirador de Abrante (Mirador de Agulo). Viewpoints towards Tenerife, a bar with a glass extension hanging over cliff over Agulo. Great panoramatic view and a road through red-colored mountain 

• 🌍 Garajonay National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage site - extensive forested area on the top of the island. It protects the largest laurel rainforest remaining on Earth, "almost as old as the island itself" — the vegetation type has stayed the same for millions of years. The forest is made up of different evergreens flourishing under the mild temperatures. Trees are irrigated by the mist which sometimes covers the top of the island, especially in winter. The trees are covered in mosses and lichens. This environment extended all around the Mediterranean Sea in the Tertiary Era, so the National Park is considered a living relic. Several species endemic to the Canary Islands live here, including the Gomeran lizard, Gomeran skink, stripeless tree frog, laurel pigeon and Bolle's pigeon. Crisscrossed with footpaths of several difficulty levels, it is known as the green heart of La Gomera. Highlights include: 

• 🌍 Alto de Garajonay. The summit of the island, at 1,487 m elevation with a stunning 360° view. Visit when the mist clears. Good views across to Mount Teide (Tenerife) and to El Hierro and La Palma 
• 🌍 Laurisilva Forest (Garajonay National Park). Very eerie in the mist if the trees are creaking. Beautiful carpets of Canarian geranium in spring. For a very intense "old forest" experience, hike Las Hayas - Las Creces - Raso de la Bruma - Mirador Risquillos de Corgo - Cañada de Jorge - Las Creces - Las Hayas. 
• 🌍 La Laguna Grande. Area around a big clearing, which is the actual La Laguna Grande. There's a small park and a few footpaths towards a viewpoint of Alto de Garajonay. Good place for a short hike with kids, with playgrounds, BBQ areas, a restaurant and parking lot. 
• 🌍 El Cedro (Garajonay National Park). Specific part of the Garajonay National Park and the Laurisilva Forrest. Despite the name, these are not cedar woods (the name refers to a long gone lone cedar tree). One possible way is starting from the parking lot Los Contaderos (GM2, close to Alto de Garajonay) and hiking north/north-east downhill to El Cedro (or even to Hermigua) - the landscape changes from small, mostly dry vegetation to a dense forest with tall trees, and beautifully calm. There are many other walking routes around the forest. Don't miss the water tunnel through the mountain. Take a torch and mind your head! And bring boots as the water can be six inches deep or more. Do not access when it is raining! Access to El Cedro is possible also by car, via a road made from seemingly loose flat stones - fun auditory experience, as car moves the stones slightly. On the path between El Cedro and Hermigua, there's a 🌍 waterfall which is the only one in La Gomera that has water all year long. 

• 🌍 La Fortaleza. Near Pavón, an outcrop of rock/table mountain. Remains of the main volcanic chimney of the island. Similar but smaller mountain - Calvario - is nearby Alajeró, with a small church at the top. 
• 🌍 El Magro and El Sombrero (The lion). Hike to two rocks resembling a lion and a sombrero. 
• 🌍 Los Roques. Five or six volcanic plugs at the center of the island, e.g. Roque de Agando 
• 🌍 Benchijigua. The valley to the south of Los Roques. Amazing changes of vegetation as you drop into the valley. 
• 🌍 Valle Gran Rey. Stunning terraces in the upper valley. Lower valley still showing some influence (in places) of the time when this was a hippie hangout, but creature comforts widely available. In the upper part of the valley, there are several good paths up in the mountains. 

• Watercress soup with gofio (maize flour)
• Palm honey (Miel de Palma), palm tree syrup is boiled up to produce this delicious liquid that features in many Gomeran dishes, especially deserts.
• Mojo sauce comes in red or green - red is for meat and can be quite spicy, green for fish, based on garlic and coriander. Mojo in restaurants is usually home-made and quite variable, but always interesting. No burger chain uniformity here and all the better for it!
• Papas arrugadas (literally wrinkly potatoes). Exquisite if done well with small, black potatoes, but price rises often mean that now cheaper potatoes are used. Eat with red or green mojo.

Restaurants:

• 🌍 El Silbo, Carretera General 102, 38820 Hermigua, ☏ +34 922 88 03 04. Restaurant with typical Canarians meals. It provides Silbo Gomero whistling demonstrations. It also has a bar. (updated Jun 2018)
• 🌍 La Vista, El Cedro, CV-22 (on the border of Garajonay National Park, off GM-1), ☏ +34 922 88 09 49, +34 922 88 08 04. 09:00–20:00. Quite and friendly mountain restaurant, surrounded by the Laurisilva forest. Has won prize of the best watercress soup of La Gomera. (updated Jun 2018)

Excellent freshly prepared fruit juices and milkshakes are widely available. If you are feeling brave, try parra, the local firewater (similar to Italian grappa) or a Gomeron, which is parra mixed with palm honey.

Local wine was awarded DOC status in 2009. Try Garajonay white wine (Bodega Insular de La Gomera) or Rajadero (Bodega Altos de Chipude).

Great coffee, but remember that many locals take it with condensed milk (leche condensada). Try a leche y leche - an espresso with a squirt of condensed milk and a splash of hot milk — much better than it sounds!

Most tourists head for Valle Gran Rey, with its stunning terraces and selection of bars and restaurants. These give a good balance between facilities and getting away from the stresses of western life. But the upper parts of this valley and all the beautiful rest of La Gomera remain unspoilt. There is also a push for more rural tourism, if you want to get completely away from things. However, it's worth remembering that the higher villages can be much cooler than the coast.

Accommodation in San Sebastian includes Villa Gomera (rooms and apartments available), Quintera apartments close to the seafront and the upmarket La Gomera Parador perched on the cliff-edge overlooking the harbour.

Playa Santiago has the Jardin Tecina complex, run by Fred Olsen, expensive, but worth a visit to see the impressive flora and the "James Bond" lift down to the beach. While Valle Gran Rey has the Hotel Gran Rey on the seafront and the Hotel Playa Calera in La Playa. The three villages, of which Valle Gran Rey is comprised, offer many private rooms. Walk around !

• 🌍 Los Telares (Apartments and Rural Houses), Carretera General 10, 38820 Hermigua, ☏ +34 922 88 07 81, info@apartamentosgomera.com. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 12:00. These Canarian-style apartments allow you to enjoy a tranquil break, relaxing by the swimming pool, and enjoying the fresh air. €42. 
• 🌍 Jardín La Punta, Carretera General, 38820 Hermigua (north end of Hermigua, toward Agulo). Hotel-apartments on top of Mirador de La Punta, just above the Atlantic Ocean. All 16 rooms features an excellent view on La Punta de Hermigua and la Montaña del Hueco, as well as Teide mountain on clear weather. Outdoor swimming-pool. (updated Jun 2018)
• The official web of the Canary Islands: La Gomera Island has a nice system for locating hotels and offers in La Gomera.
• Airbnb and similar