France and Spain - Brittany Ferries

Holiday Regions SECTION 3
As evening falls, you can enjoy tapas bars,
restaurants and night clubs that are lively
with none of the rowdiness of the Costas.
Just a mile from the city centre on the
west of the Magdalena peninsula, the
upmarket suburb of El Sardinero offers a
choice of spotless sandy beaches, some
with calm water for families, others with
white water for surfers. Play a few euros
at the Grand Casino, an opulent white
building that seems to have come straight
from a James Bond movie. Look out
too for the Magdalena Palace, favourite
summer residence of King Alfonso XIII and
his wife Victoria Eugenia at the turn of the
20th century.
History and heritage
The past is never far away in Northern
Spain, an area which is fiercely proud of
its history and heritage, its traditions and
way of life. You’ll find architectural remains
dating back to the Romans and Middle
Ages, as well as rural traditions and festivals
that date back generations.
A short drive west of Santander is
Santillana del Mar, one of the best
preserved historic villages in Europe.
Wander the two main streets leading
from the market square to enjoy a
variety of architectural styles from
across the centuries. Close by are the
famous Altamira caves, where cave
paintings dating from the Stone Age
were discovered in 1879. So precious are
they that the caves are now closed to the
public but a visit to the replica caves and
museum is still a must.
Further west, the beach resort of Gijón
is the largest city in Asturias, offering an
attractive combination of lively urban life
and long sandy beach. The atmospheric
old town clings to a narrow strip of land
that joins the city with the Cimadevilla
district – literally ‘top of the town’. For a
cultural day out within easy reach of the
beaches, try Oviedo, capital city of Asturias
- don’t miss the historic old quarter, nor
the Fine Arts Museum housed in an
impressive 18th century mansion.
Further south, the huge region of Castilla
y León boasts more UNESCO World
Heritage sites than anywhere else in
Europe. Find out about local history and
culture in elegant cities such as Salamanca,
León, Burgos and Segovia, where you
can visit castles, cathedrals and cloisters,
and step back in time at the Roman gold
mines of Las Médulas, an ancient industrial
site once worked by thousands of slaves.
Travel east, and the small Pyrenean region
of Navarra produces excellent wines in a
landscape of hills, valleys and rivers. The
main city, Pamplona, is famous for its
annual bull running festival, whilst Puente
La Reina to the south is another interesting
town which lies on the Pilgrim’s Way to
Santiago de Compostela.
Mountain magic
You don’t have to travel far from the
coast to find yourself in a totally different
landscape of lush river valleys and sparkling
lakes, peaceful forests and sleepy villages,
all against the stunning backdrop of the
Picos de Europa mountains. These craggy
peaks reach 8,000 feet towards the sky and
embrace 300 square miles of dramatic,
unspoilt countryside which many people
consider to be Spain’s finest national park.
If you love wildlife, you’ll be in your
element here. Among the endangered
mammals to be found in the Picos are the
European brown bear and the asturcon – a
small, shaggy wild horse. Many people are
lucky enough to spot chamois, thanks to a
total ban on hunting within the park, and
you’ll certainly spot birds of prey wheeling
overhead. Watch out for golden eagles
and peregrine falcons, but also for black
woodpeckers, snow finches and a wealth
of other species. Look down too – the
slopes are carpeted with a huge variety of
wild plants.
There’s hardly an outdoor sport that you
can’t try in the Picos – not just hiking
and horse riding, but climbing too and
a variety of adrenalin sports such as
white water rafting. If all that sounds too
energetic, enjoy a panoramic view from the
cable car that links the natural limestone
amphitheatre at Fuente Dé with the
high peaks.
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