Cantabria archivos - Page 3 of 4 - VOLARE MAGAZINE

The Association of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain includes 79 towns across the country, five of which are in Cantabria: Liérganes, Santillana del Mar, Bárcena Mayor, Potes and Carmona. Let’s find out more about them!

Liérganes

This town in the heart of Valles Pasiegos has been declared a site of National Historic and Artistic Interest thanks to its rich classical architecture, which resulted from the economic upturn that artillery production brought about in the area in the 17th and 18th centuries.

There are four musts when you visit Liérganes: discovering the legend of the fish man, strolling through the streets, visiting the Fluviarium and trying the famous churros with chocolate on the terraces overlooking the river.

Santillana del Mar

Santillana del Mar is without doubt one of the most historically and artistically significant places in Spain, so much so that everything there is a monument, making it an unmissable stop for any traveller.

You can’t talk about Santillana del Mar without mentioning the Cave of Altamira. Described as the Sistine Chapel of rock art, the cave probably contains the most famous prehistoric paintings in the world.

Bárcena Mayor

This rustic town in the heart of the Saja nature reserve is the perfect place for mountain lovers and foodies. Here you can try authentic mountain stew and many other culinary delights.

When its balconies are brimming with flowers in spring, your walk along the alleyways will be an experience you will never forget.

Potes

This village is one of the most attractive in Cantabria thanks to its location in the centre of the district of Liébana. Surrounded by spectacular scenery, with the Picos de Europa mountain range as a backdrop, Potes is known as the Village of Bridges – which is where it gets its name from – and Towers.

Near to this town lies Santo Toribio de Liébana Monastery, the destination for pilgrims travelling on the Camino Lebaniego, a route that begins in San Vicente de la Barquera and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Carmona

Arriving in the Nansa valley and soaking up the scenery is an experience you will never forget. When you arrive in Carmona, it is a real delight walking through its streets and taking photos of the typical houses with their balconies.

Come to Cantabria and enjoy five of the most beautiful villages in Spain.

Have a free weekend and want to do something different and unique? Come to Cantabria and discover the wonderful scenery of the Picos de Europa National Park. We have four musts for you to enjoy during your stay.

Fuente Dé Cable Car

The most natural and comfortable way to reach the heart of the Picos de Europa National Park is the Fuente Dé Cable Car. In just three minutes, you will ascend 753 metres as the cable car takes you to a height of 1,823 metres. The station at the top treats visitors to spectacular views of the immensely beautiful scenery.

Hotel Áliva

Hotel Áliva, located at the top of the Fuente Dé Cable Car, is a family-run hotel surrounded by mountains, meadows and unrivalled scenery. Every day, visitors can enjoy spectacular excursions and then rest and refuel on dishes carefully prepared using local products from the Liébana region.

If you want to feel like you are sleeping up in the stars, this is the place for you. It is open during the summer season from June to early October.

Routes

From both the station at the top of the cable car and Hotel Áliva, you can embark on a wide range of routes and walks of varying difficulties, many of them perfect for the whole family.

The Horcados Rojos and Puertos de Áliva mountain routes, the walks to Las Mánforas mines and the Ermita de la Salud chapel, and the routes to Espinama, Sotres and Mogrovejo are just a few examples of what you can discover as you hike through the Picos de Europa National Park.

Gastronomy

Sampling the cuisine in Cantabria is always a must, so don’t miss some quintessential Liébana produce: cocido lebaniego (a traditional stew), cheeses, orujo (a grape liqueur) and honey.

To complete your experience you could also visit a cheese factory, with Bejes Tresviso being a local denomination of origin that you might like to sample, or a grape liqueur factory.

All these activities will make your weekend a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Come to Cantabria and enjoy the Picos de Europa National Park.

Cabárceno Nature Park brings together education, culture and science and recreation. One hundred and fifty species of animals from five continents roam semi-freely around the park, which has become one of the biggest tourist attractions in northern Spain.

More than 20km of roads criss-cross the Park, leading you to the different enclosures via fantastic gorges, placid lakes and intriguing rock formations. There are also numerous parking areas and paths that let you discover stunning hidden corners.

Cabárceno Nature Park is the perfect place to spend the day as a family and to enjoy the wonders of nature. What’s more, you can also enjoy personalised experiences, like the wild tour or the explorer tour, which will make your visit unforgettable.

Find out more at: www.parquedecabarceno.com/inicio

Cantabria: sea and mountains, green and blue, tradition and innovation. All of this means that this region enjoys one of the country’s most varied cuisines. Starred chefs, kitchens using ancestral traditions and, above all, quality products; these are the ingredients of a cuisine that’s full of flavour and colour and that impresses and excites anyone lucky enough to enjoy it.

No trip to the region’s cities and towns is complete without visiting its kitchens. Cantabria Infinita is much more than its countryside, its people, its traditions, its beaches, its mountains and its sea…It is ITS FLAVOUR. Cantabria tastes of anchovies from Santoña, of cheeses from the Valles Pasiegos, of orujo from Potes and of meat and cold cuts from the region’s best pastures, without forgetting the famous sobaos (sponge cakes) and quesadas (a type of pudding) from the Valles Pasiegos.

Find out more at:
www.turismodecantabria.com/descubrela/gastronomia

Cantabria is the only region in Spain with two World Heritage pilgrimage routes: The Camino del Norte and the Camino Lebaniego.

Cantabria is home to the section of the Camino de Santiago known as the Camino del Norte (or “Northern Way”). It’s thought to be the first route used by pilgrims to reach the tomb of Saint James, making it the oldest of the Santiago routes. Its journey through Cantabria runs from Ontón to Unquera, passing through iconic locations such as Castro Urdiales, Laredo, Santoña, Santander, Santillana del Mar, Comillas and San Vicente de la Barquera.

