One of the lesser-known Canary Islands is painted in beautifully preserved nature, brimming with culture and it’s only a short ferry ride from Tenerife.
La Gomera is one of the smallest islands in the archipelago. While popular neighbouring islands such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote have areas that are awash with Brits and Germans abroad on package holidays, this island has retained its authenticity.
La Gomera is just 50 minutes away by ferry from Tenerife. There are four daily departures; you can travel there with your own car or with just your luggage. Ticket prices to the tourist-free hotspot are as little as €10.7 (£8.96)
The island remains untouched by commercial tourism and is home to one of the largest laurel forests in the world.
Hikers and culture lovers are attracted to the rugged beauty of La Gomera, and it is one of the best-hidden gems of Spain.
At only 24 km long, La Gomera substitutes its length with incredible height. Its impenetrable steep cliffs, deep valleys, and crop terraces drop steeply down to the ocean.
Although La Gomera is not known for its white sandy beaches, it doesn’t mean there aren’t beautiful shores on the island. There are many black sand cove beaches surrounded by cliffs – an unusual but picturesque setting.
With a population of just 22,100, the town centre is very walkable.
To get to the island’s natural hidden gems, you can hire a car to drive around the windy roads and up the elevated centre to see the breathtaking view of El Teide, Tenerife’s 12000 ft volcano.
Garajonay National Park can be found in the centre of the island. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage site as it harbours one of the largest continuous areas of the subtropical laurel forests in the world.
It is also said that Christopher Columbus passed through here on his way to discover the new world, which is why La Gomera is known as ‘Isla Colombina’.
There are no direct flights linking La Gomera to mainland Europe, which explains why the island has remained largely untouched by overtourism. The lack of white sand beaches also remains unappealing to a lot of sun and sea-seeking Brits.
However, this is advantageous for keeping the beautiful landscapes and culture intact.
