Garajonay
An extraordinary prehistoric subtropical laurel forest, forever wrapped in mist, where the embrace of humidity and the trade winds nourishes centuries-old trees covered in moss and giant ferns, protected by UNESCO.
28°06′N · 17°13′W
Male escort in La Gomera
In the heart of primordial nature.
La Gomera is the island that fire has left in peace the longest: it has not seen an eruption in over two million years, and water has had time to carve ravines so deep that for centuries people talked from one valley to the next by whistling, in the silbo that UNESCO now protects. At its centre, wrapped in mist, the Garajonay forest preserves the laurel forest that covered Europe millions of years ago.
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- Garajonay, UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Silbo Gomero, UNESCO Intangible Heritage
- Biosphere Reserve
What can we do together?
Not to be missed
Roque de Agando
A slender spire of volcanic rock rising above dense woodland, an ancient sacred site and today one of the most photographed geological landmarks.
Valle Gran Rey
A majestic terraced canyon planted with palms, dropping steeply to the sea, between black beaches and sunsets that invite a relaxed way of life.
Los Órganos
A spectacular basalt cliff plunging into the sea, accessible only by boat, shaped by marine erosion until it resembles the monumental pipes of a cathedral organ, and formed by the slow cooling of ancient lava.
Landscapes and nature
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Alto de Garajonay
The highest point on the island, at almost 1500 metres, an ancient ceremonial site that today offers a panoramic terrace from which to look down on the sea of clouds and make out the neighbouring Canary Islands.
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Mirador de Abrante
A spectacular structure with a suspended glass-floored walkway that floats over the void, giving breathtaking views straight down onto the houses of the village of Agulo and across to Teide, surrounded by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
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Roque Cano
A gigantic, steep chimney of solidified lava that towers majestically over the northern basin of Vallehermoso, a natural fortress of sheer walls more than two hundred metres high that shelters rare and endemic plant species.
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Mirador del Palmarejo
A panoramic work perfectly fused with the landscape, conceived by the genius of César Manrique to blend into the rock walls and offer a splendid view over the intricate farming terraces of the valley.
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Fortaleza de Chipude
A mountain massif with a perfectly flat summit, rising in isolation above the island’s western uplands, an impregnable natural fortress that the ancient Gomerans used as a sanctuary, and which preserves important archaeological sites.
Outline © OpenStreetMap
Art, history and culture
- History San Sebastián The island’s quiet capital, gathered around its historic port, famous for having hosted Christopher Columbus’s caravels before the transatlantic crossing, and still home to stately architecture and historic wells. Tradition has it that the New World was baptised with water from the Pozo de la Aguada.
- Monument Torre del Conde A sturdy fifteenth-century military fortress of red and white stone in the town park, built to protect the local lords from indigenous uprisings and still the oldest intact building on the island.
- Church Iglesia de la Asunción A captivating church that blends Gothic, Mudéjar and Baroque styles, home to old frescoes recalling historic naval battles against the English, and the place where Columbus’s crew prayed before setting sail.
- Village Agulo and Hermigua Two enchanting rural villages nestled in the green of the north; the first is a colonial maze perched on a cliff, the second stretches through a deep, fertile valley entirely dominated by vast banana plantations.
- Tradition Silbo Gomero An age-old whistled language developed by shepherds to communicate over long distances across the island’s deep, steep ravines, now protected by UNESCO and a compulsory subject in schools.
Unwinding together
Spas and thermal baths
- Ahemon Spa Playa de Santiago · Jardín Tecina A refined open-air wellness centre inside the Hotel Jardín Tecina in Playa de Santiago, where heated pools with hydromassage and water loungers look straight out over the expanse of the ocean.
The island, month by month
Choose a month on the timeline.
January
Fiesta de los Reyes
Traditional celebrations in Valle Gran Rey marked by the “Ramo”, a spectacular, colourful offering of local fruit carried in procession.
September
Fiestas Colombinas
A cultural festival recreating Christopher Columbus’s stopover in the capital, filling the streets with concerts, regattas and theatre.
October
Bajada de la Virgen de Guadalupe
Celebrations held every five years, in which fishermen carry the patron saint by boat from her remote sanctuary to San Sebastián.
Ogni cinque anni · la prossima nel 2028
At the table
Special mentions
- Cueva para dos Playa de Santiago · Jardín Tecina A natural cave on the cliff edge at Jardín Tecina, turned into an intimate fine-dining setting for romantic candlelit dinners.
- Miel de palma and almogrote The whole island The two pillars of local cuisine: the first is a sweet syrup made from the boiled sap of the Canary Island palm, the second a flavourful, spicy spread made with aged goat’s cheese, garlic and chilli.
La Gomera is one of those places I admire for the tenacity with which it stays true to itself. An island that does not need to reinvent itself to captivate, where an ancient language made of whistles crosses the valleys while the mist keeps the secrets of age-old prehistoric forests. Made of sheltered corners, it is a place where we too can strip ourselves of everything superfluous and reconnect with the breath of the forest.
La Gomera, with me
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