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Terraced fields, palm trees and white houses on the slopes of Valle Gran Rey
Basalt columns of Los Órganos rising from the sea on La Gomera's north coast
Sunlight through the moss-covered laurel forest of El Cedro in Garajonay
The glass platform of the Mirador de Abrante above Agulo, with Teide across the sea

Things to do in La Gomera: 10 experiences

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Photo: paciana, CC BY 3.0

Puerto de Vueltas, Valle Gran Rey

Sail from Valle Gran Rey to Los Órganos and look for whales

Tours in La Gomera

Photo: GerritR, CC BY-SA 4.0

Garajonay National Park

Walk the laurel forest of Garajonay

Tours in La Gomera

Photo: Ar Herrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0

Agulo

Step onto the glass floor of the Mirador de Abrante

Photo: Jukka, CC BY 2.0

La Gomera is one of the smallest Canary Islands, about 50 minutes by ferry from the south of Tenerife, and it rewards walking more than lying on a beach. At its centre sits Garajonay National Park, a laurel forest kept alive by trade-wind mist on the summit ridge. Deep ravines drop away from it on every side, lined with terraces and palm groves, and the coast is mostly cliffs with small beaches of dark sand and pebbles.

The two sides of the island feel different. The north (Hermigua, Agulo, Vallehermoso) is greener, cooler and damper, with banana plantations and the Abrante viewpoint. The south and west are sunnier: Valle Gran Rey is the main holiday valley and the port for boat trips, and Playa de Santiago sits next to the airport. San Sebastián, the capital, is where the ferries arrive.

Many visitors come for a single day from Tenerife. That covers the capital and one drive over the park; the hiking, the boat trips and the west need at least a night.

10 things to do in La Gomera

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Sunlight through the moss-covered laurel forest of El Cedro in Garajonay

Walk the laurel forest of Garajonay

Garajonay National Park

Half a dayFree

More than half of the mature laurel forest left in the Canaries, a damp evergreen relic of forests that vanished from mainland Europe.

Tours in La Gomera
Basalt columns of Los Órganos rising from the sea on La Gomera's north coast

Sail from Valle Gran Rey to Los Órganos and look for whales

Puerto de Vueltas, Valle Gran Rey

About 4 hoursBook ahead

A cliff of basalt columns you can only see from a boat, and waters where pilot whales live all year.

Tours in La Gomera
Fred. Olsen fast ferry in the harbour of San Sebastián de La Gomera

Cross from Tenerife to La Gomera for the day

Los Cristianos to San Sebastián de La Gomera

A full dayBook ahead

About 50 minutes by ferry from southern Tenerife, the easy island to see in a day.

Check dates and pricesLa Gomera in a day from south Tenerife, ferry included
Roque de Agando seen from the Los Roques viewpoint railing

See Roque de Agando from the Los Roques viewpoints

Los Roques viewpoints

An hour, or two with a short walkFree

An old volcanic chimney about 180 metres tall, left standing when erosion stripped away the softer ground around it.

Valle Gran Rey seen from the terrace of the Mirador del Palmarejo

Spend a day in Valle Gran Rey, from Palmarejo to the sea

Valle Gran Rey

A full dayFree

A deep western ravine of terraces and palm groves, entered from above at César Manrique's last work.

The glass platform of the Mirador de Abrante above Agulo, with Teide across the sea

Step onto the glass floor of the Mirador de Abrante

Agulo

Under an hourFree

A glass-floored walkway pushed seven metres out from a cliff top, with Agulo's terraces 400 metres below your feet.

A woman whistling in Silbo Gomero with her hands cupped at her mouth, in Agulo

Hear Silbo Gomero, the island's whistled language

Igualero

No booking needed

Spanish turned into whistles, which shepherds used to talk across ravines.

Red-roofed houses of Agulo on terraces above the Atlantic

Explore the green north: Hermigua and Agulo

Hermigua and Agulo

Half a dayFree

La Gomera's green side, where banana plantations run down to the sea and an old quarter sits under a wall of basalt.

The 15th-century Torre del Conde in its park in San Sebastián de La Gomera

Follow Columbus through old San Sebastián

San Sebastián de La Gomera

About 2 hoursNo booking needed

The capital where Columbus's ships anchored on 6 September 1492, his last stop in Europe before crossing the Atlantic.

