Ons Island

Ons lies at the mouth of the Pontevedra ria and forms part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia national park, created in 2002. It is about six kilometres long, with a low granite spine, white sand beaches on the sheltered eastern side including Melide and Area dos Cans, and cliffs facing the Atlantic on the west with blowholes called buracas and a large colony of European shags and gulls. A lighthouse stands on the high point. The island had 530 residents in 1955 but only 16 by 1986; a handful of families still live there in summer and run the restaurants; the island has no cars and no shops beyond a small store. Access requires a free permit obtained online in advance along with a boat ticket, and daily numbers are capped.

What you'll find

• The white beaches - sheltered sand on the eastern side of the island.
• The Atlantic cliffs - blowholes and seabird colonies on the west.
• The lighthouse - a tower on the island's high point with a view over the rias.
• The summer settlement - a few families running restaurants without cars.

When to go

June to September, when boats run and the restaurants open; the season is short and services stop entirely in winter. Boats are cancelled in swell. Permits and tickets must be arranged in advance.

Things to know

A free permit is compulsory and must be obtained online before travelling, with a daily cap that fills in August. There is no shop of consequence, no cars and limited camping by reservation. Boats do not run in bad weather.

Nearby

The Cies islands lie south in the same park; Bueu and Sanxenxo are the mainland ports.

Key facts