San Simón Island Excursion

Delve into the history of one of the smallest enclaves of the Vigo estuary on this excursion to the island of San Simón from Redondela. Despite its small size, it has much to discover!

San Simón Island Excursion

We'll meet at the indicated time at the Cesantes pier in Redondela, where we'll set sail for the island of San Simón.

After a 10-minute cruise along the Vigo estuary, we will arrive at the island. Once we disembark, we will pass through the fence at the main entrance and enter into the past of this currently uninhabited islet.

First, on our 1.5-hour route around the island, we will see the Monument to the Troubadours, significant for the Rías Baixas. As we walk, we will learn about the monks who lived on the island and their abandonment due to constant pirate attacks, including the infamous Sir Francis Drake.

Next, we will cross the bridge connecting San Simón with the island of San Antón, which functioned as a lazaretto for quarantining the sick. We will visit its cemetery and uncover San Antón's role as a concentration camp during the Spanish Civil War.

After learning about San Antón, we will return to San Simón. There, we will explore the legend of the lavandeira and its connection to Jules Verne's novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

We will continue our tour at the back of the island, revealing why Francisco Franco chose to leave this spot. Finally, we will visit the Buxos forest. After the visit, you will have about 1 hour of free time for photos and to explore the information center. We will then return to the San Simón pier and after a 5-minute crossing, we will arrive at Cesantes pier, concluding the experience after 2.5 hours.