ROUTES [Santander and its surroundings]
[The Eastern Coast and Trasmiera] [The
Western Coast] |
Santander and its surroundings Santander - the ideal city. This imposing title sums up in a few words the reality of a modern and cosmopolitan city. Awards such as "The Ideal City", as well as that of a group of American travel journalists who recently voted Santander the most elegant city in Spain or the European Community's award of the Blue and "Clean World" flags for its beaches; all endorse the efforts made by successive city councils to enhance the natural beauty of Santander. The city of Santander is the administrative and commercial capital of the region and is bordered by a most beautiful bay that extends through to El Sardinero where you will find the famous beaches of the same name (First and Second). The city enjoys a wide variety of most interesting parks and gardens amongst which the outstanding ones are - the Pereda in memory of the traditional Cantabrian writer José María de Pereda, the Altamira Estate, Mataleñas and the Magdalena, where the Royal Palace is situated and spacious grounds for horseriding. Obligatory visits in Santander are to the Church of Christ and to the Cathedral, in gothic style and sited above the ruins of a thirteenth century medieval monastery; to the Menéndez Pelayo Library whose origin lies in a gift to the city of more than 40,000 volumes from the distinguished Santander writer Marcelino Menéndez y Pelayo; to the Royal Palace of the Magdalena, old summer residence of the Royal Family at the beginning of this century and the current home of the Menéndez Pelayo International University (UIMP); to the Regional Museum of Prehistory and the Maritime Museum of Cantabria. The town also has a park and a golf course, at Mataleñas. On the other side of the bay at Pedreña, a fifteen minute boat ride away, is the Royal Golf Club of Pedreña whose holes shaped the world famous golfer Severiano Ballesteros. The golfing options are completed with the course situated at Abra del Pas, ten minutes away from the city and one of the most beautiful spots in the area around Santander. A historic gaming establishment, the Grand Casino of Sardinero, and two buildings symbolic of recent construction: that of the Regional Assembly, a renovation of the old hospital of San Rafael, and the Palace of Festivals designed by Sainz de Oíza and home of the activities of the SIF are a good demonstration of how architecture can and should serve to enhance a city. Very near to Santander you can visit the Cabo Mayor lighthouse, the beaches of Maruca, Virgen del Mar, San Juan de Canal, Covachos and Arnía; the Natural Park of the Dunes and Beaches of Liencres, the pre-historic cave of El Pendo and the Velarde Museum of Ethnology, both within the municipal boundary of Camargo, and the Natural Park of Cabárceno, where numerous species of wild animals live in semi-freedom in a hilly area of red clay where even in pre-roman times and until recently mineral exploitation took place from which iron oxide was extracted. |
The Eastern Coast and Trasmiera
In a journey through this route, the essential visit is to Castro Urdiales, the most eastern municipality of Cantabria, where you can visit the Old Town, the gothic Church of Santa María, the castle-lighthouse and the seaside promenade which ends on the Brazomar beach. It is recommended to try its gastronomic specialities, chiefly sea bream and snails. Islares, Oriñon and Guriezo are worth visiting, especially because of their natural beaches, the parish church of Guriezo, the medieval foundry of La Iseca and the hermitage of Our Lady of Nieves. Guriezo has a first class gastronomic speciality which are its excellent chorizo sausages. In Laredo you can enjoy all the flavour of the ancient journey through the Old Town, delight in contemplating its gothic style church or take a walk across the sands known as Playa Salvé, seven kilometre long. Santoña is not able to nor does it want to hide its military past and its famous collection of mariners such as Juan de La Cosa. Obligatory visits are the San Carlos castle and the forts of San Martín and Napoleon and the gothic church. It also has a beach with a sweet-sounding name - Berria. Noja and Isla are the two Cantabrian places which have experienced most tourist development in the last few years. With this present activity and a rich past shaped by "los indianos" (emigrants who made their fortune in America), many examples of palaces and large house can be seen. Their beaches are especially appreciated for the quality of their white sands. Isla's well-known lobster farms are also outstanding. The beaches of Ajo are in the municipal boundary of Bareyo - here the gastronomic speciality is shellfish paella and lobster. Especially significant is the 17th century Romanesque church of Santa María de Bareyo, in which the apse is particularly outstanding. Moreover it possesses a baptismal font which is considered the most magnificent and original in Cantabria. Ribamontán al Mar means the immense sands which stretch for more than ten kilometres, beginning at El Puntal, facing the Palace of the Magdalena and taking in the towns of Somo and Loredo. On the open sea also are the beaches of Langre and Galizano. |
The Western Coast The excursion into the western part of Cantabria becomes a coastal journey, running through some of the most rural beaches and spots of the Autonomous Region of Cantabria. It is a good idea to follow the scenic road going through Oyambre-Los Llaos-San Vincente de la Barquera. The whole of the area is full of a combination of history and art, above all Santillana del Mar and its famous Altamira Caves.
