Written by
Inbal Cabiri
Just a short ferry ride from Vigo, the Cíes Islands (Illas Cíes in Galician) feel like another world. The archipelago, off the coast of Galicia, is part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park, one of only two national parks in Spain that protect both land and sea. These aren’t just some of Spain’s most beautiful beaches – they’re a working model for sustainable tourism.
The Guardian once named Playa de Rodas here the most beautiful beach in the world, and standing on the shore, it’s easy to see why. But the Cíes Islands offer something even rarer than a perfect beach: a place where nature still sets the rules.
Between the two main islands, a narrow strip of white sand stretches across the water, with the open Atlantic on one side and a calm lagoon on the other. This is Playa de Rodas. No beach bars, no music, almost no tourist noise – just the sound of the sea and the wind.
The islands have been a protected nature reserve since 1980 and became part of the national park in 2002. They’re home to important seabird colonies, fragile coastal habitats and rich marine life – all of which can only survive if the number of visitors is kept in check. The islands simply can’t absorb large numbers of people, and they were never built for mass tourism. What they have instead is far more valuable.
How do you protect nature and still welcome visitors? The Cíes Islands have a clear answer – and it’s much stricter than most popular destinations are willing to go.
The number of daily visitors is capped. Before you can book a ferry, you need a free entry permit from the Galicia regional government’s website, and in high season the permits go fast.
The islands themselves do the rest: there are no cars, no hotels, and no rubbish bins – you take everything you bring back with you. Ferries are cancelled when the sea is rough. The message is the same everywhere you look: you’re a guest here, and nature comes first.
It’s a sharp contrast to Everest, the Great Barrier Reef, or even Barcelona and Venice, where visitor numbers passed the point of sustainability long ago – and the damage is proving very hard to undo.
By air: Fly to Vigo Airport (VGO), usually via Madrid or Barcelona.
Step 1 – Get your entry permit on the Xunta de Galicia (regional government) website. It’s free and required for every visitor in high season.
Step 2 – Book your ferry soon after you get the permit, with one of the authorized operators:
Book as early as you can – up to 90 days ahead in summer. The crossing from Vigo takes about 45 minutes.
Tip: you can combine the trip with a visit to Santiago de Compostela, about an hour’s drive from Vigo.
You can visit on a day trip, but staying the night is worth it. Sunrise on the Cíes Islands is something else.
There’s exactly one place to sleep: the campsite. No hotels, no guesthouses, no glamping. You can pitch your own tent or rent one of the ready-made tents with beds – and either way, you’ll end up with a fair amount of sand.
I’ll be honest: camping isn’t my natural habitat. I’ve done enough of it to know it’s not where I sleep best. But here, waking up to that view made every grain of sand worth it.
There’s one big cafeteria near the main beach, and it’s better than it has any right to be. Order the pulpo a la gallega – Galician-style octopus with olive oil, paprika and sea salt. Simple, honest and exactly right for the setting.
Don’t expect a real restaurant. Bring your own food and snacks; there’s a small shop for basics and microwaves you can use. The spirit of the place is to come prepared and leave nothing behind.
The Cíes Islands don’t just offer an exceptional experience in nature. They offer a blueprint.
Strict limits, minimal infrastructure and real environmental education aren’t obstacles to good tourism – here, they’re the reason the place is still worth visiting. The beaches are pristine, the seabirds nest undisturbed, and the water is clear enough to see the bottom.
That doesn’t happen by accident.
For easy reading, click here , page 34.
The Cíes Islands: Spain’s Hidden Gem
A magical archipelago in northwest Spain offers a new model for travel, one that pairs breathtaking natural beauty with real environmental protection. A paradise you haven’t discovered yet.
Byline: By Inbal Cabiri, Barcelona
Off the coast of Galicia, in Spain’s northwest corner, lie the Cíes Islands (Islas Cíes). Part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park, which protects both land and sea, they’re not only one of Europe’s most beautiful natural treasures – they’re also a fascinating model for sustainable travel in an age of overtourism.
The first thing that hits you when you arrive is the sheer beauty. The highlight is Playa de Rodas, which The Guardian once named one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. This kilometer-long strip of sand links the archipelago’s two largest islands, Faro and Monteagudo. The sand is so white and the water so clear that it feels like a beach in some far-off country. But unlike so many other places, here there’s an intoxicating quiet. You can walk the length of the beach and hear nothing but the waves and the birds. No traffic, no crowds. Just you and nature. Pure bliss.
