Page 111 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

ASTURIAS AND C ANT ABRIA  109

the Bay of Biscay. From its summit, Fiestas in Asturias and Cantabria
reached by chairlift. there is a
breath taking panorama of the La Folía (Apr) San Vicente de la Barquera.
Picos de Europa and other Procession of decorated and illuminated boats.
mountain chains. The resort has Fiesta del Pastor (1st Fri in Jul) Castro
down hill runs totalling 27 km Urdiales. Shepherds’ Festival.
(17 miles) in length and 23 pistes. Virgen del Carmen (16 Jul) Comillas.
Homage to the Virgin.
Coso Blanco (25 Jul) Cangas de Onís.
a Puente Viesgo Night-time parade of carriages.
Battle of the Flowers (last Fri in Aug)
Cantabria. Road Map F1. * 2,900. Laredo. Flower parade and festivities.
n 942 59 81 05. _ San Miguel Nuestra Señora de Covadonga (8 Sep)
(28–29 Sep). Picos de Europa. Homage to the patron
saint of Asturias.
Charmingly situated amid
verdant landscape, this village Girls in traditional dress participating in a
is best known for its two nearby regional fiesta
caves with prehistoric paintings.
The Cueva “El Castillo”,
discovered in 1903, has walls Other caves here are “El Pendo”, severe-looking Iglesia de
that are covered in drawings “Covalanas”, “Chufín”, and Barcena de Pie de Concha
of horses and bison, but the “Hornos de la Peña”; check the and the Iglesia de Santa María
highlight is the series of hand website for opening hours. de Yermo. The latter has an
prints. Experts regard these as interesting portico comprising
the earliest examples of cave art + Cueva “El Castillo” & Cueva five archivolts; below it is a
in the Franco-Cantabrian zone, “Las Monedas” tympanum with a sculpture
preceding all other geometric Puente Viesgo. Tel 942 59 84 25. Open of a knight fighting a dragon.
and figural images. The prints Mar–mid-Jun & mid-Sep–Oct: 9:30am– Torrelavega, the capital of
were made by blowing mineral 2:30pm & 3:30–6:30pm Wed–Sun; mid- the Valle de Besaya, boasts
dyes – probably through a bone Jun–mid-Sep: 9:30am–2:30pm & 3:30– several historic monuments,
pipe – onto the hand while it 7:30pm Tue–Sun; Nov–Feb: 9:30am– such as the Convento de las
was pressed against the wall. 3:30pm Wed–Fri, 9:30am–2:30pm & Adres, the Iglesia de la Virgen
3:30–5:30pm Sat, Sun & hols. & 8
The colours used to create the ∑ cuevas.culturadecantabria.com Grande, and the Iglesia de
images were taken from Nuestra Señora de Asunción.
minerals within the cave.
The Cueva “Las Monedas” s Valle de Besaya Environs
contains beautiful stalactites Retortillo is famous for its
and stalagmites, with unusual Road Map F1–2. excellent therapeutic spa.
colouration due to the mixture At Julióbriga (modern Campoo
of minerals and calcium. The As early as Roman times, a de Enmedia) are the remains
paintings in this cave were made north–south road linking the of a town built by the Romans
with coal and thus are black; they Cantabrian coast with the against the wild tribes of
represent horses, reindeer, goats, Meseta ran through this long Cantabria. The Domus de
bears, bison as well as some valley. Romanesque buildings Lulobriga is a recon struction
signs, dating back 13,000 years. are also to be found here, of a Roman villa, which has
including small churches, which been erected among the
would have been covered ruins of an original
initially with wooden roofs. Roman dwelling.
Of special interest are the

The colourful park in Puente Viesgo planted with flowers and palm trees

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