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Eat Gomerian cuisine along the water
Playa de Santiago’s handful of restaurants are dotted along the coast, with roof gardens and verandas offering views over the water. The places are quiet and classy, with fine tablecloths and beautiful ceramic crockery. Look out for the Canarian speciality of carnede cabra en salsa popular – that’s tender pieces of goat served in a wine sauce. Or you could try the lobster paella, freshly caught just off the shore.Playa de Santiago takes it easy at night. It’s all about local Garajonay white wine and evenings in a cosy café-bar. Clubbing isn’t big in La Gomera, but 30 minutes’ drive away in San Sebastian there are a couple of livelier bars. They’re mostly down by the port and have a bit of a Latin flavour – so expect sangria and flamenco dancing. There are also a couple of open-air bars that serve up classic cocktails for balmy evenings.
Read MoreLa Gomera’s beaches are quiet all across the island and Playa de Santiago is no different. The big bonus here though is the dive school just back from the water’s edge. There are trips for qualified divers plus courses for newcomers hoping to learn. Once you get to grips with the gear, the waters just off the shore teem with barracudas, octopus and spider crabs. There are also beautiful rock formations just a flipper kick away.
Read MoreThe 2 supermarkets here will cover all your shopping essentials, but you’re near other shopping spots should you need them. A 30-minute drive gets you to the capital San Sebastian where there’s a colourful produce market every Wednesday and Saturday. And you’re 40-minutes’ drive from both Hermigua, known for its rugs and woven linen shops, and Arure, where you can pick up the island’s palm honey, known as Miel de Palma.
Read MoreThis weekend bonanza is in honour of Nuestra Senora del Carmen – Our Lady of Carmen, the patron saint of fisherman. The big event is the Saturday boat pageant, when some of the vessels are even converted into party boats with music and drinks on board. Back on the shore there’s stalls set up selling grilled fish and the night wraps up with a big fireworks display.
Read MoreThe subtropical forests of the Garajonay National Park are spread across the middle of La Gomera. And it’s not hard to hike to the highest point of Alto de Garajonay – you just follow the signposted route that leaves from Igualero, a village 25-minutes’ drive away. Along the way you’ll take in rainforest-like canopies and trickling freshwater streams. It’s a 2-hour out-and-back journey and from the summit you can see across to Mount Teide in Tenerife.
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