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Cantabria & Asturias

Cantabria & Asturias

& 519 ( p527 ) Santander Viesgo Puente ( p532 ) © Lonely Planet Publications Planet Lonely © Cueva de Altamira; Comillas Puente POP: 1.66 MILLION POP: „ Ribadesella Picos de Europa (tableland). The mountains reach reach mountains (tableland). The ( p532 ) and ( p555 ) near Ribadesella p555 ( Oviedo meseta ( p535 ) Río Sella Playa del Silencio ( p529 ) bewitch you with its charms p529 ( Oviedo Cueva de Altamira Cueva ( p548 ) HIGH 22°C, LOW 14°C AVE SUMMER TEMP: AVE „ ( p558 ) in Santillana del Mar Santander– ( p895 ) Playa del Silencio ( p535 p535 ( Garganta del Garganta (cider houses; p538 ) of Asturias p538 (cider houses; the Picos de Europa the Picos Oviedo coastal corridor sidrerías cheese Cabrales

a little Modernista madness in the buildings of Gaudí and Co at Admire the ancient rock paintings at Admire the plunge and canoe down the rapids of Take Marvel the pre-Romanesque at churches of the medieval town of Let Bathe at secluded by train along the Travel the Walk in the convivial Sidle up for cider poured the pong and savour the tangy Ignore AREA: 15,925 SQ KM

„ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS

The only drawback to ‘green ’ is what makes it green: the rain. Even in August you in August the rain. Even Spain’ is what makes it green: drawback to ‘green only The It’s not just bucolic beauty that attracts people here. From the prehistoric art From the prehistoric of Altamira to that attractsIt’s not just bucolic beauty people here. The two regions share a spectacular coastline along the Bay of , alternating between a spectacular , alternating coastline along the share two regions The

„ might endure a week of grey skies grey a week of inland. and showers, especially might endure diversions in their restaurants and bars. in their restaurants diversions with amazing abruptness to the parched plains of the with amazing abruptness plenty of sightseeing and nocturnal Oviedo cities of Santander, and Gijón all offer big three regions’ southern boundary, the Cordillera Cantábrica – beyond which the landscape changes – beyond which the Cordillera Cantábrica southern boundary, regions’ The with man-made gems. is dotted the area the medieval splendours of Santillana del Mar, villages dot the roads leading inland towards the chain-mail wall of mountains that forms the inland towards the chain-mail wall of mountains villages dot the roads leading and the north southwest Cantabria y León. of Castilla straddling southeast Asturias, sheer cliffs, tiny coves, small fishing and resort towns, and scores of sandy beaches. Stone of sandy beaches. fishing and resort small towns, and scores tiny coves, sheer cliffs, a northern de Europa, spur of the cordillera Picos heights and grandeur in the their greatest Country to the east) formed by Cantabria and Asturias is as beautiful as it is surprising. is as beautiful as it is surprising. and Asturias by Cantabria Country to the east) formed cal image of Spain. The verdant emerald strip (between to the west and the Basque emerald strip (between Galicia to the west and verdant cal image of Spain. The an advertisement for a composite of and Wales, but no, it is the flip side of the typi- and Wales, but no, it is the flip side of Ireland an advertisement a composite for Rolling meadows and cattle pasture, craggy hills, cider-drinking and bagpipes. It might be It might hills, cider-drinking craggy and bagpipes. cattle pasture, meadows and Rolling Cantabria & Asturias & Asturias Cantabria 520 CANTABRIA lonelyplanet.com

their medieval and Modernista trappings. CANTABRIA The remarkable cave paintings of the Cueva de Altamira, off limits to the public, can be It is no wonder the Romans had a hard time admired in impressive replica form near subduing the Cantabrian tribes. The lush- the site. ness of the vegetation belies the difficulty of Dotted around the region are more than much of Cantabria’s terrain. Sliced up by deep 400 often beautifully restored country homes mountain valleys dotted with the occasional (which go by various names, such as casas settlement, the region remained until recently rurales and posadas) to stay in. Check out virtually untouched by the modern legions of www.turismocantabria.net, www.turismoru visitors that flock to Spain each year. ralcantabria.com or www.cantabriarural.com It offers a little of everything for the travel- for listings. For camping grounds across the ler looking for an escape. Some pretty beaches region, see www.campingsdecantabria.com make summer seaside days quite possible (un- (in Spanish). A good source of general in- reliable weather permitting), while the inland formation on the region is www.culturade valleys, sprinkled with quiet towns and vil- cantabria.com (in Spanish). lages, offer a feast of natural beauty for the The Romans, as reported, finally carried eyes, whether you choose to drive the country the day against the proud Cantabrians and roads or walk the trails. The rugged ranges pacified the area by around 19 BC. In more culminate in the west in the abrupt mountain- recent centuries, Cantabria was long regarded ous walls of the Picos de Europa. simply as a coastal extension of Castilla and The capital, Santander, offers a slice of as its direct gateway to what was confidently urban life with its bustling bodegas (wine known as the Mar de Castilla (Castilian Sea). cellars) and handful of sights. The towns of Cantabria became a separate region under Santillana del Mar and Comillas entice with Spain’s 1978 constitution.

0 30 km CANTABRIA 0 20 miles

Mar Cantábrico Bay of Biscay To Ribadesella (20km); (Cantabrian Sea) Oviedo (102km) CANTABRIA & ASTURIAS CANTABRIA & ASTURIAS Bahía de Santander Santander Barro Galizano Llanes Santoña San Vicente A67 Somo A8 Pendueles de la Santillana Laredo N634 Barquera Comillas Muriedas A8 Oriñón Castro del Mar Urdiales ASTURIAS Cueva de Solares Altamira Unquera N634 Arrangas AS114 Panes R Obregón Parque de la í o Naturaleza To Puente Socobio M Arenas de Cabrales Cabezón Cabárceno (31km) El Soplao i Viesgo El Soto e Arredondo Tielve Tresvivo Linares de la Sal r CA282 Carmona a Ranero Carmarmeña CA270 BegesLa Hermida Puentenansa Valle de Ramales Karrantza (Carranza) Sotres o Lebeña Cabuérniga N611 de la í a v N623 R El Cuernón Victoria Argüébanes e San Roque Balmaseda N621 (2046m) Las Fraguas Río D P a de Riomiera VISCAYA s Puerto de Fuente Dé Baro Turieno CA281 CANTABRIA Puerto Helguera la Braguía de la Sía Camaleño Silió Espinama La Vega de Bárcena Bárcena de Pie Río de Liébana Mayor de Concha Portilla de Cordillera Cantábrica Trueba la Reina Cucayo LEÓN Alto Campóo Embalse Corconte Pico de Espinilla del Ebro Tres Mares CA171 (2175m) Requejo Cervatos BURGOS C627 Arroyo Valdecebollas Retortillo (2136m) N232 Arroyal ALAVA Cervera de CA272 Pisuerga A67 Arroyuelos Río Cadalso E Embalse Orbaneja del b Guardo Polientes San Martín Castillo ro de Aguilar CA273 Trespaderne See Asturias Map (p534) de Campóo Aquilar de Elines Campo de Campóo N627 PALENCIA de Ebro To Burgos To Palencia N611 N623 Oña (86km) (37km)

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