The natural beauty
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.
Parque Natural de las Dunas de Liencres, located at the mouth of the Pas River, forms the most important dune complex in the northern Iberian peninsula.
Parque del Macizo de Peñacabarga, which includes within its borders the Cábarceno karst, a spectacular reddish geological formation, encompasses a nature park with partially free roaming animals. The Parque Natural de Oyambre is a scenic park amid marshes and meadows with the Picos de Europa mountains as a backdrop. This is the place where the most diverse ecosystems co-exist. The Parque Natural Saja-Besaya sits between the basins of these two rivers and preserves considerable forests of beech and oak trees, where animal species threatened with extinction such as the brown bear and golden eagle can still be found. The Reserva Natural de las Marismas de Santona y Noja is a nature reserve around one of the most valuable estuaries ecologically in northern Spain. There are regularly more than 80 species of birds in the marshes .The Parque Nacional de los Picos de Europa, a national park containing the highest peaks in the Cantabrian mountains, has elevations exceeding 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) and landscapes of long narrow canyons and deep valleys.

History
Archaeological remains from the Late Palaeolithic period found in different parts of the region, including Altamira and PuenteViesgo among others, are evidence of human presence in prehistoric times. In the Middle Ages the first settlements were founded around various monasteries; refuges to those fleeing from the Arab invasion. The boundaries of the different areas of the region were defined during this period, and the present day. Cantabrian borders (although slightly reduced) are basically the same. The strategic location of Cantabria soon brought about trading by sea with the principal European Ports and later with America. The 17th and 18th centuries were times of great commercial expansion characterized by heavy emigration to the New World. The 19th century produced the first traces of industry, a flourishing banking institution and a well-to-do middle class. Nowadays, although agriculture, cattle-raising and fishing continue to occupy a good part of the population, the tourism industry, including the hotel and restaurant business, as well as other service sectors, are the main pillars of the Cantabrian economy.

Exploring Cantabria
The region can be divided into 8 different areas, each having its own characteristics.

Liebeña and Picos de Europa
We begin this itinerary in Unquera on the N-621 road at the north-west end of Cantabria through the Desfiladero de la Hermida, 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 Maria 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 Liebana 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. 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. Nearby is one of the most singular hermitage complexes in Spain. 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, Tanarriou and Mogrovejo, distinguished by the silhouette of its graceful medieval tower framed between the high mountain. 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. The end of the tour takes us to Fuente Dé. Here we find a Parador de Turismo and 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 . 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.

Saja-Nansa Area
The Saja-Nansa river basins define the boundaries of the central-western area of Cantabria. Starting out from Cabezón de la Sal on the N-634 ,where they hold the festival called Dia de Cantabria (Day of Cantabria) at the beginning of August, we will find Ruente. The famous “Fuentona” here is a geological feature of interest. Next is Valle, the capital of Cabuérniga. At the crossroads, a right turn leads to Carmona , Tudanca and Polaciones which share the route with the Nansa River. The Reserva Nacional de Caza (National Hunting Reserve) is the largest in Spain. Taking this itinerary, we pass by a series of villages with interesting rural architecture until we reach the National Historic-Artistic complex of Bárcena Mayor, a storybook village seemingly frozen in time. Throughout the Cabuérniga valley you can savour the regional specialty :cocido montanes (a stew made of dried beans, cabbage, meat and blood sausage). A turn-off to the right at Valle leads to a mountain village with equally handsome popular architecture, Carmona. Particularly interesting is the Palacio de Rubin de Celis, converted into a charming hotel. In Carmona, they still preserve the tradition of handcrafting abarcas (typical wooden shoes used in the villages). Our itinerary passes San Sebastian de Garabandal, a town which became famous in the 1950’s because the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared to some young girls. Tucked on the side of a mountain along the route, La Cohilla reservoir provides access to the Polaciones valley with magnificent examples of rural architecture (Puente Pumar, Uznayo, Lombraña).