The islands have been protected since 1980 and are home to a rich and remarkable variety of wildlife. Each part of the archipelago is its own small ecosystem. The untouched beaches shelter a range of plants and animals, while the cliffs give refuge to birds, small mammals and insects. The steep cliffs that ring the islands don’t just offer breathtaking views – they’re also nesting grounds for rare seabirds. Underwater it’s just as impressive: the rocky seabed around the islands is home to hundreds of species of fish and sea creatures, drawing divers and snorkelers from all over the world.
So how do you protect all this natural beauty and still welcome visitors? The answer lies in the islands’ own model of sustainable tourism. In sharp contrast to popular Spanish cities like Barcelona and Madrid, which are struggling with overtourism, the Cíes Islands take a completely different approach.
The key is limiting the number of visitors: only 2,200 people a day are allowed on the islands. That makes planning a bit of a challenge. To visit, you need an entry permit for the nature reserve, which you can apply for up to 90 days in advance. Once you have it, you only have a two-hour window to book your ferry – otherwise the permit expires. It’s certainly restrictive, but as soon as you arrive, you understand why it matters. There’s none of the crowding you find at so many other popular destinations.
The visitor cap is only one piece of the puzzle. The islands have a whole set of rules to keep the impact on nature to a minimum:
If you’re used to swimming in the Mediterranean, the water here can feel pretty chilly, even in summer. So before you dive in, start with a walk – the Cíes Islands have some wonderful hiking trails.
There are four clearly marked, well-kept and fairly easy routes. The one not to miss leads to the Cíes lighthouse, at the highest point of Faro Island, in its southwest corner. It’s a three-and-a-half-kilometer climb, but not a hard one, and the views are stunning: a fjord-like bay and white beaches, the winding trails below, and the neighboring island of San Martiño.
Another option is to get out on the water by boat or kayak, which lets you reach places you can’t get to on foot. Near the pier on Monteagudo, an information booth has details on activities and rents out kayaks. Guided boat trips leave several times a day and show you the coastline from a different angle.
Still, the main attraction is swimming and snorkeling at the islands’ beautiful beaches and in their crystal-clear water. Playa de Rodas, for example, is great for snorkeling – it’s home to octopus, mussels, crabs, lobsters and all kinds of fish. Playa de Nosa Señora, tucked into a pretty rocky cove, is quieter and feels more secluded. Or try Playa de Figueiras, a short walk from the pier. You can rent diving and snorkeling gear at the information booth by the pier.
One activity I’d really recommend is stargazing, which works beautifully here thanks to the low light pollution. On clear nights, an experienced guide with a background in astronomy shows you how to spot planets and constellations and tells you the stories behind them. It’s fun and interactive, and great for the whole family.
Parents will be happy to hear that the campsite runs activities for kids aged four and up: nature-inspired crafts, team games, hands-on workshops and outdoor cinema under the stars. They’re all designed to spark children’s natural curiosity and deepen their connection to the environment.
There are no fancy hotels or guesthouses on the Cíes Islands, so the only place to stay is the campsite, open to the public from mid-May to mid-September. You can bring your own tent or rent one of theirs – there are tents for two or four, all with beds and mattresses. Don’t miss the sunrise here. It’s pure magic.
As for food, the choice isn’t huge. At the pier you’ll find Restaurante Rodas, a café, bar and restaurant with reasonable prices and a few vegetarian and vegan options. A short walk away, at the campsite, there’s a big cafeteria with a wide menu, including meat, seafood and the local specialty, pulpo a la gallega – Galician-style octopus.
There’s also a small grocery shop, and campers can use the tables, microwaves and power sockets – everything you need to prepare your own food. If you’re only coming for the day, it’s worth bringing food from Vigo.
As awareness of environmental issues grows and more and more people look for authentic, sustainable travel, the Cíes model is likely to become more and more relevant. The islands offer a rare chance to see Spain from a completely different angle – not the Spain of sangria and flamenco, but a place that invites you to slow down, look around, and reconnect with nature and with yourself.
Maybe that’s the real magic of the Cíes Islands. Not just the natural beauty, not just the peace and quiet, but the way they make us look differently at our own lives – and realize that it’s possible to live another way: in harmony with nature, at a slower pace, with less, and still feel richer.
Could this model work at other destinations, especially the ones where crowds are harming nature and local residents? How do we strike the right balance between the needs of the tourism industry, the environment and the quality of life of the people who live there? That’s worth thinking about.
Fly into one of the two main airports nearby: Vigo or Santiago de Compostela. Most ferries to the islands leave from Vigo, a lively port city. The crossing takes about 45 minutes and is an experience in itself.
You’ll need to get your entry permit in advance through the official national park website. Book as early as you can, especially if you’re planning to visit in high season.
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