Valles Pasiegos

Valles Pasiegos are an upland region of Cantabria, the valleys of the rivers Pas, Carriedo and Miera flowing north out of the mountains towards Santander, and the villages straggling along them. They're scenic and somewhat cut-off from the rest of Cantabria, with a population of about 26,000 in 2024. The main attractions are hiking in the hills, and the caves with prehistoric rock art.

The mountains between Cantabria and the Spanish central plateau rise to about 2000 m and draw the clouds and rain, so north of them is cool and green while the plateau to the south is dry. The bedrock is a mix of sandstone and limestone, relatively soft so rivers flowing north have carved steep valleys. There's little flat land for arable farming but the terrain is suitable for cattle. Traditionally the way of life here was "transhumance": in summer the herds were taken to graze on higher ground and many of the villagers moved up with them, to live in cabins and bothies. Come autumn they all moved back down, the fattened calves were sent to market and everyone hunkered down for winter. In the 19th century many emigrated to the Americas, becoming the cowboys of the north or the gauchos of the south. Their way of life is disappearing from the mountains of Europe, as better roads and vehicles mean you can zip up the slopes in minutes, with your farm dogs enjoying the breeze in the back of the jeep.

Roads hairpin across these mountains but were never major routes north-south, so the valleys were somewhat cut-off, and didn't attract the castles, shrines or palaces found along strategic routes. Tourists are few, and the mainstay of the economy remains dairy farming. But the lower valleys are nowadays transected by A-8 the east-west coastal motorway, putting them within commuting range of Santander, and this has led to modern development.

Talk: you need rudimentary knowledge of Spanish (in its standard Castilian form) to get by. The lack of a tourist service sector means few here speak English or German.

• 43.300556-3.9630561 Puente Viesgo has some of the oldest human art in Europe in the caves of Monte Castillo: two can be visited.

• 43.218333-3.8055562 Selaya straggling north into Villacarriedo comprise the largest town in the central Carriedo valley.

• 43.311389-3.85253 Santa María de Cayón is being outgrown by its neighbour Sarón, and there's a large Nestlé factory in La Penilla.

• 43.343333-3.7411114 Liérganes and La Cavada made Spanish cannon from the 17th to 19th century.

Cercanías train C3 runs hourly from Santander, taking an hour via La Calvada to Liérganes.

ALSA buses run from Santander:

• up the central Carriedo valley every couple of hours to Sarón, Santa María de Cayón, Villacarriedo and Selaya, 1 hour.
• up the western Pas valley every 2-3 hours to Vargas, Puente Viesgo, San Vicente de Toranzo and Ontenada, 1 hour.
• up the eastern Miera valley four times a day to Liérganes (40 min); two continue to San Roque de Riomiera.

You need your own wheels for anywhere off the radial bus routes.

Taxis are based in Vargas and Sarón

• 43.35-3.8522221 Cabárceno Nature Park, Los Ibáñez, Obregón (15 km south of Santander - there are entrances both in Cabárceno and Obregón.), ☏ +34 942 563736. Daily 09:00-18:00. Extensive area of open-cast mining landscaped into a hilly wildlife park and zoo. The animals have large enclosures, which also means that some animals may be hard to spot. Some animals are shown during shows - like birds of prey. The price includes unlimited pass for cable car that rides over most of the park, providing unusual view. The whole zoo is drive-through and due to that and long distances, hardly walkable. There are also two bus lines available, though. There are two restaurants available in the middle of the are. Adult €35, child €20.  (updated Aug 2026)

