La Gomera is 1 of the 7 islands of the Canary Archipelago. It has no more than 30 Km from one side to the other, but don’t be fooled by that as the maximum altitude point is at1,484 m (4868 feet) and the entire island is full of valleys so most times you will need to go down and back up an entire valley to go to a place that is 5 km in a straight line.
1. San Sebastian De La Gomera
San Sebastian De la Gomera is the capital of La Gomera and your place of arrival if you decide to travel by ferry. You’ll just need less than an hour to walk around the city and if you are up for a swim, taking a dip at San Sebastián Beach.
Our featured picture for San Sebastian was taken in Torre del Conde Park which during spring, has plenty of trees that are flowering with an intense red color. These trees are called “flamboyanes”
2. Garajonay National Park
Garajonay National Park is a very dense forest due to the high humidity and mist of the area which irritates the laurel forest (Laurisilva in Spanish) which is unique as it is autochthonous from the Canary Islands.
This national park also contains “Roques” which are rock formations caused by the combination of tectonic plates collision and erosion. Some of the most prominent can be seen from The Viewpoint of the Roques.
In the park, you can also find the highest point of the entire island, called “Alto De Garajonay” (Top of Grajonay). From there if there is a clear day you can spot some of the closest islands such as Tenerife with the prominent Teide Volcano, or la Palma and el Hierro, which require more clarity to be able to spot them as they are further away.
Finally, there are many trails around the park. You can check most of them here. We particularly enjoyed the one where you park your car in this area to the right and follow the trail to “Reventón Oscuro” which is only about 1,2 Km (0.75 miles) each way, and the landscape is beautiful. (See pictures labeled as “Reventón Oscuro”). Once you arrive at the end of the trail There is an option to extend it 5,8 Km(3.6 Miles) Going to “El Cedro” For a total of 8,2 Km(5 Miles) roundtrip (About 3 hours).
3. Valle Del Gran Rey
Along with Garajonay Park, this is the top must-see from La Gomera, in the Gran Rey Valley you will find the most spectacular views, hiking trails, and the best beach in La Gomera.
The Views.
If you want o take a look at the entire valley the best spot is Mirador de la Curva del Queso on the way down to the valley.
The Beach
The best beach is Playa Valle Gran Rey with its thin soft sand and very clear waters
The Trails.
Probably the best route you can do in “Valle Del Gran Rey” is the trail to the Arure Waterfall. The trailhead of this route can be found at the bottom of the valley right on the “Barranco de Arure” This trail route is about a 5km round trip, and somewhat technical. It takes between 2 and 3 hours. All the route follows the gorge’s path so you will need to walk on the stones, trunks, and branches placed along the way to avoid getting wet. Sandals or Waterproof hiking shoes are recommended.
4. Los Organos Natural Monument
Los Organos is a very particular rock formation, with big hexagonal columns that reassemble an organ.
There is only one way to go see it and that’s by boat and when the sea is in good condition. You will need to find an agency that does it and wait to see if the sea is in good condition on the day you choose.
5. Vallehermoso
Vallehermoso is a small town on the North of the Island, It has a rocky beach that is often rough and it has strong currents so they have a free salt-water swimming pool right next to the beach.
There is also an abandoned restaurant called Castillo del Mar, which we do not recommend visiting as the road to get to it has constant landslides and access is forbidden.
Agulo (Extra)
Finally, we have Agulo which has been labeled as one of the most beautiful towns in Spain. It is a pintoresque place to walk around but we only recommend stopping if it is part of your planned route.
Thank you for reading our list of must sees in Washington!
If you think we forgot to mention anything, don’t hesitate to write in the comment section!
