Getting Around La Gomera

Located very close to Tenerife, the island of La Gomera is a place that will surprise you if you decide to visit it. But how do you get around La Gomera once you land on the island? In this post we will go over all the options you can use to get from one place to another.

The quickest and most comfortable way to get around La Gomera is to go on an organised excursion from Tenerife to discover this place in just one day if you don't have more time.

This way you won't have to worry about organising the logistics or planning the tour to the main tourist attractions on the island, with all the stress that this entails. In this type of activity everything is designed so that travellers can relax and let themselves be guided by local guides to enjoy their visit to La Gomera without any headaches.

In addition, you will save money, as the price of renting a car to move around the island and also time (both in the planning of the visit and in the tour itself when you get there).

How do I visit La Gomera on an organised tour?

Depending on the excursion you choose, the routes to visit La Gomera and the routes are varied, but usually include pick-up and drop-off at the hotel, plus all transfers during the activity.

For example, to get to the island you take the ferry that leaves from Tenerife. After disembarking at the port of San Sebastián de La Gomera, the main places of interest in the capital are usually visited on foot with a guide.

Afterwards, a vehicle is usually taken to drive to emblematic places such as the Garajonay National Park or the Hermigua Valley before returning to the port to catch the ferry to Tenerife again.

• Price: About 93 €.
• Duration: About 10 hours
• What's included: Ferry, transfers, guide and lunch.
• For more information...: have a look at the post The best excursions to La Gomera from Tenerife.

If you are not travelling to La Gomera with your own vehicle, my advice is to book a rental car if you want to move quickly from one place to another on La Gomera with complete freedom, without depending on public transport timetables and availability.

Driving around La Gomera is not difficult because the island is small and the roads are in good condition. Moreover, some roads, such as the GM-2 through the Garajonay National Park, are so beautiful that they have become another tourist attraction to enjoy during your stay. So if you like driving, this is your best option for getting around the Canary Island.

Where to hire a car in La Gomera?

The most convenient option is to pick it up at the Port of San Sebastián de La Gomera if you arrive by ferry or at La Gomera Airport if you arrive by plane.

Some companies that provide this service on the island are Cicar or Avis and depending on the model and characteristics of the vehicle you will find options from 30 € per day.

What documentation is needed to rent a car in La Gomera?

How long does it take to drive to the main tourist attractions on La Gomera?

Time is money, especially when we are on holiday and have a tight schedule. The car gives us total freedom and helps us to save time when travelling around La Gomera, as we are not dependent on timetables, transfers or the availability of public transport.

In the following table you will see the estimated time it takes to drive to some points of La Gomera from the capital of the island.

The bus or guagua (as they call it in the Canary Islands) is the cheapest option to get around La Gomera but if you don't have much time to spend on the island I don't recommend it, because it is slower than the car and you will have to keep an eye on timetables, routes and bus availability, not to mention the waiting time at each stop.

The company that provides this service on the island is called GuaguaGomera, which has a total of 7 lines to connect the different towns on the island.

How much does a bus ticket cost in La Gomera?

Tickets are purchased inside each bus and the price can range from 2 to 6 euros each way depending on the kilometres of the route.

For example, a full journey between San Sebastián de la Gomera and Vallehermoso costs 4,50 €, while between the capital and Valle Gran Rey costs 5 €.

Depending on the locations you are going to see during your stay in La Gomera, I recommend you check the fares and timetables on the website of GuaguaGomera.

Taxis are another interesting option to consider for getting around La Gomera, especially if you don't drive or are travelling in a group, as they are quick and comfortable, although less economical than the bus.

As with the guaguas, the number of taxis available on the island is also limited, so if you want to make sure you get to a certain place or tourist attraction, my advice is to book in advance, leaving everything to be arranged so that you can be picked up without waiting and without surprises.

Some of the companies that offer this service on the island are Gomera Taxi or Taxi La Gomera.

How much does a taxi ride in La Gomera cost?

The price of the taxi journey will depend on the kilometres covered on the route, although there are also fixed prices that you can check with the driver when you call to make the reservation.

For example, the journey between San Sebastián de La Gomera and Hermigua can cost around 25 €, while the journey to Agulo is around 30 € and to Valle Gran Rey around 55 €.

La Gomera is a small island, but there are some areas that are quite far away by road and the bus network may not be able to reach them. For cases like this, the ferry company Fred Olsen offers a regular service between different parts of the island.

The internal La Gomera line of Fred Olsen Express connects the ports of San Sebastián de La Gomera - Playa Santiago - Valle Gran Rey (return trip). Tickets for this ferry cost between 8 and 10 euros.

How long are the ferry journeys within the island?

Why travel by ferry in La Gomera?

It is a very interesting option to move around La Gomera where other public transport does not reach and to get to know the coastline of the island. From the sea you will have beautiful views of the coastal and marine landscape, a very interesting experience not to be missed!

The capital of La Gomera is a quiet little town with a long history, home to just 9,000 people, so walking is a great way to discover the town centre which is full of low Canarian-style houses.

Although there are no major tourist attractions in the municipality, there are several places of interest in San Sebastián de La Gomera related to Christopher Columbus' voyages to America after the discovery of America.

The distances are not excessively long and in fact from the Town Hall to the Archaeological Museum of La Gomera it takes less than 5 minutes to walk, practically the same as to the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción, both in the same area. In other words, you will be able to see the highlights of the town on foot.