Ask anyone to name the islands in the Canaries and most would, without much trouble, come up with the main four islands of Tenerife , Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. After all that's where most of the holiday companies and airline operators provide services for. However there are actually 8 main islands, the others being La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa, the smallest of the inhabited islands of the Chinijo Archipelago off Lanzarote.

La Palma has a population of around 86,000 people, just less than Lanzarote but only about a tenth that of Tenerife or Gran Canaria .

La Gomera is an interesting island, with just 23,000 inhabitants and some of the most beautiful landscapes in the whole of the Canaries. Most people who go there will visit both the Garajonay's National Park which, in 1986, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in the north of the island and the Valle Gran Rey (or Valley of the Great King) which is in the south west corner. The great valley reaches up into the wooded mountain sides from the coastline and is very spectacular. Cesar Manrique, the Canary Islands' most famous architect built his stunning Mirador restaurant in the valley, where it provides an amazing panoramic viewpoint. The terraced hillsides and switchback mountain roads are reminiscent of alpine passes as the land rears up steeply as you travel inland.

On a clear day you will be presented with fantastic view of the nearby islands of La Palma and El Hierro. The beach at La Playa Calera is not one of the most beautiful in the Canaries, with its dark mix of sand and rock, yet development is very controlled here and La Gomera offers visitors a chance to explore a more authentic side of the islands. The island does have a small airport, although most visitors arrive by boat or hydrofoil from islands such as Tenerife.