San Sebastian de la Gomera

When you arrive on La Gomera, you will find yourself in the port of San Sebastian de la Gomera, the capital of the island. The port is notable because from here Fedor Konyukhov rowed started solo across the Atlantic on a rowboat in 2002.

And, guess what, he swam to Barbados.

Five centuries earlier, Christopher Columbus, no less famous conqueror of the oceans, had started from here in search of a sea route to India, but discovered, as it became apparent later, America by accident.

In general, the port of San Sebastian is a popular starting point for expeditions, competitions and adventures of all kinds.

If you don't know about it in advance, you would hardly suspect a capital city in sleepy San Sebastian. The most remarkable episode of its long but dull chronicle was in fifteenth century.

A lady of the court named Beatriz de Bobadilla, an interesting woman in every way, irrepressible in carnal pleasures and intelligent, successfully combined her duties as a maid of honor of Queen Isabella of Castile with the no less honorable role of her husband's mistress. Until her direct employer offered her a choice: to lose her head or to go somewhere far away and, preferably, not to return.

Bobadilla was quickly given in marriage to the governor of La Gomera, who in return was promised to turn a blind eye to the organization of killing of a prominent conquistador, and sent into exile on a distant island.

The alliance between the courtesan and the morally devoid governor was quite harmonious, until the desperate and revolted natives, the Guanches, killed the cruel and lecherous governor. The last drop that overwhelmed the cup of patience of the naturally non-aggressive natives was the seduction of their princess. Bobadilla and her children hid from the angry mob in the Torre del Conde and sat there until help arrived from Gran Canaria.

The Count's Tower. Behind its walls, unassailable to the primitive natives, Beatriz de Bobadilla waited out the Guanches' revolt.

The widow organized a veritable genocide of Guanches in revenge. Even the local priest, always loyal to the morals of the nobility, to go complain to Madrid. After intervention from the center, the surviving Guanches were released, the chief defender from Gran Canaria was imprisoned for life, and Bobadilla, who had patrons at court, again got off with a minor scare. Count's Tower - the last remaining fortifications of La Gomera during the conquistador era - stands to this day. It is the symbol of the island's capital.

Other attractions of San Sebastian are compactly arranged on its main street Calle de Medio (Calle Real) and are associated with the name of Christopher Columbus. During the first expedition, one of the ships got a leak and the flotilla had to stop at La Gomera.

The main street of the city is Calle de Medio (Calle Real). Here you will find sights associated with the name of Christopher Columbus.

On the island, Columbus could not resist the charms of the bored widow who had taken the governor's seat. The affair with Bobadilla was short but vivid.

It so happened that La Gomera was Columbus' last refuge before the discovery of the New World. This is a fact of which the islanders are extremely proud. Next the well where they got water for the ships of the expedition, it says: "With this water America was baptized.

The same well that was used to bring water for Columbus's flotilla. At least, that's what it's believed to be.

The well is in the patio of the former customs house (Casa de Aduana). Here is also an information center for tourists.

A little further away you can find the church of Iglesia de la Asuncion, where Columbus prayed for the success of his expedition. And in house number 56 he spent the night. Here is the museum (Casa de Colon) now.