• 43.3041-3.87692 San Andrés is a 12th century Romanesque church in Argomilla, 2 km west of Santa María de Cayón.
• San Miguel in Puente Viesgo looks venerable but is a 1950s reconstruction of a 17th century church. It's open Sa Su 10:30-20:00.
• Reyerta is a stubby steam engine in the former railway station in Puente Viesgo. It hauled minerals from 1912 to the 1950s.
• Centro de Arte Rupestre de Cantabria, Diseminado Puente Viesgo 26 (west edge of town), ☏ +34 942 598425. Tue-Sat 09:30-18:30, Sun 09:30-14:30. Interpretive centre and access to two caves inhabited from the last Ice Age to the medieval era. Unlike others such as Altamira, you see the original cave art here, such as the lions and giraffe that lived in this region 34,000 years ago. Tours within the caves should be booked in advance, as there are very few slots; tour prices include the Centre admission. Adult €4, conc or child €2. (updated Jul 2026)
• El Castillo cave is 500 m up the trail south of the Centre. It has over 275 artworks. Tour €20, max 7 per group.
• Las Monedas a further 500 m up has rock art near its entrance, then you continue 160 m deeper to see the limestone formations. Tour €15, max 7 per group.

Other nearby caves are closed to the public. The Centre also manages five caves elsewhere in Cantabria.

• Santa Cruz de Castañeda is a 12th century Romanesque church in Socobio, 2 km southeast of Vargas crossroads. It's only open for Sunday mass.
• 43.2429-3.93843 Santiurde Aqueduct is 10 km south of Puente Viesgo above the village of Santiurde de Toranzo. It was built in 1885 to bring water out of the mountains to Santander.

• Sobao Museum, Pola 3, Selaya (500 m north of village), ☏ +34 942 590268. Daily 09:00-22:00. Sobaos are a local dessert, a little sponge cake. This is the bakery and shop, with a small museum. Free. (updated Jul 2026)
• 43.3479-3.70224 Royal Artillery Factory, Colegio Público Leopoldo y Josefa del Valle, La Cavada, ☏ +34 615 187845. Tue-Sun 11:00-14:00, 17:00-20:00. All those cannon pointing from forts over palm-lined promenades or bristling from gun-decks of Spanish warships: some 26,000 of them were made here from the 17th century, made possible by local iron-mining, and high-temperature furnaces to forge steel. This and similar factories closed in the 19th century when Spain lost its empire, and the foundries of Germany and Britain could make much mightier cannon. Adult €5, child €2.50.  (updated Jul 2026)
• 43.1594-3.78445 Ethnographic Museum of the Pasiego Valleys, San Antonio, Vega de Pas. Tue-Fri 16:00-19:00, Sat Sun 10:00-13:00, 16:00-19:00. A small museum inside a typical Pasiego house showing traditional crafts and culture. Adult or child £2.  (updated Jul 2026)

Hiking is the main activity. Purely recreational, these valleys aren't on the historic El Camino routes.

"Romeria" is the local equivalent of a fiesta, around each village church's saint's day but morphed into a secular rock festival.

Puente Viesgo and Sarón have small supermarkets open M-Sa.

Cocido montañés is the signature dish of the valleys, a stew of beans, greens, chorizo, black pudding, pork ribs and pork cheeks.

• Puente Viesgo eating places include El Marqués, La Unión, Mama Pancha, and the restaurant and cafe of Gran Hotel Balneario.
• Selaya has Me Vale Madre (Mexican), Mesón El Horno, Valvanuz-Trastevere^{[dead link]}, Selaya Hostelaria and Café Español.
• Las Piscinas, La Pesquera 26, Villacarriedo, ☏ +34 942 590214. Thu-Tue 12:00-16:00, 20:00-00:00. Hearty Cantabrian food and wine. (updated Jul 2026)
• Sarón north of Santa María de Cayón has Mesón Madrileño, Pizzaria De Biaggi, La Alquitara and Picnic Pizza.
• 43.2819-3.80441 Bar José, Valezco 32, Esles, ☏ +34 942 555745. Tue-Sun 10:000-23:00. Good food in this tiny village.  (updated Jul 2026)
• 43.2454-3.81322 La Inesperada, Raneo 23, Abionzo, ☏ +34 678 242321. Sun Mon Wed Thu 09:30-18:30, Fri Sat 09:30-00:00. Excellent trad mountain fare.  (updated Jul 2026)
• 43.1921-3.91513 Casa Augusto, Alceda 75, Alceda, ☏ +34 942 594029. Daily 13:00-21:00. Quality home-style food.  (updated Jul 2026)

Every village has a bar as the centre of its life, open daily to 23:00 or later.

