Stargazing at the Cíes campsite

The Atlantic Islands National Park has been a Starlight destination since 2017: with no villages or roads around, the sky over the Cíes is among the darkest on the Galician coast. When the weather allows, the Camping Islas Cíes organises an hour-long outing every night with a guide who knows astronomy.

What you do

It is an outdoor night route in which the guide teaches you to find your way around the sky, to recognise the brightest stars, the visible planets and the main constellations, and tells the stories behind them. It is suitable for all ages and no prior knowledge is needed. The campsite does not publish a fixed departure time: ask at reception.

How to sign up

Book directly at the campsite reception. It costs €10 per person; under-10s do not pay and always go accompanied by an adult. It runs only if the weather allows.

Because it goes out at night and the last boat returns to port earlier, you can only do it if you sleep on the island, and the only place you can spend the night in the Cíes is the Camping Islas Cíes. The campsite is open from May to September; it is now closed for the end of the season and announces that its booking system for 2027 opens in March.

What to bring

Even in summer, at night on the island it gets cool and breezy: bring a jacket or a fleece. A torch, preferably with a red light, helps you move around without ruining your dark-adapted eyesight. If you have binoculars, bring them.

To round off your stay

Sleeping on the island lets you see the Cíes without the day visitors. In the morning you can climb to the lighthouse along the Monte Faro route before the first boat arrives, and at midday go out on the guided kayak route, which starts from the same reception. For dinner before the outing, the campsite restaurant is next door. With children, the campsite also has free children's activities in the afternoon in season.