{"id":30616,"date":"2025-05-15T15:04:47","date_gmt":"2025-05-15T15:04:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/volare.volotea.com\/?post_type=inspiracion&p=30616"},"modified":"2025-05-20T14:29:18","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T14:29:18","slug":"costa-quebrada-geopark","status":"publish","type":"inspiracion","link":"https:\/\/volare.volotea.com\/en\/cities\/cantabria\/costa-quebrada-geopark\/","title":{"rendered":"Costa Quebrada Geopark: a journey into the bowels of the earth in Cantabria"},"content":{"rendered":"
On the north coast of Spain, where the Cantabrian Sea clashes relentlessly against the rock, there\u2019s a landscape that looks as if it\u2019s been taken right out of a prehistoric scene.\u00a0<\/h5>\n

We\u2019re talking about Costa Quebrada<\/strong>, a wild stretch of coast, sculpted by time, which has just received a recognition to match its spectacular nature: its inclusion in the UNESCO Global Network of Geoparks<\/strong>, making it the first ever global geopark in Cantabria<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This achievement not only highlights the value of its amazing geological heritage, but also the joint efforts of scientists, institutions and local communities to protect and raise awareness of this natural paradise.<\/p>\n

Where is Costa Quebrada and what makes it unique?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Costa Quebrada stretches along more than 20km of coastline between the Bay of Santander and the cove of Puerto Calder\u00f3n, in Santillana del Mar. Its name (meaning \u2018Broken Coast\u2019), alluding to the dramatic fragmentation of the coastline, is a true description of its appearance: carved cliffs, islets emerging from the sea, hidden beaches and rocks that seem to rise from the depths of the ocean to tell stories from millions of years ago<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"costa<\/figure>\n

The geological diversity of the area is mind-blowing. Here you\u2019ll find Mesozoic layers clearly visible<\/strong>, karst formations<\/strong>, platforms of marine abrasion<\/strong>, fossil caves<\/strong> and even remains of prehistoric sea life<\/strong>. This \u201copen book of the Earth\u201d allows you to read in its natural pages the effects of plate tectonics, erosion, climate change and the passage of eras.<\/p>\n

A new world status: UNESCO Geopark<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n

On 24 April 2025, after years of scientific work and collaboration between institutions, Costa Quebrada was officially included in the Global Network of Geoparks during the 221st<\/sup> session of the Executive Board of UNESCO. This internationally prestigious status recognises not only the geological value of an area, but its active contribution to education, science and sustainable development<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

So Costa Quebrada joins a select group of areas around the world that promote a tourism that does not destroy, but protects; that does not exploit, but teaches; that does not forget, but remembers.<\/p>\n

Why visit Costa Quebrada?<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n

1. A natural open-air museum<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Not many places offer you the opportunity to walk alongside slopes of geological layers that emerge from the sea like an accordion made of rock. Here you can see processes that are normally only explained in geology books. Every step along Costa Quebrada is a masterclass on how the Earth has changed over the course of 240 million years.<\/p>\n

2. Wild beauty and biodiversity<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Costa Quebrada is not just about rock; it\u2019s also about life. Its wetlands, coastal meadows, beaches and sand dunes boast stunning biodiversity. One highlight is the Natural Park of the Dunes of Liencres<\/strong>, home to migratory birds, unique plant species and maritime pine forests merging with the golden sands.<\/p>\n

\"panorama<\/figure>\n

3. Ancestral culture<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Gems from our most distant past are also found in this area: the caves of El Pendo<\/strong>, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Pe\u00f1ajorao<\/strong>, with its rock art, tell us about the first humans to inhabit this area and who, like us, were fascinated by the force of the sea and the rocks.<\/p>\n

4. Championing sustainability<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Costa Quebrada Geopark is based on a development model encompassing environmental education, community participation, respectful tourist activities and accessible science. By visiting it you are promoting a different kind of travel, that is more aware and connected to the surroundings.<\/p>\n

Unmissable places to discover<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n