Flamenco, Alhambra, paella … Spain is well known for plenty of things. But majority of travelers visit only the most famous cities and overlook so many extremely beautiful and interesting places. And the Northern part of Spain is one of them, rough and wild.
Magnificient landscapes, good (sea)food and a lot to see and do make this part of Spain very special. We were amazed by the scenery and the fact that there were not much tourists around. Kind of travel we like!
So, these are our top 5 reasons we hope will encourage you to visit this part of Spain next time you are on the Iberian Peninsula.
1. AS CATEDRAIS
Beach “As Catedrais” or Beach of the Cathedrals is a natural monument located in Galicia, on the coast of Cantabrian Sea, few kilometers from the town of Ribadeo.
If you visit the beach at high tide, it’s beautiful because of the cliffs that surround it – but nothing so unbelievably special. But at low tide that’s a completely different story. The sea can withdrawn for several meters and in front of you opens a totally different landscape of sea caves, rock passages and natural bridges.
Unfortunately the tide was not low enough at our visit and the best parts were still underwater – so, we were just watching from the distance, in the water up to our knees.
2. FARO DE CABO ORTEGAL
Located in A Coruña, the landscape around Cabo Ortegal is astonishing – wild and windy. We felt like we were in Ireland and not in Spain – the landscape is green, horses graze freely on the hills, the views from the high cliffs are spectacular and the weather is changing all the time.
3. THE COAST OF CANTABRIA
Coast of Cantabria has one of the most photogenic sea coasts in this part of the world. It’s amazing what was created by the wind, rain and high waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Especially the scenery at Arnia near Liencres village is just like from a movie.
The area is perfect for hiking as there are some scenic coastal routes that offer great oceanviews. Unfortunately, we spent there only two days. But we do know that we will come back for sure.
4. LOVELY FISHING VILLAGES
The authentic colorful fishing villages along the coast of Asturia make you want to stay for a little bit longer. The houses of various colors with interesting shutters at the harbours with boats of various colors can’t leave a romantic soul untouched.
We were sitting in front of a tiny restaurant after delicious lunch of seafood, absorbing the vibrant atmosphere of the marine area and wishing the moment to last and last.
5. CABARCENO WILDLIFE PARK
We are big animal lovers and if it is possible, we always try to observe them in their natural environment. But because it’s difficult to find lions and other exotic animals in Europe, we also enjoy visiting really good zoo parks or aquariums and watch new animals.
Cabarceno Wildlife park, 18 km from Santander, Cantabria is one of the nicest zoos in the world in our opinion. It’s a nature reserve that was built in an area of abandoned mine.
The park is huge and the animals are housed in diverse and completely natural settings in large, open fields. All enclosures can be reached by foot or by car (20 km of roads). It has two roles: one is the conservation of endangered species and the other is environmental education.
We felt in love with this spart of Spain. And we are definitely coming back someday.
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