Discover Proaño: Towers, Chapels and Pico Liguardi

At the entrance to Proaño stand the medieval Torre de los Ríos and the adjoining manor house of the Ríos Mier family. The main building of the manor house dates from 1775, while the Torre de Proaño is dated to the 13th or 14th century. Both structures are protected as Bien de Interés Cultural.

Culture and History

The tower of the Torre y casona de Proaño is rectangular and has four storeys. The Santa Eufemia family chapel houses a Gothic sculptural group from the 14th century. It also preserves three gravestones from the early medieval necropolis of Espinilla. The parish church of San Cipriano is a Baroque building from the 17th or 18th century. Inside is a small Gothic seated Madonna and Child dating from the late 14th or early 15th century.

The El Pajar Ethnographic Museum is housed in a farmhouse dating from the late 18th century. It displays traditional household objects and conveys the way of life, customs, folk traditions, rituals and folklore of the Campoo area. The items were used and collected in the Merindad de Campoo. Exhibits include objects related to agriculture, threshing and transport, crafts and textile processing, as well as the production of bread, cheese and honey. An appointment must be made in advance to visit; guided tours last 60 minutes.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Proaño, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the offer pages. For your own planning, the focuses on history, nature and outdoor activities can be weighted separately. The choice can be organised according to your preferred focus: those wishing to include historic interiors and collections can find different cultural sites in the tower, chapels, church and museum; those structuring their stay more around the outdoors can distinguish between the mountain, oak forest, views over the Campoo plain and a bicycle-friendly route. The date of the patron saint’s festival also provides a clearly dated cultural occasion.

Other places in the same travel area:Anero, Alfoz De Lloredo, Liérganes, Entrambasaguas, Herrerías, Anaz, Brez and La Revilla.

Landscape and Trails

West of Proaño, an oak forest grows on the slopes of Pico Liguardi, reaching close to La Hoz de Abiada. The settlement lies slightly elevated above a small valley bordered by Monte Castrejón. To the east, views open out over the Campoo plain.

Pico Liguardi can be climbed from Proaño. The PR-S 40 route, “Camino a los pies del Liguardi”, is very suitable for bicycles. The different types of activity can be considered separately when planning the day if you would like to switch between the mountain, landscape and cycling route.

Tradition and Festival Day

The San Cipriano patron saint’s festival in Proaño is celebrated on 26 September with traditional singing rounds, folklore and a village festival.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cantabria.