Understand
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The Valles Pasiegos is a rural region in Cantabria, to the south of Santander and north of neighbouring Burgos. It is a rugged region full of verdant valleys, picturesque villages and impressive mountains. Due to its mountainous geography, the region and its inhabitants, Pasiegos, were somewhat isolated from neighbouring Cantabrians. The region consists of a series of valleys bordered by the Pas & Miera rivers. It can make an interesting day or weekend trip for travelers interesting in hiking, nature and spectacular mountain vistas.
As a result of their historic isolation, the Pasiegos are quite insular, private and wary of outsiders, especially in very rural villages. While other Spaniards may find them strange, or even rude, for not being open and talkative, a visitor from an Anglophone or Northern European country will not find their behaviour unusual.
In most villages, there are no shops save the local bar/tavern which is more often a general store than a bar. You can buy everyday necessities like toothpaste, toilet paper, milk or bread in these places, as well as food and drink.
The Pasiegos were traditionally herders, and the quality of their dairy products is unmatched in Spain. Pasiego butter, milk and cheese are of incredibly high quality, and form the basis of their traditional desserts; sobaos (a kind of butter cake) & leche frita (similar to French toast).
Talk
[edit]English is not widely spoken here. It is recommended to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish to get by. Even Spanish speakers may find the native dialect difficult to understand, and some older residents speak Pasiego (a dialect of Asturian) rather than standard Castilian.
Towns
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As a very rural area, most people live in small villages, however there are some larger urbanized communities where one can find supermarkets, pharmacies, shops & even some night life.
1 Selaya 
/ 2 Villacarriedo -- technically two separate towns, however they are located directly next to each other, making them one larger town. The largest urban community within the central Carriedo valley. This is a central place for night life in the Valles Pasiegos as teens and young adults commute here to party on weekends. One can also visit the Alto de Caracol driving route, and a nearby sobao factory.
3 Puente Viesgo -- home of some of the oldest human art in Europe in the caves of Monte Castillo. Three separate caves with original art from up to 150,000 years ago can be seen here in guided tours.
4 Liérganes -- Technically not located within the geographical area, it is still often considered a "Pasiego" town. Historically the location of an important artillery foundry in the early modern period.
5 Santa María de Cayón -- the town with the largest population due to the location of a large Nestlé factory in the municipality. Saron, its largest "neighbourhood", is really a small town where most amenities can be found.
Get in
[edit]It is best to travel this region by car, but public transit still exists:
- ALSA runs three bus lines that service the different valleys from Santander Bus Station:
- Santander-Selaya, which runs through the central Carriedo valley and its biggest town, Santa Maria de Cayon.
- Santander-Ontaneda, which runs through the westerly Pas valley and services the popular touristic attraction of Cueva del Castillo.
- Santander-San Roque, which runs through the easterly Miera valley and the town of Liérganes.
- Other smaller bus lines connect villages, though these tend to run only during weekdays and stop service in the afternoon.
- One can also take a Renfre train from Santander to Liérganes, though the rest of the region is not serviced by rail.
Do
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A typical plan for visitors is to choose a small village, complete a hike in the nearby woodland/mountain and return to have lunch or drinks in the village bar. Every village has at least one bar and most serve food, however in many smaller bars it is necessary to book in advance. Hiking, mountain biking, motocross, ATV driving and even mountain/rock climbing can be done in this region.
While most activities are outdoors, there are 3 museums in the region:
1 Centro de Arte Rupestre de Cantabria - a UNESCO world heritage site since 2008; this facility features an interpretive center and gift shop and access to 3 historic caves that have been used by humans since the last Ice Age 150,000 years ago, up to the medieval era. Unlike other prehistoric caves such as Altamira; you can see original cave art here and not modern reproductions. Guided tours must be booked in advance here.
2 Ethnographic Museum of the Pasiego Villages - a small museum inside a typical Pasiego house showing traditional Pasiego crafts and explanations of local history and culture located in the mountain village of Vega de Pas.
3 Joselin Sobao Museum - Sobaos are a typical Pasiego dessert that are well known outside of Cantabria. They are a kind of sponge cake made with local dairy and in this factory, you can see a small museum displaying the history of this sweet and of dairy production in the region. Guided tours with tasting can also be booked here. The facility also includes a large cafe & restaurant for visitors.
In the late summer, each town and village celebrates its saint's day with a massive, day-long to weekend-long festival called a "romeria". Sleepy, tiny villages become music festival grounds overnight with massive stages, outdoor bars with DJs and live bands playing often until 6am.
Eat
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The typical dish of this region is the "cocido montañés" which is unique to the mountains of Cantabria. Originating from medieval perpetual stews, it is hearty stew made from beans, collared greens, chorizo, black pudding, pork ribs & pork cheeks. Rural bars typically have a specialty dish that should be ordered in advance; usually this will be something like goat or lamb roasted in a wood oven, or even rarer dishes like stewed donkey. Besides this one can still enjoy fresh seafood and rabas, or fried calamari, is a typical bar food ordered to share while having drinks.
Some notable restaurants include:
[1]1 Las Piscinas in Villacarriedo
2 Bar José in Esles (phone number: +34942555745)
[3] 4 Posada La Semilla in Santa María de Cayón
For an experience in a true Pasiego tavern, one can visit:
1 Bar la Parra in Aloños (phone number: +34942593475)
2 Bar El Cruce in Elses (phone number: +34942555704)
3 Restaurante Casa Augusto
However almost every village has its own tavern, these are simply recommended. Be aware that you may only be able to pay in cash, and that you should call the owners in advance if you plan to order food in this type of bar.
Drink
[edit]As the bar is the center of village life in the valles, it is quite normal to stop in for a drink or two in the afternoon or early evenings. Most village bars close by 23:00 or midnight, while some stay open til 1:00. In Selaya and Saron, there are some bars and clubs open until the early hours of the morning.
The typical liquor in Cantabria is "orujo"; a strong spirit similar to grappa which is usually between 47-60% ABV. It is usually drunk slowly alongside a coffee after finishing a large, hearty meal. Some flavoured varieties are quite popular, including orujo infused with herbs, honey and cream. For the less courageous, vermouth is a popular aperitif taken with ice and orange peel. These are called a "marianito" and many bars have their own homemade vermouth, called "vermut de solera".
There is also a craft brewery nearby in the Miera valley:
4 DouGall's Brewery -- specializes in English ale styles and is one of the most popular craft breweries in Spain. You can book a tour on their website or pop in to their factory shop. Tours typically begin at 12:30 on Saturdays. Their beers can be purchased in most grocery stores in the region and even in some bars.