Most people intuitively think of the Mediterranean Coast when it comes to Spanish beaches. But the least spoiled, astonishing Atlantic coastline of Galicia has beaches which are rated amongst the best beaches in the world.
One of the gems of this coastline is on Las Islas Cies, only 50-minute on a boat trip from the charming town of Baiona. Centuries ago pirates and privateers used to hang about in this island; now Cies is an unpopulated and unspoiled national park, open to the public only in summer.
Galegos ,as the locals are known by, come here to spend lengthy, lazy summer holidays on the Praia das Rodas, a perfect cove of fine, white sand backed by small dunes sheltering a calm sea of crystal-clear waters. Spanish refer to it as their “Caribbean beach”. The sand is white enough and the water is turquoise enough to stand up to its Caribbean rivals. Perhaps the only noticeable difference is the chilling temperature of the water.
Where to Stay:
You can sleep in an idyllic campsite, shaded by tall pine trees, with a view over the ocean. And, this being Spain, there’s even a proper restaurant serving great seafood.
How to get there:
Islas Cies are a 45 minute ferry ride from the city of Vigo, sitting just 15 kilometres offshore. Naviera Mar de Ons runs boats to and from the island. Only up to 8 return trips a days are schedule to/from Vigo at an average cost of 17 Euros per adult and children under 12 years are free.
Rodas Beach:
The main beach that people come to is Rodas Beach or Praia das Rodas on Las Islas Cies which means “Wheels Beach” in Galician. Backed by small dunes sheltering a calm lagoon of crystal-clear water, with it’s pine forests, white sands and turquoise blue waters, it is easy to see why. One thing to mention though is that the water can be cold, remember that this is not the Mediterranean.
If you requiere further information about beach package holidays please click on the links provided for an up to date list of the best beaches in the World.