Voto: Aras Valley, Cave Archaeology and Historic Architectural Forms

Voto opens a window onto a history that becomes tangible in the Cueva de la Chora in San Pantaleón de Aras (Voto): The cave is one of the important caves in San Pantaleón de Aras; a layer dating to Magdalenian VI, containing several pieces of portable art, has been identified there, and it was used by groups of people between approximately 13,500 and 8,000 years ago. The combination of cave archaeology, architectural forms, the valley landscape and a terrain tour offers several ways of approaching the area without reducing it to a single theme.

Culture and History

The preserved remains of the Torre de Viluma in San Pantaleón de Aras form part of the town's medieval history; it is considered the ancestral seat of the Alvear family.

The Casa de Sebastián de Albear in San Pantaleón de Aras is dated to 1638.

The Iglesia de San Pantaleón de Aras is a building with a Latin-cross floor plan, whose construction began in the 15th century in the Gothic style.

The Casa de Pantaleón de Alvear is a rectangular ashlar building with small turrets at the corners.

At the Castillo de Mazarredonda, the visible remains of a roughly rectangular underground tower structure have been preserved.

The Castillo de Mazarredonda is one of the fortifications in the Asón Valley, whose origins may date back to the early Middle Ages.

The historic sites allow for different interpretations: architecture, military history and archaeology can each be considered as a separate focus.

The Aras Valley in eastern Cantabria is crossed by the Clarín and Clarón rivers. The valley landscape adds a scenic perspective to the individual historic sites, while the buildings and cave finds mentioned above introduce different chronological and thematic accents.

Experiences

Quad tours cross Tibetan bridges, pass through muddy sections and slides, and travel through heavily wooded areas with expansive views.

When choosing the day's activities, you can distinguish between quiet observation of historic sites and an active route. When different interests come together, the individual focuses can be weighted separately without reducing all impressions to a single theme.

When comparing a holiday apartment in Voto, you can place travel dates, room category and cancellation policies side by side. The three details concern timing, accommodation and contractual conditions; this allows you to keep your own plans in view while culture, landscape and activity provide different thematic focuses. For your personal selection, these different focuses can stand alongside one another: The Cueva de la Chora and the buildings represent culture and history, the Aras Valley represents landscape, and the quad tours represent activity. This keeps the accommodation decision tied to your own travel plans rather than to a blanket classification.

Other places in the same wider region include La Pared, Selaya, Laredo, Las Rozas De Valdearroyo, Secadura, Colindres and Puente Viesgo.

From the Santander–Bilbao motorway, take exit 177 towards Treto and then turn right towards San Miguel De Aras.

For the wider travel overview: Cantabria.