In the pre-Hispanic period, Valle Gran Rey belonged to Orone, one of the four cantons in which La Gomera was divided when Europeans first settled the island in the 15th Century. Valle Gran Rey must have been an important territory: its grand name implies it was the residence of ‘kings’ and soothsayers.

In this context, legend states that it was in Valle Gran Rey, in La Baja de Secreto, to be more exact, where the ‘Rebellion of Los Gomeros’ of 1488 was plotted. Meeting in council on this cliff in front of El Charco del Conde, the most important figures of this historical uprising decided to end the life of Hernán Peraza ‘the young’ and end his despotic rule over the island.

After the Spanish conquest of the archipelago, the area went through a period of economic specialization, with the valley dedicated to the cultivation of sugarcane, the manufacture of silk and other subsistence products, while Arure was reserved for cultivating grains and vineyards and raising livestock.

The still scarce population was mostly settled in Arure, which belonged to Chipude Parish until 1812 when it became the Municipality of Arure. However, much of the current municipality continued to belong to other municipalities, first to Chipude and later to Vallehermoso, until finally in 1927 the southern part of Vallehermoso was incorporated into the current Municipality of Valle Gran Rey.

At the end of the 19th century, the introduction of export crops and the development of fishing activity led to a considerable increase in the population of the coastal area and the entire valley. This meant that in 1880 the Town Hall was moved from Arure to La Calera, the current municipal capital.

After the Spanish Civil War, Valle Gran Rey suffered from a social phenomenon that is consubstantial to the history of La Gomera: emigration. Although in the 19th Century there had already been a substantial amount of emigration, especially to Cuba, the outflow reached its apogee in the post-war period. At first it was done clandestinely, but after 1950 it could be done legally, with the majority emigrating to Venezuela and some to European countries. There was also a great deal of emigration from Valle Gran Rey to Tenerife.

At the end of the 1960s tourists began to arrive, first from the United States, but later mostly from central Europe, particularly Germany. Many travellers found Valle Gran Rey to be the ideal place to relax,immersed inthe beauty and tranquillity of the valley. Over the next few decades the valley became the main tourism destination in La Gomera, and today Valle Gran Rey is considered the perfect spot for tourists looking to enjoy good weather, extraordinary landscapes, nature activities, comfortable accommodations and quality gastronomy.