Comillas is the other place on the western coast which merits being recognised as a historical and artistic centre. The Palace of Sobrellano, Gaudi's "Capricho", and the Pontifical University are the main attractive monuments. Those who wish to be at one with the surrounding countryside should go to see the Natural Park of the Rabia and Oyambre Estuary.
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Liébana and the Picos de Europa
The horseshoe pass leaves from Urdón going towards Treviso and provides impressive panoramas. Santa María de Lebeña and its mozarabic church, Mogrovejo and its medieval tower, Cillorigo and its Museum of Ethnography and Piasca with its Romanesque church, are all obligatory for whoever travels through the region.
In Espinama the ascent begins to the gates of Avila and the Central Massif of the Picos de Europa, at which there is also access to the cable car at Fuente Dé which likewise leads to the climb to the Cable Viewpoint. In Turieno there is the home of the Association of Tourist Horseriding of the Picos de Europa which provides routes for horses across the Picos Massifs. All of the Liébana region has gastronomic specialities which are completely different from those of the rest of the Autonomous Region. These are the Liébana stew, made from a base of chickpeas and cabbage; roast meat; game; fish; and cheese, of which the outstanding examples are from Treviso (mentioned above) and those from Bejes and Aliva. |
Campoo and Vaderredible
The winter resort of Alto Campoo, in Braña Vieja, managed by the public company Cantur S.A. is situated in a spot of impressive scenery which is dominated by the Pico de Tres Mares (the Summit of the Three Seas) so called because rivers which arise on its slopes end up by flowing into the Cantabrian, Atlantic and Mediterranean seas. The ski resort is equipped with all kinds of services: ski-lifts, chair-lifts, hotel, refuge huts and well marked slopes for the enjoyment of winter sports fans. |
On the Eastern Coast and in the region of Trasmiera the most beautiful
beaches of the Cantabrian seashore and the best tourist resorts of Cantabria.
The interior of the Trasmiera at the same time is one of the strongest cattle-farming
areas of the Autonomous Region of Cantabria.
The magnificent combination of history and art in Santillana del Mar
seizes the attention of the traveller. Some essential visits are the Romanesque
collegiate church and its extremely beautiful and realistic capitals, the
many palaces and stone mansion houses, the Regina Coelli Museum, dedicated
to the restoration of religious works of art, the mansion house museums,
El Aguila and La Parra, and the Santillana Foundation. It is obligatory
to go to the Museum of the Altamira Caves to understand the importance of
the discovery of the so-called "Sistine Chapel" of Quaternary
Art. Currently, visits to the caves are limited for safety reasons but this
will shortly be resolved by the establishment of an exact replica of the
Altamira, with which its treasures will be placed within reach of the general
public.
In San Vincente de la Barquera you can look at its typical Old Town,
the gothic church, the castle which dominates the town, the ruins of the
Convent of San Francisco and the grave of the Inquisitor Antonio del Corro.
For food-lovers, there are all kinds of fish and the speciality "sorropotún",
a special casserole of tuna.
The route through Liébana and the Picos de Europa allows contemplation
of century-old villages and scenes of impressive beauty such as the pass
of La Hermida, the Collado (pass) of Llesba, the woods of Cabezón
de Liébana, the slopes of Peña Sagra and the ascent to Tresviso,
the municipality of smallest population, situated at the highest altitude
of Cantabria and famous for its piquant cheese.
In Potes, capital of the Liébana region you can visit the Old
Town, the Tower of the Infantado and the Monastery of Santo Toribio of Liebano
where the "Lignum Crucis" is kept, the biggest part of the True
Cruz, the wood on which Jesus Christ was crucified.
The extensive excursion through the Region of Campoo and Valderredible
combines the most diverse attractions. These range from the scenery and
nature (woods and wild areas of native flora and fauna, perfect routes for
rambling...) to cultural attractions (rock art, romance, roman ruins, traditional
houses and palaces etc.), through winter sports (the ski resort of Alto
Campoo), and hunting and fishing. And all this without forgetting the region's
own gastronomy. Trout from the mountain streams, dishes of game (wild boar,
roe deer and venison) and confectionery (especially the bread omelettes
of Reinosa) form a menu that is as varied as attractive.
Very near to Reinosa, at Fontibre, we see the birth of the Ebro. Amongst
poplars, beech trees and oaks there surges what ends as being the river
with the most volume in the Iberian Peninsula. The reservoir of the Ebro,
the biggest dam of water in Spain, is home to the National Reserve of Water
Birds and is the perfect place to practise water sports. The National Reserve
of Saja is, without doubt, another must for those who passing through this
route in interior Cantabria.
From Reinosa, the capital of the Campoo region, different routes leave
on which one can enjoy the most notable civil and religious art of Cantabria:
the Roman ruins of Julióbriga, the collegiate churches of Cervatos,
San Martin de Elines, and the rock churches of Cadalso, Arroyuelos and Santa
María de Valverde.