Page 35 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Northern Spain

A POR TR AIT OF NOR THERN SP AIN  33

Llanes is a charming fishing port that is now a
popular small resort, with delightful beaches
reached by footpaths along the cliffs.

San Vicente de la Barquera is a
picturesque seafaring town in the
foothills of the Picos de Europa. It has
been a busy port since Roman times,
and boasts many historic buildings
as well as excellent beaches nearby.
Hondarribia has distinctive historic
houses typical of the Basque fishing
Ortigueira Rías Altas Cabo villages, with intricately carved and
Cabo Prior N642 Co st a Ve rde de Peñas brightly painted woodwork, and
balconies loaded with flowers.
Cabo San Ferrol A8 Ribadeo A8 Cudillero Gijón A8 Santander Cabo de Ajo
Costa da Morte Betanzos A6 Vilalba La Espina Oviedo Llanes de la Barquera Torrelavega A8 Laredo Bilbao Hondarribia
Adrián
A Coruña
Costa Va sca
San Vicente
San
AP9 N640 Co r di llera C an tá br ic a ASTURIAS AND Picos de Europa A67 A8 Sebastián
CANTABRIA
Santiago de Lugo Co rd ill era Cantábric a AP1
Compostela Arzúa A66 A68
Reinosa THE BASQUE
A6
COUNTRY
Padrón GALICIA
Vitoria-Gasteiz A1
AP53
Rí as Ba i xa s
Quiroga
Illa de
Ons AP9 The Atlantic Coast
Ourense
Vigo A52 The rocky crags and islands, sand dunes and sheltered estuaries and
wetlands of this coast provide varied habitats for an enormous range
of birds, both residents and migratory visitors. 0 kilometres 50
A52
Kittiwakes are members of the Oyster catchers are easily 0 miles 25
gull family. Each summer they recognizable by their black and
breed in clefts in sea-cliffs, and white plumage and bright red
spend all winter far out beak – strong enough for them
at sea, cruising the to crack open
oceans for shellfish. They
fish. There are common
are large around cockle and
colonies on the mussel beds.
islands off Galicia.
Ospreys are the only birds of
Snipes are most common prey that live solely on fish. They
in the marshes near Santoña, in migrate
Cantabria. In spring male snipes between
perform a strange Northern San Sebastián’s La Concha
diving display to Europe and beach is one of the most
attract females, West Africa, beautiful on the north
making a stopping coast. Forming an elegant
drumming over in curve, it faces the green
sound with Asturias and Cantabria each promontories at the mouth
their feathers. spring and autumn. of the bay, and is lined by
a gracious promenade.
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