Day Trip to La Gomera from Tenerife: The Complete Guide

Day Trip to La Gomera from Tenerife: The Complete Guide

About 50 minutes away by fast ferry, La Gomera is the perfect escape from southern Tenerife. It's a small, green, barely developed island with a laurel forest listed as a World Heritage Site and a whistled language unique in the world. Visiting it in a day is entirely doable if you organise yourself well.

The ferry: Los Cristianos – San Sebastián de La Gomera

The crossing leaves from the port of Los Cristianos (southern Tenerife) and arrives in San Sebastián de La Gomera, the capital. Two companies operate it, Fred. Olsen Express and Naviera Armas, with fast ferries that cover the route in about 50 minutes. Between them there are roughly 6 to 8 daily departures, so you have plenty of room to go in the morning and return in the late afternoon or evening.

• Book a return ticket and take one of the first departures to make the most of the day.
• Canary Islands residents get a discount; check fares and timetables on each company's website (they may vary).
• You can board on foot or with a car. Bringing a car gives you freedom on La Gomera; on foot, rent there or book an excursion.

What to see in a day

San Sebastián de La Gomera. The capital is small and easily walked. Don't miss the Torre del Conde (15th century, one of the oldest military buildings in the Canaries) and the places linked to Christopher Columbus: San Sebastián was his last stop to take on water before crossing the Atlantic in 1492, and the town is proud of it.

Garajonay National Park. The green heart of the island and its great treasure: a laurisilva (laurel forest) that is a relic of the forests covering the Mediterranean millions of years ago. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walking among the mist, the moss and the centuries-old laurels is a unique experience. If you have a car or a tour, it's the essential visit.

Viewpoints and Valle Gran Rey. La Gomera's roads offer spectacular viewpoints over deep ravines. If you have time, Valle Gran Rey, in the west, is famous for its sunsets and laid-back atmosphere, though it's a bit far for a day trip without a car.

The gomero whistle (silbo)

La Gomera has a one-of-a-kind cultural treasure: the silbo gomero, a whistled language islanders used to communicate across the ravines. It reproduces Spanish in whistles and UNESCO recognises it as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Many restaurants and centres offer demonstrations; seeing it live is well worth it.

Gomeran food

Take the chance to try the island's flavours: almogrote (a spreadable paste of cured cheese, pepper and garlic), palm honey (guarapo from the palm tree, dark and sweet), gomero cheese and the local stews. A lunch in San Sebastián or an inland village is part of the plan.

Tips for the day

• Start early: the sooner you leave, the more of the island you'll see.
• To reach Garajonay and the viewpoints, go by car (your own on the ferry or a rental at the port) or book an organised excursion.
• Bring a jacket: the forest and the heights are cooler and often misty, even when the coast is sunny.
• Confirm the time of the last return ferry before heading far from San Sebastián.

Cover photo: marina of San Sebastián de La Gomera, by Paweł Kuźniar (CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons.