The Cíes Islands The Cíes Islands, a hidden treasure in the Atlantic, are an archipelago located in Pontevedra that is formed by three islands that keep many secrets. If you already know the islands and have fallen in love with their beauty and want to know more, or if you are planning to visit them, today we tell you 5 curiosities about the Cíes Islands that you may not know. The Cíes Islands are a fashionable destination and a must for all visitors to the Rías Baixas. So, do you want to know more?
We tell you about it here!
Islas Cíes, las Islas de los dioses
If we go back years ago, we know that the Romans passed through Cíes. They called it the island of the gods because a few kilometers away is Cape Finisterre, also known as the end of the world. This evocative name makes sense when we talk about this paradisiacal enclave!
Already in 2013, procedures were initiated to declare the islands a World Heritage Site. For its part, in 2017 the process was initiated to apply to Unesco for recognition of the Atlantic Islands as a whole, i.e. Cíes with Ons, Cortegada and Sálvora.
La playa de Rodas, la mejor del mundo
The crystal clear turquoise water and soft, white sand enamored the The Guardian . In 2007, the British newspaper cataloged the Rhodes Beach as the best in the world in a ranking in which they positioned behind Brazilian and Philippine beaches. Since then, Rodas Beach has been one of the main tourist attractions in Galicia, making it necessary to limit the number of people authorized to access the National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. Not only was it mentioned as a beach comparable to those in the Caribbean, but the beauty of the environment as a whole was also highlighted. No wonder!
Do you want to sleep in Cíes?
There are no hotels in the Cíes Islands, but… would you like to wake up at dawn in this paradise? On the island you can stay at the camping site on the Lighthouse Island. It can accommodate up to 700 people and has rental tents with beds. Undoubtedly, it will be a different way of living the Cíes experience. Can you imagine sleeping in the middle of such a natural environment?
Not as intimate and spectacular as the Ons Island Camping, however, it is a great plan to enjoy the islands in all their dimensions, including the wonderful sunrises of Cíes.
La Isla de las Gaviotas en medio del Atlántico
In addition to being the island of the gods, the Cíes Islands are known as the island of the seagulls. And the islands are full of these birds, in fact, there is the largest colony of yellow-legged gulls in the world, as there were more than 22,000 specimens, although now it has declined.
If you visit the Cíes you must be very careful with them, they will not hesitate to steal a piece of your food. In addition, in the breeding months of July and August, gulls can be aggressive in defending their chicks.
El fenómeno de bioluminiscencia presente en Islas Cíes
This magic is also known as sea of ardora and is produced when Noctiluca, which emits bioluminescence at night, is concentrated. Although it is not something that only happens in Galicia, it is true that the conditions of the environment favor that we can appreciate this sea of stars. This happens at a specific time of the year, usually in summer, and in the Cíes we are fortunate to be one of the ideal places to see this sea of ardora.
With these 5 curiosities about the Cíes Islands nothing will catch you by surprise. What aroused your interest the most? We hope you will come to discover new secrets with Pirates of Nabia !
