San Vicente de la Barquera Travel Guide

  Town view taken from the Castillo
by nomad7890
 
  • Town view taken from the Castillo
      Town view taken from the Castillo
    by nomad7890
  • Back view of the Church of our Lady of Los Angeles
      Back view of the Church of our Lady of...
    by nomad7890
  • San Vincente de la Barquera - Ria à marée basse.
      San Vincente de la Barquera - Ria à...
    by Chicham
  • Column - Colegiata in Santillana del Mar
      Column - Colegiata in Santillana del Mar
    by nomad7890
  • Sanctuary
      Sanctuary
    by nomad7890
 

Pro

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 Experience a typical Cantabric coastal town 


Con

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 Not found 


In a nutshell

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 Read 'Cantabrian Summer, Baltic Winter'!!! 

 

Explore San Vicente de la Barquera

Things to Do  

Go for a day hike following a nature itinerary

Go for a day hike following a nature itinerary, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  The tourism office in San Vicente de la Barquera has documented several day excursions to enjoy the beautiful scenery by hiking in the countryside. These itineraries appear in their website, however, they are only in Spanish, so if you need a better description you should go... 

Enjoy the sun, the sea and the beach

Enjoy the sun, the sea and the beach, San Vicente de la Barquera

 LanaFromRiga Says:  We stayed in Merón beach. It locates in the right bank of river Escudo. The beach is 4 km long. And it was almost free, without people! We enjoyed fantastical view, mild sand and pleasant weather alone. 

Visit the lighthouse

Visit the lighthouse, San Vicente de la Barquera

 LanaFromRiga Says:  The lighthouse is in the left bank of river Escudo. The entrance to the lighthouse isn't permitte, but it isn't a barrier for photographing views from the lighthouse place. 

Views from the maritime promenade.

Views from the maritime promenade., San Vicente de la Barquera

 breughel Says:  Views from the maritime promenade on the La Maza bridge by low tide and on the ria San Vicente to the north at high tide. Although these pics were made in June, sunshine is not common in Cantabria. The temperature is mild but the skies are mostly cloudy. 

Views on the "ria"

Views on the "ria", San Vicente de la Barquera

 breughel Says:  There are very nice views on the town and the "ria" San Vicente from the citadel.Walk up to the castle and church by the Calle de Alta. 

Church of Santa Maria de los Angeles

Church of Santa Maria de los Angeles, San Vicente de la Barquera

 breughel Says:  Santa Maria de los Angeles was build between the 13th and 16th century. The church is typical of the mountain's Gothic. A great strong tower and two Romanesque doors. 

Medieval walls.

Medieval walls., San Vicente de la Barquera

 breughel Says:  San Vicente's former medieval city was completely enclosed in a defensive system constituted by the Castle and the wall that was surrounding the old citadel.At present there remain parts of the northern walls and a door in the south. 

Puente de la Maza - Bridge of the Maza

Puente de la Maza - Bridge of the Maza, San Vicente de la Barquera

 breughel Says:  The bridge de la Maza is an important work of medieval engineering that began to be constructed in stone in the 15th century and with her 32 arches was in that time the largest bridge in the kingdom. The present bridge dates back of the epoch of Carlos III(18th c.) and is 2... 

Castillo del Rey and city walls

Castillo del Rey and city walls, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  The vantage point enjoyed by this castle made it a key place against invasions by normands and vikings. From the castle can be seen part of the old city wall that used to encircle the town. This wall had doors for the use of the people walking the Camino de Santiago's north... 

Walk to El Rompeolas (the Wave Breaker)

Walk to El Rompeolas (the Wave Breaker), San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  The area at the end of Paseo de La Barquera is called the Rompeolas, and if you come here when it's stormy or just a little windy it's easy to see why - the waves break dramatically over the rocks. If you enjoy listening to the ocean, this is your place, but be careful if... 