Western Coast
The western coast of Cantabria boasts monumental towns, as well as traditional seafaring villages. We start out in Suances, a tourist hamlet in the region of the Besaya, which has excellent beaches of fine sand and remarkable cuisine. Next, Santillana del Mar is the most important National Historic-Artistic complex in Cantabria and one the best preserved in Spain. The entire town is a national monument and living museum of a medieval 9th century village, developed around the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana, although most of the town pertains to diverse architectural styles from the 14th to the 18th centuries. Suffice it to say that here we can uncover medieval towers (Torre del Merino, Torre de DonBorja), Renaissance palaces (Palacio de los Velarde) and Baroque noble homes (Casona de los Villa, Casa de la Archiduquesa de Austria, Casa de los Valdivieso). In spite of this diversity of styles, the town presents a harmonious and homogeneous aspect, approachable by a single access road: the Calle de Santo Domingo. Here the old quarter begins, open only to pedestrian traffic. The road forks and one branch of the Y- shaped street leads to the Collegiate Church, the most important religious monument in the Romanesque style in Cantabria. Erected over a former hermitage in the 12th century, it preserves a remarkable cloister with skilfully sculpted capitals. Tucked among the stone buildings in Santillana del Mar are three interesting museums. Take a few minutes to taste the local specialty of leche con bizchocho (traditional sponge cake served with milk ). Two kilometres from Santillana del Mar are the Caves of Altamira. Discovered in 1879 and declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, they enclose polychrome cave paintings made by early man during the Late Palaeolithic period approximately 14,000 years ago.
Visits have been restricted for the last two years but soon the inauguration of an interesting replica should remedy this situation . Leaving Altamira in the direction of Comillas, we pass by Cobreces with its Cistercian abbey (noted for its excellent cheese) and lovely beach. Comillas combines a popular architectural tradition, represented by the old square, the parish church and some of the homes in the centre of the village , together with notable buildings erected during the period of splendour enjoyed under the tutelage of the first marquis. Four buildings preside over the town. First, the Neo-Gothic Palacio de Sobrellano, residence of the marquis of Comillas and summer residence of the Spanish royal family in 1881 and 1882. Next to the palace is the richly decorated villa known as El Capricho created by the internationally acclaimed architect Antonio Gaudi, now used as a deluxe restaurant. Third is the cemetery with interesting Modernist mausoleums culminated by the famed angel of Llimona and last of all, the monumental Pontifical University, Neo-Gothic in style with Mudejar influences, which has graduated notable archbishops. (Mudejar was a Moslem subject to Christian rule , a term extending also to their architecture). Continuing on our route, we arrive at San Vicente de la Barquera, an old world fishing village and one of the loveliest spots along the Spanish coast against the breathtaking backdrop of the snow-capped Picos de Europa. San Vincente de la Barquera also boasts a splendid group of white sand beaches, a quaint old quarter with a church ,a castle and the remains of old walls, in addition to its characteristic old bridges . A fine assortment of fish and seafood is an added attraction, along with its local specialty of sorropotun (a variety of fish stew).

Besaya River Basin
The Besaya river originates near Reinosa and together with the Saja drains into the Suances. Its natural course runs through the centre of the region and is a continuous succession of narrow ravines and broad valleys which have formed the main route to the plateau of Castile since Roman times. Starting out in Torrelavega, where the monumental ensemble of Viernoles with palaces and mansions from the 18th to the 20th centuries and the National Market of Ganados are of particular interest , the first town we run into is Cartes with excellent examples of civil mountain architecture from the 17th and 18th centuries. Of special interest are the fortified towers joined by an arch, symbol of the medieval power of the Manrique family. Cartes as well as the neighbouring town of Riocorvo have been declared National Historic-Artistic complexes. In the vicinity of Riocorvo, we find the Church of Santa Maria de Yermo, a magnificent example of the Romanesque style. Next on the itinerary, we come to Las Caldas with its health spa and a monastery from the mid-17th century which houses a notable and venerated altarpiece .
Accompanying the Besaya river while it flows through the Buelna valley, off to one side is the magnificent gigantic stele of Barros (a