CASA EL ACEBO
CANTABRIA
Cantabria is administratively an Autonomous Community consisting of a
single province. Its population is a little more than half a million. The region
of Cantabria is located in northern Spain amid the majestic mountains and sea
that bear its name. This land of extraordinary physical variety can be divided
into three areas: the coastal fringe, the valleys and the high mountains.
Cantabria is one of the smallest of Spain’s regions (400 kms from end to end,
172 kms of coast y 5,289 square kms -2,063 square miles-), but despite its size
it has an enormous variety of scenery and beauty.
Cantabria is a strip of territory sandwiched between the Bay of Biscay
and the mountains of the Cantabrian Cordillera, merging into the Basque lands of
the Costa Vasca to the east and the Asturian Costa Verde further west. It
probably sees as many tourists as any other area on this coastline but very few
pause to draw breath before heading south. On the other hand it has been popular
with the Spanish as an escape from the summer heat, since the turn of the
century.
It has been inhabited since prehistoric times and both the Romans and
Moors attempted to occupy the area but decided not to bother. Nevertheless the
area has nice countryside with tiny villages and is reputed to have more cattle
than any other region in Spain. The capital of Cantabria is Santander, located in the north.
The Cantabrian coast offers the wonderful spectacle of sea and mountain,
fauna and flora, ports and leisure activities. Nestling among the many cliffs
are more than 60 beaches, among which are the bays of Santoña and Santander,
the latter being of incomparable beauty in the whole of the north of Spain. The
Cantabrian mountain range dominates the landscape, rising from the East to the
West and reaching more than 2,500 metres with the majestic Macizo de los Picos
de Europa. Its snow-capped peaks are often the first thing you see as you are
approaching Cantabria by sea.
The greatest attractions in Cantabria are its contrasts: green valleys,
towering peaks, and blue waters. The coastal scenery is lovely, often lined with
fine beaches, little resorts and picturesque fishing villages. There is one
world that revolves around agriculture and cattle-raising, the other centres
around fishing. The coats of arms displayed on the stately homes are reminders
of a proud past, while in the valleys, enclosed between mountains, rural life
goes on as usual.
Cantabria’s natural heritage is exceptional. The rivers, beaches,
cliffs and valleys, mountains and forests create a mosaic of contrasting
landscapes. From among the considerable number of places of interest, the ones
with special official protection are particularly noteworthy, although there are
others of exceptional beauty, such as the source of the Ason River, Santander
Bay, Abra del Pas, Ebro Marsh and the estuaries of Tina Mayor and Tina Menor.
There are six protected nature areas in Cantabria:
LIÉBANA -
Picos de Europa
We begin this itinerary in Unquera on the N-621 road at the north-west
end of Cantabria through the Hermida Gorge, a narrow canyon 19
kilometres long with nearly vertical walls that run along the meandering course
of the Deva River. In the canyon, we can go on foot to the right, over a
difficult road leading to Tresviso where they produce a blue cheese by hand.
The end of the canyon approaches Lebeña. The church of Santa María here
was built in the 10th century and is the best example of Mozarab architecture in
Cantabria. The term Mozarab refers to the Christians living in Moslem Spain and
their style of architecture.
You can then travel to the pretty hamlet of Potes, capital of the region
of Liébana and geographic and commercial centre of the surrounding five
valleys. In the picturesque village centre, the chief monuments are the towers
of the Infantado and Orejon de la Lama, both dating from the 15th century. Also
known as the village of bridges, market day is held every Monday throughout the
year.
MONASTERY OF SANTO TORIBIO DE LIÉBANA:
Continuing along our journey through the valley of Camaleño, we come
upon the Monastery of Santo Toribio. Probably founded in the 6th century, it
reached great notoriety in the ninth century because the monk Beato resided here
and wrote Commentaries of the Apocalypses, a masterpiece of medieval miniature
art. The church is the most interesting part of the complex. The present Gothic
style was achieved when they built over the former ruins. At the beginning of
the 18th century, construction was completed with a building of a baroque chapel
to house the Lignum Crucis (the largest surviving piece of the True Cross of
Christ), attributing to Saint Toribio, bishop of Astorga, the transfer of this
relic to Cantabria. The Monastery of Santo Toribio is one of the four places in
the world where it is possible to obtain the Jubilee or plenery indulgence in
addition to being on the pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela. It is one of
the most singular hermitage complexes in Spain. This monastery is part of the
four sacred places of Christinaity along with Rome, Jerusalem and Santiago de
Compostela and only in these four places is it allowed to celebrate the Holy
Year. There is evidence of Jubilee celebration from the 16th century. The Popes
Julio II and León X confirmed the Jubilee not just on the saint’s day, but
for the seven days that followed it. In 1967 the Holy See conferred a year’s
duration on the Saint’s day. The Jubilee year is celebrated in the Santo
Toribio monastery when the Day of Saint Toribio (16th April) falls on a Sunday.
On that day the gate of Forgiveness “Puerta del Perdón” is opened and the
year long celebrations begin with many different activities and thousands of
pilgrims who come to worship the relic and cross the gate and receiving the
Jubilee (which grants pardon for all their sins). The next Holy
Year will begin in April 2017.
Proceeding on our route, we can see small picturesque villages hanging on the sides of the imposing eastern massif of the Picos de Europa, such as Arguebanes, Brez, Tanarrio and Mogrovejo, distinguished by the silhouette of its graceful medieval tower framed between the high mountains. All of the villages are charming rural hamlets immersed in dreamlike scenery where the local specialty of the region, cocido lebaniego (a stew featuring chickpeas) can be savoured.
FUENTE DÉ CABLE CAR:
The end of the tour takes us to Fuente Dé. Here we find a cable car
which takes us almost vertically up the face of the central massif of the Picos
de Europa. From the lookout, the panoramic view is extraordinary. In the heart
of the Picos de Europa the Fuente Dé cable car covers 753 metres and takes you
to an altitude of 1,850 metres in only 3 minutes and 40 seconds at a speed of 10
metres/second. From the top point, where there’s a new cafe "El
Cable" with restaurant, self-service, shop and panoramic terrace, you can
marvel at the immense beauty of the scene before you. The cable car holds 20
people, is the third longest in the world with a cable of 1,640 metres and joins
the village of Fuente Dé with Puertos de Áliva in the Picos de Europa.
Other excursions through the other valleys of Liebana will guide us to
Piasca, where we find the Romanesque Church of Santa Maria dating from 1174, or
the Llesba lookout, next to San Glorio pass, commanding a spectacular view of
the Cantabrian mountains.
