I spent three nights on La Gomera, taking the ferry from Los Cristianos (Tenerife) to San Sebastián de La Gomera, which served as my base for exploring the island. I relied mostly on public buses and hiking, which works reasonably well on the small island but naturally limits flexibility.

Unfortunately, the entire stay was marked by cloudy and rainy weather, especially in the mountainous interior. As a result, some of the island’s most famous viewpoints, including Alto de Garajonay, the highest point and considered a highlight, were completely covered in fog during my visit.

Day 1: Rainy Hikes Around San Sebastián

After arriving with some delay, I set out for a long hike into the hills behind San Sebastián. The route passed through steep valleys and several scenic viewpoints overlooking the town and coastline. However, frequent heavy rain forced me to bypass some of the higher sections.

Back in town, I explored several local landmarks including El Faro lighthouse, Mirador El Parador, and Playa de la Cueva, all offering pleasant views over the harbor and Atlantic.

Day 2: Valle Gran Rey and the Garajonay Mountains

The morning began with a short walk through San Sebastián, including brief stops at the Church of the Assumption (Iglesia de la Asunción) and the Museo Arqueológico de La Gomera, which introduces the island’s indigenous history and culture.

I then took the Benchi Express ferry along the southern coast to Valle Gran Rey, one of La Gomera’s most famous valleys. From the harbor I walked along the black-sand beaches and continued inland through the lush valley to its highest inhabited point.

The return bus ride to San Sebastián crossed the Garajonay National Park, but unfortunately the cloud forest landscape was hidden in dense fog for most of the journey.

Day 3: Northern Coast Villages

On my final day I began with another short hike to a western viewpoint above San Sebastián, offering a last panorama over the harbor.

I then traveled by bus to Hermigua, a green valley famous for its banana plantations and rugged coastline. From there I followed the historic sugar trail and further along the coast up to Agulo, passing dramatic cliffs and ocean viewpoints along the way.

Reaching Agulo in the afternoon, I arrived too late and too tired to climb up to the famous Mirador de Abrante, though I could still see the dramatic glass viewpoint structure from below before returning to San Sebastián by bus.

Overall Impression

La Gomera is known for its dramatic valleys, laurel forests, and traditional villages, but my experience was heavily shaped by persistent rain and fog, which obscured many of the island’s scenic highlights.

Even so, the island still offered pleasant hiking routes, quiet villages, and rugged coastal landscapes. However, compared with the other Canary Islands I visited, it felt less impressive overall.