Santibáñez – Church, Watermill and Equestrian Sports

The Church of San Juan Bautista de Santibáñez dates from the 16th century; its tower was completed in the 17th century. It features an original 18th-century high altarpiece with an almost circular entablature.

Culture

The Molino Harinero de Santibáñez flour mill is listed as an inventoried cultural asset in the General Inventory of the Cultural Heritage of Cantabria. It is over two hundred years old and possibly one of the largest and most sophisticated watermills in Cantabria. A rodezno-type watermill, it has a horizontal waterwheel and is supplied by the Junquera River; its inlet and outlet channel was considered to be well preserved.

The school in Santibáñez de Carriedo was funded in 1927 by Francisco Pérez Venero. It was equipped with educational materials and supplementary services that reflected modern educational trends. The 37th Aurelio González Memorial was held at the bowling alley of the El Pilar estate in Santibáñez.

For your own planning, these cultural topics can be considered separately: sacred architecture, milling technology, the history of education and the history of events each have their own emphasis. No fixed order is necessary; you can shift the focus between historical details and sporting topics.

Landscape

The course of the Pisueña through Villacarriedo is included in the Río Pas Site of Community Importance within the Natura 2000 network. In the upper Pisueña basin around Villacarriedo, hay meadows interspersed with Pasiega huts shape the landscape; numerous streams add to the richness of the municipality's rivers and fish stocks.

The information about the landscape and activities organizes the area in two different ways: first through geographical references, and second through specific forms of sport. This separation can serve as a simple guide for planning your own day.

Activities

The private Centro Ecuestre Santibáñez, operated by Depolur, S.L., is located at Barrio Villalaz 11, 39649 Santibáñez–Villacarriedo, Cantabria. Its main activity is equestrian sports; its services include lessons, competitions, riding camps and horse boarding.

The grounds of the Centro Ecuestre Santibáñez include an approximately 1 km long and 5 m wide riding and galloping track, running along the banks of the Pisueña and Junquera rivers and reserved exclusively for horses. The mountain bike route “Santibáñez – Vuelta al valle del Pisueña” is a circuit starting and ending in Santibáñez de Carriedo.

An ALSA bus service connected Santibáñez with Santander.

When comparing holiday apartments in Santibáñez, focus on the travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions on the offers page. Include these three details in your personal planning and keep the cultural, landscape and sporting highlights in mind as separate topics.

Other places: Udías, Liendo, Arenas De Iguña, Santiurde De Toranzo, Bareyo, Helguera, Cohiño, Dueso

For the broader travel overview: Cantabria.