Mompia: Culture, Landscape and Camino del Norte

At the highest point of Mompía stands the present-day Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rosario. It was completed in 1824 and built entirely from ashlar stone. Mompía also has examples of Montañés architecture from the late 19th century.

Culture

An inscription on the lintel of the southern entrance to the Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rosario mentions the veneration of the Virgen del Rosario for Prezanes, Bezana and Mompía. A heritage route explores the villages of Bezana and Mompía, includes a visit to the Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, and conveys their historical and cultural heritage. For planning purposes, architecture, the townscape, the inscription and the heritage route can be considered as separate cultural topics.

Landscape

The access route to Alto del Lloreo passes through gentle slopes and hills with pastureland, small stands of Atlantic holm oak and remnants of former forests. A municipal route over Alto del Lloreo passes the cemetery on its way towards Mompía and Prezanes. The Arroyo de Palancate flows through the Mies de Salga and disappears into a sinkhole at Sotambra. The Arroyo Reculín rises in Mompía and then flows through Bezana to Prezanes and Soto de la Marina. The Riachuelo de Palancate rises on Monte del Cuco, crosses the meadows of Mompía and ends at Sotambra in Prezanes.

Those wishing to organise the various landscape topics can consider the terrain, routes and watercourses separately: the slopes and pastureland describe the character of the route, while the streams follow their own courses through Mompía and the surrounding villages. The spatial relationships of the three watercourses differ significantly.

Routes and Surroundings

The Museo Etnográfico de Cantabria Casa Velarde and the Bellas Artes Museum, both museums, are located in the surroundings of Mompía. The Termas Romanas y Necrópolis medieval de San Juan de Maliaño is a historic site near Mompía. The Ayuntamiento de Santander, a palace, is also located there. Nearby are Playa de Valdearnas, a beach, and Monte Picota, a peak. Mirador del antiguo lavadero de Cabarceno is a viewpoint in the surroundings of Mompía, while Osos Parque Natural de Cabárceno is a zoo in the same area.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Mompia, travel dates, room category and cancellation policies can be considered as separate offer details. These three details help to compare different options objectively side by side. Those wishing to explore Mompía from a cultural and landscape perspective can weigh the accommodation details independently of the topics of the hermitage, heritage route and watercourses.

For further planning, you can also include Sancibrían, Soto De La Marina and Maoño.

Mompía is a stop on the Camino del Norte between Santa Cruz de Bezana and Boo de Piélagos.

For the broader travel overview: Santa Cruz De Bezana.