Limpias between the Ría and Cultural Heritage

In Limpias, the ensemble comprising the Puerto Fluvial del Rivero and the Casa Lonja was recognized as a Bien de Interés Cultural in 2009.

Culture

In the Rucoba district, the Iglesia de San Pedro is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural. It was built in the early 15th century around a small predecessor monastery; it was later given three naves with late Gothic ribbed vaulting.

The Iglesia de San Pedro in Limpias continues to attract visitors and pilgrims. Every year, visitors come from other parts of Spain and from other countries. The Parque Museo Militar Armada Española offers visitors a 200-meter circular route featuring numerous military objects.

The Acueducto de Espina was built around 1809 from masonry with several arches and is considered a notable example of Limpias’s industrial and hydraulic heritage. The Torre del Reloj is considered a viewpoint overlooking the marshes, with spectacular panoramas and sunsets in the surrounding area. The Restaurante Palacio de Eguilior at the Parador de Limpias serves Cantabrian cuisine with regional specialties, including Cocido Montañés as well as fish and seafood from the Cantabrian Sea.

Nature

The Asón River passes through Limpias as the Ría de Limpias and reaches the Cantabrian Sea near Colindres. The Marismas de Limpias lie in the southern part of the Marismas de Santoña, Victoria y Joyel Nature Park. In Limpias, the Asón River is designated as a Special Area of Conservation (ZEC).

The Jardín de Costamar offers a place to relax on the Ría de Limpias, with views of the ría and the Marismas de Santoña. In this river landscape, calm, water-rich waters form between green mountains before the river reaches the Cantabrian Sea; the surroundings are considered suitable for water sports such as stand-up paddleboarding.

Trails and Water

The Paseo de la Ría del Asón is an approximately 3-kilometer out-and-back route along the Asón and is accessible to people with reduced mobility and to strollers. The Camino del Yelso de Hayas starts at the Iglesia de San Pedro in the Rucoba district and leads to the Menhir of Yelso de Hayas. The Senda a la Torre del Reloj is a semi-urban cultural circular route suitable for most visitors.

For planning purposes, route type, distance, destination and accessibility can be compared separately.

The Travesía a Nado de Limpias “Ascenso al Asón” swimming event takes place every year in August, with competition distances of 5,000 m, 800 m and 400 m. The Paseo de la Ría forms part of a section of the Ruta de Carlos V; the route refers to the journey of Charles V, who came ashore in Laredo and began his journey to Yuste Monastery.

A fixed event month and different competition distances place different emphasis on scheduling than the local trails.

More destinations

Santoña, Argomilla, Salces, Santillana Del Mar, Revelillas, Comillas, Peñarrubia and Ibio

Getting there: Limpias can be reached via the A-8. Take exit 173 towards Burgos-Logroño and follow the road for about 1 km to the turnoff for Limpias. From Santander, Limpias can be reached by FEVE train and by ALSA bus; Laredo and Colindres are listed as intermediate stops on the bus route.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cantabria.