"Orujo" is a grappa-like spirit (47-60% ABV) in Cantabria, taken in similar style along with coffee to round off a meal.

DouGall's Brewery, La Vega 51, Liérganes (south end of village), ☏ +34 942 528958. Mon-Thu 08:00-16:00, Fri 08:00-14:00, Sat 12:30-19:00, Sun 14:00-19:00. Craft brewery specialising in English-style ales, with shop, restaurant and food truck. Tours may be available Saturday. (updated Jul 2026)

• El Centro is at Vargas crossroads, but reasonably sound-proofed.
• Los Lienzos, El Acebal 1, Vargas (northeast side of town), ☏ +34 667 066758. Beautifully restored old hotel. (updated Jul 2026)
• La Panaderia de Castañeda is a smart welcoming posada 500 m southeast of the crossroads.
• Hospedería Santa Cruz is a pleasant place 1 km east of town at Socobio 60.
• Gran Hotel Balneario, Manuel Pérez Mazo, Puente Viesgo (2 km south of town), ☏ +34 942 598061. Quiet spa hotel. B&B double €160. (updated Jul 2026)
• La Capía, Llano 27, Vargas (on lane to Helguera Palacio), ☏ +34 687 527788. Pleasant rustic small hotel. B&B double €80. (updated Jul 2026)
• 43.3188-3.98051 Helguera Palacio, Las Presillas, ☏ +34 942 945051. Gorgeous country hotel, sometimes hosts weddings. B&B double €400.  (updated Jul 2026)

• Casona de Linares, Linares 4, Selaya, ☏ +34 618 317654. Charming old house with garden. B&B double €90. (updated Jul 2026)
• Posada de Villacarriedo, Camino 17, Villacarriedo, ☏ +34 667 565538. Pleasant stay in a historic villa. B&B double €70. (updated Jul 2026)
• Palacio de Soñanes is a grand old building at Camino 1 next to the posada, but poor scores for comfort and service.

Most accommodation is 1-2 km north of the main village, along N-634 nowadays paralleled by A-8.

• Posada La Semilla, El Costal 49, Santa María de Cayón (south edge of village), ☏ +34 623 153034. Restaurant with rooms in a charming Indiano mansion. (updated Jul 2026)
• Hostal La Sierra Sarón, Av Justina Berdía 13, Sarón, ☏ +34 672 556573. Clean simple hotel, no dorm. B&B double €100. (updated Jul 2026)
• Los Rosales at Av Los Rosales 12 in Sarón is grubby.
• Pensión La Campanilla, La Penilla 28, ☏ +34 676 063036. Clean and friendly, some traffic noise. Double (room only) €80. (updated Jul 2026)

• Balneario de Liérganes, José Antonio Primo de Rivera 7, ☏ +34 942 528011. Mostly good reviews for this trad simple hotel. (updated Jul 2026)
• Hotel Termas 100 m east is tatty.
• Hotel Miera is a modern place at Camino Real 7.
• Carpe Diem is a posada at Camino Real 25.
• La Giraldilla is a friendly posada in a quirky tower at Juan Curtuis 6.
• El Arral is in a charmingly restored old building at Convento 10.
• Villa Esperanza is in a historic building by the palace, at La Rañada 6.

As of July 2026, there's good coverage along A-8 east-west and N-623 heading into the hills from Torrelavega, so Puente Viesgo, Santa María de Cayón and Liérganes have 5G from all Spanish carriers. The signal is patchy towards Selaya.

• Santander is mostly modern but has lots to see and do.
• Torrelavega is industrial, dominated by its chemical works.
• Santillana del Mar is a picturesque medieval village 8 km northwest of Torrelavega.