Agulo is the smallest of the six boroughs on La Gomera with its 1.200 inhabitants and surface area of 27,5 square kilometres. The village was founded on the north-eastern coast of the island on September 27th 1607, but remained under the jurisdiction of nearby Hermigua until the year 1739, which is when the local parish of San Marcos was created.

The process of village foundation was slow but resulted in a concentrated plan of buildings set at the foot of ancient sea cliffs, which now stands out for its architectural and scenic beauty. The hamlet of Lepe at the lower part of the borough is formed by a multitude of terraces devoted to the cultivation of banana for export, while the hamlets of Las Rosas and La Palmita in the upper part near the forest were traditionally linked to subsistence farming.

In the beginning of the 20th century a davit was built at the coast, which facilitated embarkation of the fruit and other merchandise and formed the only point of contact with the outside world, given the lack of internal communications. The last few decades have been of recession for Agulo, as the local economy based on agriculture has been severely undermined and at the same time emigration has reduced the population to a minimum.

However, the village centre with its narrow cobbled streets offers the tourist an interesting architectural heritage, together with the Church of St. Mark the Evangelist. As for fiestas, the lighting and leaping over the bonfires is also well worth seeing during the festival of St. Mark the Evangelist on April 24th. Garajonay National Park Visitors’ Centre at Juego de Bolas near the hamlet of La Palmita offers the visitor a wealth of nature-related information in its numerous displays and collections.

Main sights

Fiestas and events