CIES THE MOMENT

Discover the treasures of these little-known Spanish islands, Says NATALIE KING

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PERFECT DAY: The white beach and turquoise water on Do Fara

MOST Brits are familiar with the Balearic and Canary Islands. Each year, millions flock to soak up the sun in spots like Tenerife, Lanzarote, Majorca, and Ibiza. But you might not realise these aren’t the only islands that belong to Spain.

In fact, there is an archipelago of islands that receives a fraction of the visitors to the Canaries, despite being just off the mainland coast.

And most people in the UK won't have heard of them at all.

The Cíes Islands are a 45-minute ferry ride from the city of Vigo in northwest Spain, and they're beautiful. The archipelago is made up of three main islands: Monteagudo (North Island), Do Faro (Middle Island), and San Martiño (South Island). Monteagudo and Do Faro are connected by a 1,200-metre long beach, with a lagoon on one side and the ocean on the other.