Barcena

The green Cabuéruiga valley provides a suitably picturesque backdrop for the village of Barcena, a small hamlet whose high degree of preservation of its original medieval architecture acts as a magnet for tourists seeking stability in an ever changing world.

The slate paved streets of Barcena frame the houses with a rustic glow that, on days where rain falls, shine silver under a watery sun.

Many of the houses that line the streets still exhibit much and wooden slats, much as they would have done several hundreds of years ago and, although most of the houses have been carefully restored under the strict vigilance of the local authorities whose rules are closely adhered to, the charm of the village remains untarnished by the feet of the many visitors who cram its streets for most of the year.

The main industry here appears to be tourism and several charming stone houses carry signs which advertise their availability for hire during high days and holidays.

In the countryside that surrounds the village on all sides there are several well sign-posted tails.

These are less well trodden than the streets of Barcena; not many venture along these winding pathways. If you do, you are rewarded by the sight of doe-eyed, gentle mannered cows grazing thoughtfully on sweet green grass, ancient forests in which trees whose bark in wizened with age and who look as if they could give sagacious advice to impetuous youth and, if you’re lucky – or, er, unlucky, you might meet one of the newly re-introduced wolves or brown bears that inhabit this pristine parkland.

You might, but they’ve probably learned their lesson.

More information: http://www.labarcena.com/

Food for thought:

Cantabrian gastronomy includes a huge variety of products, although perhaps the best known are the seafood products and fish. Seafood includes crab, shellfish of all variety and octopus. There are thousands of varieties of fish caught daily along the Cantabrian coastline.

Also worth mention are the excellent stews and meat dishes. The ‘cocido montañés’ a delicious stew ‘from the mountains’ which emphasises local meats, fairly melts in the mouth. The high quality of Cantabrian dairy products is well known all over Spain and the cheeses that come from the area cannot be equalled.