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Monte Agudo, O Faro and San Martiño
are the names of the three islands of the
Cíes archipelago, one of the most beautiful
spots in Spain. Cíes, declared a National
Maritime-Land Park in 1980 and part of
the National Atlantic Islands Park of Galicia,
created in 2002, is part of the municipality
of Vigo and of the Galician Rías Bajas (floo-
ded river valleys) in the province of Ponte-
vedra.
The Islands of the Gods was the name gi-
ven to by the Romans in our early history;
an Olympus of pristine beaches and crys-
tal-clear waters in a natural area that make
it a unique observatory of fauna and flora
and where all the natural systems of coas-
tal areas and continental platforms of the
Euro-Siberian region can be observed.
The southern Island, San Martiño, is slightly
separated from the other two. O Faro, in
the centre, and Monte Agudo, in the nor-
thern part, are permanent connected by a
large sandbank, Rodas Beach, one of the
key attractions in this enclave. In 2007,
the British newspaper, The Guardian, was
captivated by Rodas and named it the best
beach in the world.
The only way to reach Cíes is by sea. Du-
ring the summer months and the Easter
holidays, several shipping companies at
Vigo Harbour have ferries for round-trip vi-
sits to the islands. Thanks to these ferries,
it is possible to go directly to the islands
of Monte Agudo and O Faro, although it is
recommended that you book ahead since
Cíes allows only 2,200 visitors per day. It is