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Only in the last 30 years have holiday
rentals in Spain’s La Gomera truly taken off.
Prior to that, the inhabitants of La Gomera have worked
hard to maintain economic growth. It has not been easy
but what has made La Gomera so appealing and unusual
is that it has maintained its cultural and historical
traditions. Of all the Canary Islands, La Gomera
is the most easy to identify because of its beautifully
round shape. It is also one of the smallest of the Canary
Islands and is, in some ways, protected by its sister
islands of Hierro, La Palma and Tenerife.
 La
Gomera is different from the other Islands for a number
of reasons: Its landscape, its history and its traditions
which have all conspired to make it an island many tourists
who book apartments for rent in La Gomera consider to
be more interesting and exotic. In fact, it is believed
that La Gomera is more renowned for its traditional
qualities and features than for its rocky coastline.
Tourists still come to locations for example San
Sebastian for villas for rent, as well as destinations
like the Playa de Santiago with its lively lush landscape
and beautiful beaches. What makes tourists come all
the way to La Gomera for holiday rentals in Spain’s
tiny island?
Certainly the island is not easy to access and is not
on a direct flight path. La Gomera can only be arrived
at from Tenerife. Holiday makers have to fly
to Tenerife first, then travel to Los Christens.
From there they can either board a hovercraft for a
quick 35 minute journey or take the leisurely slow ferry
which will take 40 minutes longer. Regardless both forms
of transport will dock at San Sebastian. The historic
port of San Sebastian with villas for rent to tourists
is the disembarking point and is not only the capital
of La Gomera but also a popular location for holiday
rentals on Spain’s small island
San Sebastian Villas
for rent where Christopher Columbus’s Stayed
For a small island, La Gomera is awash with history.
Similar to the other Canary Islands, La Gomera was invaded
by the Spanish under Jean Bethancourt in the 15th century.
It is recorded that the Gomeras like the Guanches of
Tenerife put up a fierce fight against the Spanish invasion.
Initially the indigenous islanders were aided by their
islands own natural landscape – the mountains.
Later in 1488 the island became fully colonised under
Spanish rule with the brutal massacre of natives at
San Sebastian.
Six years later San Sebastian became renowned for another
reason: a famous explorer arrived at this port and San
Sebastian became host to the well-known Christopher
Columbus. It is believed that he stayed in holiday rentals
in Spain’s La Casa de Colon in San Sebastian. (Many
tourists put this house on “places to visit in
San Sebastian” list). Rumour has it that one of
the reasons why Columbus stayed in San Sebastian was
because he was attracted to Beatriz de Bodidilla who
later became the wife of the Governor of La Gomera.
It is felt that due to Columbus’s presence and
historical association, San Sebastian became a popular
trade port with ships stopping at the celebrated and
well resourced harbour.
In the 19th and early 20th Century, prior to the influx
of tourists booking holiday rentals in Spain’s
La Gomera, the islands economic growth depended on its
agriculture and what it could trade with other islands.
The island already had one advantage in that it was
on the trading route and the port of San Sebastian was
the drop off and pick up point. Unfortunately with the
growth of industrialisation and the agriculture revolution,
La Gomera could not hope to compete with more advanced
nations who had the space as well as industrial and
agricultural resources and manpower. Added to this,
the mountainous landscape made it impossible for farmers
to grow an abundance of vegetables or bananas. Many
farms were built on man-made terraces created to grow
vegetables and bananas for the home market. Even though
farmers sold to the local market, the work was hard
and the land scarce. Farmers in villages worked together
to maintain some agricultural growth. This type of work
in a limited terraced landscape is still utilised today
for vegetables.
Apartments to Rent in
Valle Gran Rey - An Agricultural and Tourist Resort
What is amazing is that La Gomera has managed to retain
its cultural and historical traditions here by putting
them on show and displayed so that tourists who reside
in apartments
for rent in Valle Gran Rey can see how the people
lived and worked. One such example of the merger between
culture and tourism is the famous Valley of the Kings
canter, more commonly known in La Gomera as Valle Gran
Rey.
 Here
villages are crammed between the sides of two mountains.
The people in La Gomera have utilised the space for
agriculture and palm honey and it has become a place
worth visiting. In fact it has become popular for German
tourists who want holiday rentals in Spain’s La
Gomera. The area is used as a base and launching point
for a number of outdoor activities for tourists. Valle
Gran Rey is not just a model town. It has expanded its
market to include activities which will not ruin the
varied landscape but rather show it off to the public.
There are a range of specialist outdoor activity holidays
for tourists who book apartments for rent in the region.
Hiking holidays are exceedingly popular as well as boat
trips and water sports such as diving as there is a
beach. There are even excursions to other holiday rental
in Spain locations within La Gomera. Valle Gran Rey
even has its own Tourist Information Office Tel. No.
922 80 54 58 where it is possible to obtain a detailed
run down on all activities in the region. This area
in itself could keep the active tourists fairly busy.
Even those holiday makers who live in Playa de Santiago
or in San Sebastian in villas for rent can come to Valle
Gran Rey and enjoy this truly amazing place.
This is only one of the many places worth a visit on
this small but intriguing island paradise of La Gomera.
So if you are looking for a place to stay with a memorable
landscape why not book your holiday
rentals in Spain’s island of La Gomera. This
is a holiday destination you will not want to forget!
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