Few places in the world
have the natural wealth of this circular volcanic island, highlighted
by its singular prehistoric character. The variety and contrasts of
the Gomera landscape are surprising.
After El Hierro, La Gomera
is the smallest of the Canary Islands, with a surface area of 378
square kilometers, approximately 10 percent of which is covered by the
Garajonay National Park which has been declared a Mankind Heritage
Site by UNESCO. The Island, in the centre of the westernmost part of
the Canary Islands, between La Palma, El Hierro and Tenerife, is the
ideal setting for outdoor activities throughout the year. A walk
though charming little villages will take you through the rugged
terrain, with surprises in store around every bend in the road. The
natural wealth of the whole Island is so impressive that it has, in
fact, won the highest possible distinction as a protected natural
space.
Benign temperatures make
it easy to enjoy activities like rural tourism or trekking. La Gomera
is a wonder of countless beautiful tracks and trails. And the trade
winds, which bring welcome rains, have generated a lush vegetation of
interesting native species that in turn encourage the formation of
clouds that give its forests a certain other worldly charm
The Gomera scenery
is surprisingly varied and full of contrasts; impressive gorges,
grand rock monoliths, marvelous palm groves and the Garajonay
National Park, which offers an unprecedented ecological treasure
of crystal clear waters and lush laurel forests.
There is such a
variety of microclimates that just a few kilometers away in the
south west of the Island, temperatures are pleasantly temperate,
reaching 20ºC in winter and 29ºC in summer.
All this lush
ambience has led to the creation of some beautiful residential
and tourist areas, where peace and calm prevail. La Gomera is
genuine and a special effort has been made to conserve its
natural treasures as seen in the multitude of protected areas:
Garajonay, Benchijigua Integral Nature Reserve, Puntallana
Special Nature reserve, Majona Nature Park, Valle Gran Rey Rural
Park, the natural monuments of Los Organos, Roque Cano, Roque
Blanco, La Fortaleza, Barranco del Cabrito, La Caldera, El Lomo
del Carreton and Los Roques, Orone Protected Landscape as well
as places of scientific interest like Alajero Cliffs, Charco del
Conde and Charco del Cieno.
La Gomera`s
deep-rooted customs and history should be savoured slowly:
stopping in the villages, talking to the people, understanding
the typical whistles the locals use to chat from one side of the
gorge to another, trying the culinary specialities or losing
yourself to the rhythm of the dance of the drums. There are
several spectacular routes for doing this: El Cedro (The Cedar)
route, the cheese route, La Aguililla route (Egyptian vulture),
the Valley to Valley route, Argodey route, or the Los Roques
route.
A typical product of
La Gomera is 'Guarapo', the sap taken from the countless palm
trees dotted around the Island which is cooked to make 'palm
honey' . The cultural centres include the Juego de Bolas
Interpretation Centre devoted to promoting its culture and
natural environment. The Colon Museum, with an excellent
collection of pre-Hispanic pottery, is another place that should
not be missed.
The most important
rock formation on the Island, Los Órganos Natural Monument, is
in the borough of Vallehermoso in the north. This is an
impressive cliff that rises up out of the sea, and has been
eroded into the form of towering parallel tubes looking like a
classical church organ, thus giving the monument its name. El
Cedro National Park deserves special mention as a magnificent
example of a cool shaded laurel forest, criss-crossed by cold
clear streams, that allows you to forget the sun shining outside.
* Temperature
in the south:
* In Summer... max. 28,7 °C - min. 18,7 °C
* In Winter... max. 21,3 °C - min. 13,7 °C
*
81,5 Square Kilometers of
forest
*
101 Square Kilometers
Nature Protected land
*
Coast line... 98 Kilometer
*
Beaches... 15 Kilometer
*
Ph factor for rain... ph7
*
Ph factor for the ground... ph7
*
Distance from Germany...
approximately 4.000 Kilometer
*
Time Zone... Minus
one hour MEZ
Gomera Information
