Boat Trip to Sálvora Island from O Grove

Sálvora is the island that closes the mouth of the Ría de Arousa and the least visited in the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park. For centuries it was private and today, apart from the beach and the area around the lighthouse, it can only be toured in a group with an accredited guide. From O Grove you go by boat in the morning and return at lunchtime: four and a half hours in total, with about two and a half hours on land.

What you do on the island

The catamaran leaves O Grove at 10:00 and takes about 50 minutes to cross the ría. You disembark next to Almacén beach, the pazo (manor house), a former salting factory, and the statue of the Mermaid of Sálvora. From there two guided walks set off:

• Lighthouse Route: about 2 km there and back, 45 to 60 minutes, among granite blocks shaped by erosion to the lighthouse at Punta Besugueiros. In its waters the ship Santa Isabel was wrecked, known as the Galician Titanic.
• Hamlet Route: about 1.7 km there and back, 30 to 45 minutes, behind the pazo and the Santa Catalina fountain to the abandoned hamlet, with its granaries. The hamlet is declared a Bien de Interés Cultural as a cultural landscape.

At the end there is time on Almacén beach, the only one open to the public, for a swim before heading back. With luck you see the island's wild horses and sea birds. At 13:45 the boat leaves for O Grove, arriving around 14:30.

Price, season and booking

Cruceros do Ulla runs the excursion from May to September, with more departures in July and August, for €33 per adult and €15 for ages 3 to 12; the youngest don't pay. The ticket includes the visit with an accredited guide and the National Park permit, which the shipping company arranges. Book on its website, with the calendar for each day; you then exchange the tickets at the port ticket office and must be at the boarding gate 15 minutes beforehand. Cruceros Rías Baixas organises the same visit for groups, on any date of the year, with advance information.

Who it is for

For families with children who can walk for an hour without tiring and for anyone who wants an island without crowds. There are no bars or shops: bring water, something to eat, a cap and comfortable shoes. Pets are not allowed in the national park. If you are looking for an island with long beaches and routes for the whole day, the alternative is the Cíes Islands, visited from the Ría de Vigo.