The islands of San Simón and San Antón are an exceptional location in the cove of the Vigo estuary, with a strong collective symbolic meaning linked to their various roles throughout history: bearing witness to maritime tragedies and events, serving as an idyllic literary reference in medieval poetry, a monastic retreat, a lazaretto for infectious patients, a prison during the Franco dictatorship for political isolation...
Today, the island of San Simón is a public space for the cultural development of Galicia, a recovered infraestructure of great heritage and environmental value. In 1999, it was declared a Site of Cultural Interest by the Xunta de Galicia, and the island and its cove are part of the Natura 2000 network as a protected European natural habitat.
Throughout the year, its facilities host an extensive program, collaborating with various entities and organizations for educational and research activities.
Since 2021, our Encontro Paraíso (Paraíso Gathering) takes place on the Island of San Simón.