Iglesia de Santa Maria de los Angeles

Iglesia de Santa Maria de los Angeles, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  This church was built between the XIII and XVI centuries over an older existing church, denoting the growth that was being experienced in the area. As many other churches in the region the floor contains a graveyard. The figures inside the church are quite interesting and... 

Stroll to the Puente de la Maza

Stroll to the Puente de la Maza, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  The Puente de la Maza is a beautiful structure and even in a rainy day, when this photo was taken it offers beautiful views. Coming from the center of town it is nice to walk along the water down Avenida Miramar towards the bus station, when you will spot many schools of... 

Visit the Sanctuary of La Barquera

Visit the Sanctuary of La Barquera, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  This sanctuary marks the place where according to local tradition, it is said that Our Lady of La Barquera appeared at the entrance to the harbor many years ago. It is a peacful place, a beautiful structure overlooking the ria with luscious greenery around its walls.... 

La montée au château.

La montée au château., San Vicente de la Barquera

 Chicham Says:  Il est un fait que je me suis laissée conduire à San Vincente non pas pour visiter de vieilles pierres mais bien pour y manger des fruits de mer.Après avoir ainsi satisfait la partie gastronomique de cette excursion je suis montée au château de moyen age qui se visite de... 

Hotels  

Villa De San Vicente

 1 Review and 6 Opinions  Hotel Villa San Vicente is a comfortable, very clean facility within easy reach from the bus... 

Don Ramon

 0 Opinions

Restaurants  

Super Mercado Coviran: Pack a picnic

Super Mercado Coviran: Pack a picnic, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  If you would like to have a picnic ... - or maybe just have one low budget meal so you can splurge at the Miramar ;-) - there is a little market which can be hard to find down the Paseo de la Barquera between the San Vicente de la Barquera bridge and the sanctuary - just... 

Hotel Restaurante Miramar: Outstanding food with incomparable view

Hotel Restaurante Miramar: Outstanding food with incomparable view, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  I arrived to San Vicente de la Barquera in the evening and I was tired from a long trip from Valencia and going down the wrong bridge to find the hotel, and had worked up an appetite. I asked the concierge to recommend a *good, quiet* place to eat, not too over run with... 

Transportation  

Bus from many places in Cantabria

Bus from many places in Cantabria, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  San Vicente de La Barquera is easy to reach from many places. If you are coming from Madrid you can take the train to Santander, then right across the train station you can find the bus station. There are two main lines that go to San Vicente: La Cantabrica and Alsa. If you... 

Walking is the best way to get around

Walking is the best way to get around, San Vicente de la Barquera

 nomad7890 Says:  Once in San Vicente de La Barquera the simplest way to get around is to walk. This town is great for strollers if you have little children but be aware some of the streets may have a slight inclination. Bring a comfortable pair of shoes, and enjoy! 

Warnings and Dangers  

Be careful with waves if inclement weather
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3.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

nomad7890 54 reviews
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San Vicente de la Barquera is an incredibly safe place to be, but there is one place where care should be taken if the ocean is choppy or if there is an approaching storm, particularly if you are with children - this is at the end of the Paseo de la Barquera where they call it "Rompeolas" (wave-breaker) in the Tourist map. While this area offers a beautiful view, the waves can become dangerous. Even I decided to turn around, and I was raised near the ocean and am used to rough waves.

Heed the sign - although it's in Spanish only, the drawings should be very clear. The coast is beautiful, but it can get pretty rough in a hurry.

Updated Sep 7, 2009

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Off The Beaten Path  

Perfect place to base trips to nearby areas
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3.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

nomad7890 54 reviews
Column - Colegiata in Santillana del Mar

San Vicente de la Barquera is an excellent location to be based for a visit to Cantabria. Best part is that a car is not necessary. It is easy to reach the following locations by bus:

- Comillas (11.5 km)

- Llanes (36 km)

- Santillana del Mar (24 kim)

- Santander (60 km)

See the transportation link for buses for these locations - La Cantabrica is known to stop in all these towns, check for Alsa.

Updated Sep 7, 2009

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Map of San Vicente de la Barquera