Top La Gomera Craft Classes

Today was our much anticipated palm leaf basket weaving course in Valle Gran Rey and it didn’t disappoint. Run by the lovely Zdenka, a Czech now living a sustainable life on this lovely island, she took our wee group on a walk during which she told us about the different plants we were seeing and then we got down to the main activity of the day - basket weaving. Once we’d made the base of our baskets we stopped for a fab lunch made mainly from her own produce and then we wove the rest of our baskets. Considering we all started the same way, it’s amazing to see all the completely different finished baskets.

We spent a day with Zdenka on a basket making workshop using brooms from the local Gomeran palm trees. Zdenka told us about the trees and then we collected brooms for making the baskets. Looking at one of Zdenka's amazing baskets I couldn't believe that we could make such a thing in one day but Zdenka is very clear with her instructions and excellent demonstrations that we all went home with a completed basket. A great day and highly recommended.

This is a beautiful green island which is fantastic for a relaxing, sunny holiday if you're not one for exploring. The climate is perfect. If you do like to get out and about and want to go anywhere ( e.g. inland up to the hills) the roads are very winding, any seemingly short journey takes a long time, roads excellent condition though. If you're a walker you'll love this place as there are countless trails inland from the coast up the windy roads. There are 3 main towns which are all very small and honestly, pretty uninspiring. Add to this you have to get a ferry which we obviously knew about, but makes for a long journey home via Tenerife.