As well as the Camino del Norte, Cantabria has its own pilgrimage route: the Camino Lebaniego. This camino runs for 72 kilometres, from San Vicente de la Barquera to the Monastery of Santo Toribio, which houses the Lignum Crucis and which celebrates a Jubilee Year whenever the 16 April falls on a Sunday; the next time will be in 2023.

More information at: www.caminolebaniego.com/inicio

This modern art centre occupies a prime location in Santander, on the shores of the bay. The building, done by the renowned architect Renzo Piano, is suspended on pillars and columns in the treetops of the Pereda Gardens, forming a “pier” in the sea. Its extraordinary location has turned it into a meeting place that uses art, music, cinema, theatre and literature to invigorate the life of the city, strengthening its social and cultural fabric.

The Centro Botín continues and supports the work begun 25 years ago by the Botín Foundation’s Fine Arts Programme. It’s a global pioneer in developing creativity that harnesses the huge potential of the arts in developing emotional intelligence and creative capacities.

The Centro Botín is a new meeting place in the city centre that uses art, music, cinema, theatre and literature to invigorate the life of the city, strengthening its social and cultural fabric.

Find out more at: www.turismodecantabria.com/inicio/centro-botin

Less than half an hour from Potes, in the middle of the region of Liébana, is the Fuente Dé Cable Car, an unforgettable, comfortable and accessible way to reach the Picos de Europa National Park, which in 2018 celebrated 100 years of preserving nature. In just four minutes, you’ll ascend more than 753 metres, reaching a height of 1,823 metres. During the ascent, you’ll have the chance to admire the imposing Picos de Europa.

The Mirador del Cable, the cable car’s upper station, offers unique and unforgettable views that will take your breath away. A wide array of possibilities opens up on your arrival. Hiking tails, trekking, climbing, mountain biking, a stay in the Hotel Aliva and an endless number of options to enjoy alone or as a group.

Find out more at: www.turismodecantabria.com/inicio/centenario-del-parque-nacional-picos-de-europa

Cantabria boasts the perfect conditions for surfing. It’s easy to take up this sport in our region thanks to the conditions in the sea, which laps at more than 90 beaches on the coast, as well as the region’s excellent surf schools.

Cantabria is the birthplace of surfing in Spain. It’s thanks to this status that our region has three Surf Reserves. The first was Ribamontán al Mar, whose beaches and shoals made it the first municipality in Spain to enjoy this protected status. It was emulated by another two reserves, with long surfing histories: Suances and Noja. These three Surf Reserves are at the vanguard of the many beaches along the coast enjoyed by surfers from around the world.

Find out more at: www.turismodecantabria.com/disfrutala/surf

Santander, Cantabria, a sweet green paradise. A natural oasis in the north of Spain. A port enclave enclosed by some of the most beautiful mountain ranges on the peninsula. Fringed by vast beaches. Surrounding it, archaeology and treasures connecting heaven and earth. Santander is one of Spain’s most radiant cities, which, like Cantabria as a whole, is becoming one of the most popular tourist destinations among those wishing to escape the sweltering heat. Somewhere to enjoy with all your senses wide open.

Cantabria, a land of contrasts with a wealth of heritage, is home to the gastronomic brand “Sabe a Norte” (it tastes of the north), which highlights the region’s culinary diversity. It also has seven of the villages listed as “The Most Beautiful Villages in Spain”, each with its own particular charm and history.

This region is not only renowned for its natural beauty and picturesque villages, but also for its underground heritage. Ten of Cantabria’s caves are World Heritage Sites, precious prehistoric treasures that give us an insight into the history of mankind.

But that’s not all; Cantabria is also home to two “Caminos”, or pilgrimage routes, declared by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites: the Camino de Santiago del Norte and the Camino Lebaniego. These ancient routes offer a unique experience, where pilgrims and travellers can immerse themselves in the cultural and spiritual essence of the region. It also has a National Park, the Picos de Europa, an impressive massif that beckons adventure and brings you into contact with nature. This spectacular area can be reached by cable car, offering unrivalled views.

Furthermore, the Cabárceno Nature Park, a paradise for both its visitors and the animals that inhabit it, is a unique place where the wildlife can enjoy a natural and protected environment.

The birthplace of Seve Ballesteros, one of golf’s all-time legends, is also home to numerous major golf courses. These offer amazing experiences to lovers of this sport, with stunning landscapes and challenges to showcase the players’ skills.

Immerse yourself in its tradition, in its picturesque villages steeped in history. Enjoy its food, rich in seafood, meat and legumes, with flavours oozing with the freshness and authenticity of the north. And make sure you try some delicious sobaos (sponge cakes), or an orujo spirit from Liébana, or some anchovies from Santoña, symbolic of the region. You’ll never want to leave this paradise on earth. Welcome to Cantabria!

Discover more on https://turismodecantabria.com/.

If you’ve had enough of squeezing yourself onto a packed beach full of people and noise, you’re probably looking for something like Merón Beach. On the edge of the lovely town San Vicente de la Barquera, the beach has some of the longest shores in Cantabria, with nearly 4km of fine white sand, where you can stroll along the waterline, forget stress and discover the true meaning of the word holiday.

If you’re a surfer, the area is popular for its waves and its winds. Fresh, clean and overlooked by the mountains, the beach is the ideal place to spend an entire day of rest and recuperation. You won’t ever want to go home.

(San Vicente de la Barquera)