A bowl of almogrote, the La Gomera cheese and pepper spread

Taste almogrote and palm honey where they are made

Alojera

No booking needed

Two flavours that belong to La Gomera: a spicy cheese paste for bread and a syrup cooked down from palm sap.

Plan your trip

  • Getting there

    La Gomera's airport, next to Playa de Santiago, only handles flights between the islands, so from mainland Europe you change in Tenerife or Gran Canaria. Most people arrive by sea: Fred. Olsen Express and Baleària sail from Los Cristianos, in the south of Tenerife, to San Sebastián de La Gomera in about 50 minutes, and Fred. Olsen also links Gran Canaria in about 2 hours 10 minutes. Tenerife South Airport is about 20 minutes by road from Los Cristianos.

  • Getting around

    A hire car is the easy option. The island is small but the roads are slow: the tourism board puts the 45 km from the airport to Valle Gran Rey at about an hour. GuaguaGomera runs eight bus lines out of San Sebastián, Valle Gran Rey and Vallehermoso, and line 1 crosses Garajonay with stops at several trailheads. Extra departures were announced for the last quarter of 2026, including 07:00 buses from San Sebastián, so check the new timetables. Fred. Olsen's coastal boat links San Sebastián with Playa de Santiago (30 minutes) and Valle Gran Rey (70 minutes).

  • How many days

    In must30's view, three or four days. Give one to Garajonay's trails, one to Valle Gran Rey and a boat trip from Puerto de Vueltas, and one to the north (Hermigua, Agulo, Abrante) with San Sebastián on your arrival or departure day. A day trip from Tenerife shows you the capital and one drive across the park, and not much more.

  • When to go

    Any month works. The climate is warm and stable all year, with the north cooler and more humid and the south sunnier and warmer. Garajonay sits in the trade-wind mist, so pack a warm layer for the heights whatever the season. For fiestas, Agulo jumps its San Marcos bonfires on the night of 24 April, San Sebastián marks Columbus's arrival with a week of celebrations around 6 September, and Valle Gran Rey holds its main fiesta in winter.

  • Where to stay

    Valle Gran Rey has the most accommodation on the island, the sunset beaches and the boats, but it is the furthest point from the ferry. San Sebastián is the practical base without a car: every bus line and ferry starts there. Playa de Santiago, in the sunny south next to the airport, is quieter and known for fish restaurants on its seafront. Hikers who want to be close to Garajonay can stay in the northern valleys of Hermigua and Agulo or in rural houses such as those at El Cedro.

Questions travellers ask

Do I need a car on La Gomera?

Not strictly, but it makes the island far easier. GuaguaGomera runs eight bus lines, and line 1 crosses Garajonay between San Sebastián and Valle Gran Rey with stops such as Los Roques, Pajarito and Las Creces. Places like the Mirador de Abrante are off the bus routes, and the winding roads make distances slow.

Can you visit La Gomera as a day trip from Tenerife?

Yes. The ferry from Los Cristianos takes about 50 minutes, so an early sailing leaves you most of the day. An organised tour covers Garajonay, the north and lunch; on your own you can walk San Sebastián or bring a car. Hiking, the boat trips from Valle Gran Rey and the west coast need at least one night.

Which ferry goes from Tenerife to La Gomera?

Fred. Olsen Express and Baleària both sail from Los Cristianos to San Sebastián de La Gomera, in about 50 minutes. Baleària Canarias is the former Armas Trasmediterránea, in case you are searching under that name. If you are taking a Tenerife hire car, check that the rental company allows it off the island.

Is La Gomera worth visiting in winter?

Yes. The island's climate is mild with few changes through the year, and the tourism board notes that Hermigua rarely drops below 18 °C in winter. Expect cooler, misty weather in Garajonay and the north, and carry a warm layer for the heights.

Where can I swim on La Gomera?

The beaches are small and mostly dark sand or pebbles, and some face open sea. Charco del Conde in Valle Gran Rey is a sheltered natural pool that suits children, while Playa del Inglés nearby is often rough outside summer. San Sebastián's town beach and Playa de La Cueva next to it both fly the blue flag.

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