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Ons Island is the main island of a small archipelago off the coast of Pontevedra in Galicia, Spain.
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It is almost flat and is renowned for having the last wild laurel forest in Galicia. With old remains of a stone house and a 17th-century stone chapel, Cortegada is a lovely island to visit. Due to its location on the river Ulla, it is protected from the wind and is surrounded by the Ría de Arousa estuary. The island contains one of the main colonies of the yellow-legged gull and has nine beaches with fine white sand.Ĭortegada Island is connected to the mainland by a 620-foot wide tidal causeway that is walkable during low tide. You can reach Cíes by ferry from Vigo, Baiona, or Cangas. If you can’t bring yourself to leave on the last ferry at 7:30 pm, book a tent for a night on Monteagudo or do Faro. The archipelago offers you a fantastic day trip from mainland Spain. If you can afford it, spend the evening before your day trip to the islands at the luxurious Hotel Pazo Los Escudos in Vigo.Īs part of the Galicia Maritime-Terrestrial National Park, the Cíes Archipelago consists of the islands of Monteagudo, do Faro, and San Martiño. Visit the Atlantic Islands for its natural beauty and a chance to see loggerhead, green, Kemp’s ridley, hawksbill, and leatherback sea turtles.ĭo you consider yourself a twitcher? Then remember to pack binoculars as the National Park offers great sightings of the northern gannet, razorbill, Balearic shearwater, Eurasian oystercatcher, and the ruddy turnstone bird species. The islands include the Cíes, Ons, Sálvora, and Cortegada archipelagos. The Atlantic Islands in north-western Spain make up the Galicia Maritime-Terrestrial National Park.
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The Best Islands in Spain | Atlantic Islands The Atlantic Islands, of the Galician provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra, are protected as a national park and offer endless fine sand beaches and unique ecosystems. Spain presides over more than 60 islands, including the Balearic in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa. There are three major areas for the best Spanish Islands: While you’re here, be sure to check out some of my other helpful guides on Spain:īut without further ado, let’s dive into the coolest islands in Spain for your upcoming trip-planning! Are you traveling in the north-western region of Spain? Take the chance to visit the Atlantic Islands for a day trip or spend a quiet night camping there. Set off to explore the Balearic Islands of Menorca, Mallorca, Ibiza, Formentera, and Cabrera, or book a flight to the Canary Islands to experience the incredible climate off the coast of Africa. While the capital of Catalonia offers some particuarly incredible beaches, I’d say that you will find Spain’s best beaches on the islands of Ibiza, Menorca and El Hierro. I have always mentioned Barcelona as my favorite city to explore. Spain is a beautifully diverse country with territory spanning the Strait of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean. Planing a trip and looking for the most beautiful and best islands in Spain to visit this year? Most are easily accessible by ferry or short flights, and offer some of the destination’s most exciting adventures.
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