A guide to the unspoilt Canary Island we’re giving up gatekeeping in 2026

Wander the streets

San Sebastián is the island’s historical port and capital, with the dubious accolade of being Christopher Columbus’s provisioning point en route to the Americas in 1492. The house where he stayed is now the Columbus House Museum, not far from the 15th-century fortress Torre del Conde, and the art-filled Church of the Assumption also dates back to Columbus’s time.

Perhaps the prettiest village on La Gomera is Agulo, where cobblestoned streets and colourful houses overlook banana-tree terraces and the Atlantic Ocean; you can even glimpse Tenerife’s Mount Teide on a clear day. Agulo is an hour north of the capital, and close to the glass-floored Mirador de Arrant, with a seven-metre overhang above the ravine.

Hit the beach

Valle Gran Rey is the island’s prime beach destination, a haven for European hippies from the 1970s and 1980s, and retains its barefoot and bohemian vibe. Playa Calera is the busiest of the beaches, with SUP-board rental and seafood bars, while Playa del Inglés is more isolated and rugged, flanked by soaring cliffs. In the harbour town of Vueltas, whale-watching trips depart regularly during peak months, and fishermen sell their catch to the local restaurants.

Dramatic beaches await – with a fraction of the better-known islands’ sands

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Where to eat on La Gomera

Canarian cuisine is a unique blend of Spanish, African and Latin American influences – and a history lesson on a plate. Spain colonised the Canary Islands between 1402 and 1496, resulting in the decline of the indigenous Guanche population, a Berber people from North Africa. The islands are just 100km west of southern Morocco, a reminder of which is found in the island’s generous application of spices like cumin, coriander, parsley and paprika, seasoning roasted fish or goat meat.

During the 20th century, many Canarians emigrated to Latin America, and back-and-forth human traffic between the two regions means that travellers will find some Canarian dishes they recognise from Cuba, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico or Venezuela, notably the thick spicy sauces called mojo rojo (red, mostly served with meat) or mojo verde (green, served with fish). Papas arrugadas, or wrinkly potatoes, with mojo sauce, is one of the most popular tapas dishes on the islands. In Agulo, Tasca las Cruces is a much-loved low-key local spot for sampling these flavours in Canarian tapas, while La Viejo Escuela nearby is famous for fresh seafood in an old schoolhouse. The island is also rightly proud of its cheesemaking tradition, and you’ll find almogrote, a spicy cheese paste served with bread, on any tapas menu on the island.