Castro-Urdiales

Castro Urdiales is a coastal city located in northern Spain, between the Cantabrian Sea and the Bay of Biscay, in the region of Cantabria.
Along its coast there are wonderful beaches and high cliffs with stunning view of the landscape.

 

Beaches:

  • Playa Ostende
  • Playa Brazomar
  • Playa Dícido
  • Cala de Mioño
  • Playa de Arcisero
  • Playa El Berrón

In Castro Urdiales there are historical buildings, monuments and assets of cultural interest like:

  • The gothic church of the Assumption of Mary (Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción)
  • The medieval castle-lighthouse of Saint Anne (Castillo-faro de Santa Ana)
  • The medieval bridge and the hermitage of Saint Anne (Ermita de Santa Ana)
  • The early 20th century modernist style small palace, castle and gardens of Ocharan (palacete, castillo y jardines de los Ocharan)
  • The characteristic regional architecture of the House of Sotileza (Casa Sotileza)
  • The early 20th century House of Chelines (Casa de los Chelines)
  • The House Pedro Velarde (Residencia Pedro Velarde) used as a cultural centre
  • The cemetery of Ballena (Cementerio municipal de Ballena) with mausoleums and pantheons of different architectural styles
  • The 16th century town hall (Ayuntamiento)
  • The House of Nature (Casa de la Naturaleza): a stone chalet used for exhibitions related to nature and the environment
  • The early 20th century modernist style building González (Edificio González)
  • The ruins of the 12th century Romanesque style Saint Peter’s Church (Iglesia de San Pedro)
  • The Flaviobriga site under the historic centre which protects the Roman and medieval remains of the city.

Furthermore, in the area there are caves with rock paintings which prove the presence of inhabitants in prehistoric times such as these two caves: Cueva de El Cuco and Cueva Grande o de los Corrales.

Other cities of Cantabria to visit:

  • Laredo: is a place with an interesting historical-cultural heritage to discover. In addition to the remains of the medieval wall, the historic centre (Puebla Vieja) which includes six streets and the church of Saint Mary of the Assumption (Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción) from the 13th and 16th centuries in Gothic style are two assets that form part of the cultural heritage of the region. Read more here about Laredo
  • Santander: it extends along a bay with stunning views of the coast and the Cantabrian Sea. It has lush parks, paradisiacal beaches and a peninsula dominated by an elegant English-style palace. Furthermore, it has a seafront for pleasant walks between historic buildings such as the Grand Casino Sardinero, modern buildings such as the Centro Botín, gardens with monuments such as the Doctor Mesones Park and paths that reach the cliff of the Cabo Mayor Lighthouse. Read more here about Santander

Among the festivals of particular tourist interest:

  • On Good Friday of Easter week the Living Passion (Pasión Viviente) is celebrated with scenes that take place in the streets of the city to relive the Passion of Christ;
  • The feast of Saint John (San Juan) on June 24th is the beginning of the Big Week of celebrations in Castro Urdiales (Semana Grande de Fiestas en Castro Urdiales) with parades of Giants (Gigantes) and Bigheads (Cabezudos) and gastronomic events;
  • The Coso Blanco celebration (festividad del Coso Blanco) takes place on the first Friday of July with fireworks and a parade of floats adorned with surprising artistic creations;
  • The celebrations of Saint Mary of the Assumption (Fiestas de Santa María de la Asunción), patron saint of the city, which begin on August 14th, with different events scheduled;
  • The feast of Saint Andrew (Festividad de San Andrés Apóstol) on November 30th with parades of Giants and Bigheads, concerts and maritime activities;
  • And the carnival celebrations, between February and March, where one of the most awaited moments is the burial of the sardine (Entierro de la sardina).

 

Gastronomy:

Some typical dishes to try are the marmitako de bonito (a stew of potatoes, tuna, peppers and onion); the grilled red sea bream and the land snails typical of the feast of Saint Andrew; and the Quesada pasiega, a dessert made with fresh cheese, eggs and other simple ingredients.

Finally you can reach Castro Urdiales by motorway or by plane in the two airports in the nearby cities of Bilbao and Santander.