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  3. SISARGAS ISLANDS

SISARGAS ISLANDS

SISARGAS ISLANDS

Although the locals of Malpica always called them ‘A Illa’ (‘The island’), The Sisargas is an archipelago made up of three separate islets: The Grande, The Chica and The Malante. To get there, you can hire the services of a private boat, as there is no public transport.

A path about 1.2 miles long begins in Sisarga Grande’s small pier, next to the beach, and finishes at the lighthouse. It is the Costa da Morte’s first lighthouse when heading south. Built in 1853, it is one of the oldest lighthouses in the Costa da Morte, along with Fisterra’s. In 1912, a comprehensive refurbishment was approved. The lighthouse’s operation is automated since 2002. At nighttime, a white light flashes 3 times every 15 seconds.

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A haven for gulls

The Sisargas Islands are a very important sanctuary for seabirds, some of which are endangered species, and a stopover area for migratory birds. In fact, the archipelago has been designated as a Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) within the Natura 2000 Network – Costa da Morte Site of Community Importance (SCI). There are also plenty of endemic flora species, like several types of Armeria maritima that give the islands a distinctive pink colour during the summer flowering.

The importance of the Sisargas Islands lies in its colonies of Black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus), Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), Caspian gulls (Larus cachinnans) and The common guillemots (Uria aalge).