San Simón island
San Simon is an archipelago made up of four separate islands and it is found in the ria (bay) of Vigo to the south of Galicia, Spain. Although small in stature, this collection of islands have seen more than their far share of history and they have had a documented human population for over 1500 years.
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Batalla de Rande
In 1702, the Batalla de Rande took place as one of many battles that are part of the War of Spanish Succession during the early part of the 18th century.
Quarantine Station
In the 2oth century the islands became a quarantine station primarily to monitor passengers travelling by ship from the Americas. Today much of the port of Vigo's success and development is credited to the establishment of this outpost which ultimately led to Vigo being the most prosperous city in Galicia.
Prison Island
During the Spanish Civil War, the San Simon islands became a prison island, much like Alcatraz. Its prison was reputed to hold as many as 2,000 prisoners at any one time. The prison was the site of mass torture and execution and that conditions were literally unliveable. This scar remains in Spanish memories even now and remain in a semi-abandoned state, even though they are clearly visible from the mainland.
Batalla de Rande
La Batalla de Rande is a 27 km (16.7 mile) open water swim with a start in the Cíes Islands at the mouth of the Ría de Vigo and a finish at the small island of San Simón island.
Batalla de Rande Video
