The Cíes Islands are a Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Galicia.
The archipelago consists of three islands: Monteagudo in the north, Illa do Faro in the center, and San Martiño in the south. The first two islands are connected by a thin strip of sand, which emerges only at low tide.
This is an area protected by Galicia's Atlantic Islands National Park, and if you're thinking of including a visit to the Cíes Islands in your next trip, it's good to know some information before booking your ferry ticket.
🚢 The ferry connections to the Cíes Islands.
The only way to reach the Cíes Islands is by sea. Ferry connections take about 40 minutes to reach the Cíes, which can be visited year-round: during the summer, several departures a day are made from different ports on the Galician coast, while during the winter, departures are concentrated on weekends and holidays.
The shipping companies that provide maritime service to the Cíes Islands are Naviera Nabia and Mar de Ons.
The main and active year-round routes are:
→ Cangas
→ Vigo
During the summer and on busy days, departures are added from the ports of Moaña, Baiona, and Portonovo.
✔️ How to book the ferry to the Cíes Islands.
It is very important to book a ferry ticket to the Cíes Islands, since the number of entrances to the Atlantic Islands Park is limited by local authorities in order to preserve the territorial riches of this beautiful territory.
For this reason, in high season and during the busiest days, it is necessary to apply for a permit, and availability tends to run out very often as the departure approaches.
By booking your ticket in advance with MrFerry, you will not have to worry about making the authorization request for the day of your visit! You will receive directly by e-mail the QR code to present at the port in paper or digital format, along with the confirmation number (localizador) of the selected shipping company.
Please note: If you stay for more than one day on the Cíes Islands, you will be provided with a pre-authorization code by your lodging. Email or call our customer service department to complete your reservation request.
🛎️ Services available in the Cíes Islands
Once you disembark from the ferry, you will find yourself in an earthly paradise, inhabited only by park rangers! Because of this, services are essential, but are still provided on days when ferry crossings take place.
The embarkation and disembarkation pier (called Muelle de Rodas) is located on Monteagudo Island, the northernmost. Nearby you will find an information point, a restaurant, restrooms, and a health care center.
A footbridge will lead you onto Illa do Faro, where the campsite is located. Here you will find a restaurant, bar and a larger information center, which provides space for exhibitions and conferences and where activities are organized for the whole family. Further south, you will find an additional restaurant and sandwich shop.
