Cies Islands Guide

The Cies Islands archipelago is formed of three islands found near the mouth of the Ria de Vigo estuary that cuts along the southern coast of the Iberian Peninsula in northern Spain. These mountainous islands are largely uninhabited and have been protected as a nature reserve since the 1980’s. As such, the sweeping verdant hills and rocky cliff-side coasts remain largely untouched by human activity.

What’s there to do on the Cies Islands?
The beaches that line the glistening blue shores are particularly popular during the warm summer months. The long, curving Rodas beach, that connects the islands of Monteagudo and Faro, was voted the best beach in the world by The Guardian newspaper in 2007. Make sure you take your own garbage bag as you must take your litter back to the mainland as big fines are imposed in this National Park and nature reserve. This pre-Roman settlement is a clean haven that’s perfect for relaxing, hiking or maybe even some bird watching.

How should I get around the island?
The port of the Cies Islands is nothing but a single concrete pier built upon the rocks that line the eastern coast of the isle of San Martino. There are no roads on the island meaning that travelling to and from the port can only be achieved by traversing the footpaths that lead towards the inland wilds of shrubs and trees that rise and fall over the hilly terrain.

What services are operated from the islands?
Two passenger services currently operate from the port, heading along three different routes. Both Naviera Nabia and Mar de Ons ferries offer daily trips east along the nearby Ria de Vigo to the cities of Vigo and Cangas that sit opposite each other across the water. Both services also sail the short distance south to the picturesque town of Baiona