Sea or mountains? In Spain, the answer to this question is overwhelming: 70% of Spaniards go to the beach and only 26.3% go to the mountains, according to data from the consulting firm NC Report.
The preference for the beach can be seen in each holiday exodus that goes to the coastal towns. It is not surprising that every summer images appear of crowded beaches on Spain's coast. So year after year, so it seems that the best beaches, or less populated beaches, are outside of Spain's borders. Nothing is further from reality.
As explained by the General Directorate for Sustainability of the Costa del Mar, Spain has more than 3,000 coastal spaces, but, in addition, some are recognized as among the best in the world. One of these spaces is Rodas beach, selected by the British newspaper The Guardian, as the best. This natural paradise is located in the Cíes Islands archipelago, in the Vigo estuary, in Galicia.
Rodas beach is located between the islands of Monteagudo and Faro and forms a crescent shape around Dos Nenos, the highly biodiverse saltwater lake. 1,300 meters squared of fine sand in which to abandon yourself without any worries other than getting in or out of the sea.
The intense blue of the Atlantic water contrasts with the blinding white of the fine sand and the green of the pine and eucalyptus forest. In short, an Eden in which there are no hints of overcrowding, perhaps due to the very low temperatures of its water, even in July or August. Rodas beach is also home to the largest colony of seagulls in the world, with which you have to be careful when taking out food.
The Cíes Islands are part of the Maritime-Terrestrial Natural Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia. This archipelago is made up of three islands: Norte or Monteagudo, Del Medio or do Faro and Sur or San Martiño. The first two are joined by the Playa de Rodas sandbank and a breakwater.
The Cíes Islands were declared a Natural Park in 1980 and included in the M-T National Park of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia created in 2002, together with Ons Island, Sálvora Island and Cortegada Island. It is, therefore, a protected area whose access requires authorization from the Xunta de Galicia.
The website of the Xunta is in charge of managing permits. All you have to do is select the date and the number of people who will attend, check the tide times and enter the personal data of both the applicant and the person accompanying him. Finally, it is necessary to download the authorization, which must be shown at the time of boarding.
The demand is usually very high in summer, both from Vigo and from Cangas or Baiona. The cost of the ticket is around 23 euros for adults, 10 for children and free for children under five.
What you need to know:
It is worth coming and touring the islands, visiting the beaches and enjoying nature in this paradisiacal environment, but before that, there are things you should know. There are few restaurants and no hotels. There is a campsite for which there is a lot of demand since its plots are very limited. There is also the possibility of camping freely, but for that, you have to ask permission from the park management. Likewise, you must request permission to do apnea diving or to go with your pet. As it is a protected area, new species of fauna or flora cannot be introduced.
Waste management deserves a separate mention. The Cíes Islands are a protected area and must be maintained that way. That is why citizen collaboration is important, especially with regard to rubbish and litter. On the islands, it is not permitted to leave any rubbish behind. To maintain the space in the same conditions, it is important that everyone brings back to the port of origin all the rubbish that they create.