David Moralejo’s favourite Spanish island for: slowing down
Off the wild Galician coast, Isla de Ons remains one of Spain’s best-kept secrets – though word is slowly getting out. Locals have long known its quiet magic: part of the Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park, this car-free paradise is a patchwork of pristine coves, rolling dunes and windswept cliffs that tumble into the Atlantic.
Life here follows its own gentle rhythm. Days begin with the cry of seagulls and the hum of fishing boats, followed by hikes along pine-scented trails leading to landmarks such as the Fedorento viewpoint and the mysterious Buraco do Inferno sea cave. Lunch might be freshly caught octopus at a family-run tavern in O Curro village, served simply with olive oil and paprika – the Galician way. Unlike its sister Cíes Islands, Ons has remained blissfully unspoiled. Visitor numbers are limited, mobile signal fades as the ferry pulls away from the mainland, and the island invites you to slow down, breathe, and listen.
Discovering Isla de Ons is a reminder that luxury doesn’t always mean opulence; sometimes it’s the hush of the ocean, the salt on your skin, the whisper of pines in the wind, a plate of seafood eaten barefoot, and the quiet joy of being exactly where you should be. David Moralejo
Maria Casbas’s favourite Spanish island for: going off-grid
Unlike its sister Cíes Islands, Ons has remained blissfully unspoiled. Visitor numbers are limited, mobile signal fades as the ferry pulls away from the mainland, and the island invites you to slow down, breathe, and listen.
Discovering Isla de Ons is a reminder that luxury doesn’t always mean opulence; sometimes it’s the hush of the ocean, the salt on your skin, the whisper of pines in the wind, a plate of seafood eaten barefoot – and the quiet joy of being exactly where you should be. Maria Casbas
Where to stay: There are no hotels on Ons. Back on the mainland, we recommend Faro Silleiro, a former lighthouse recently opened as a charming boutique hotel from where you can contemplate the immensity of the Galician Atlantic.