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'll arrive at the island. Once we disembark, we'll enter into the history of this uninhabited islet.

First, on our 1.5-hour route around the island, we'll see the Monument to the Troubadours. This monument holds importance for the Rías Baixas. We will learn about the monks who lived on the island and their abandonment due to attacks by pirates and corsairs, including Sir Francis Drake.

Next, we'll cross the bridge connecting San Simón with the island of San Antón, which served as a lazaretto for quarantining the sick. We will visit its cemetery and learn how it became a concentration camp during the Spanish Civil War.

Afterward, we'll return to San Simón and discover the legend of the lavandeira as well as its connection to Jules Verne's novel 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

We will continue our tour on San Simón, learning why Francisco Franco decided to abandon this site. Finally, we'll explore the Buxos forest and have about 1 hour of free time to take pictures and explore the information center. Then, we'll return to the San Simón pier, and after a short 5-minute crossing, we'll arrive at Cesantes pier, concluding the experience in 2.5 hours.