What to see and do on La Graciosa in a day
La Graciosa is the smallest inhabited island in the Canaries, 25 minutes by boat from Órzola. There is no tarmac: the streets of Caleta de Sebo are sand, you walk through it as you would along a beach, and beyond the village there are only dirt tracks, low volcanoes and empty beaches. You get around on foot, by bike or in the village’s 4x4 taxis.
Caleta de Sebo, right off the boat
The boat drops you at the village jetty. Around it are the church, the harbour fish bars, the bike hire and the 4x4 taxi rank. It is the island’s only settlement with services (there is one other hamlet, Pedro Barba, with none), so water and food for the day are sorted here before you set off.
Playa Francesa and Montaña Amarilla: what you can do on foot
Playa Francesa is the catamaran trip’s beach and the most accessible from the village: calm water, pale sand and the ochre cone of Montaña Amarilla right beside it. It is the sensible choice if you are coming and going on the same day with the midday or 16:00 boat: you walk there and back along the south-coast track, with time for a long swim.
Climbing Montaña Amarilla is short but stony, and the summit is fragile: watch the path and stay on it.
Las Conchas: the postcard beach, on the far side
Playa de las Conchas lies on the north of the island, facing the islet of Montaña Clara, and it is the picture everyone has in mind: golden sand and deep blue sea. It is a long way from the village: by bike it is the classic day out, on foot only if you have hours to spare. The surf is usually strong and the red flag often flies: it is a beach for looking more than swimming.
If you take the hotel-pickup option (on the island 11:00 to 16:00), Las Conchas by bike is exactly what fits, without dawdling.
What to bring
- Plenty of water and something to eat: outside Caleta de Sebo there is nothing.
- Sun cream, a cap and sunglasses: the island is low and has no shade. The trade wind fools you: it is breezy and the sun burns just the same.
- Closed shoes if you plan to walk the tracks; flip-flops for the village and the beach.
- Cash just in case, and your return ticket to hand.
- A bag for your rubbish: it is a protected area and everything you bring in leaves with you.