C A N T A B R I A   U N I V E R S I T Y
 
 
   
 
  CAMPOO-VALDERREDIBLE   Reinosa y Alto Campoo
Valdeprado del Río
Valdeolea
Valderredible
Map
 
Reinosa and Alto Campoo.  
    Towers of Manrique and Navamuel
(Reinosa)
  The southern districts of Cantabria are a borderland where the traditional features of the regions of Cantabria link with northern Castile. Four well-defined valleys constitute this area: Campóo, Valderredible, Valdeolea and Valdeprado. Campóo valley is reached crossing Las Hoces, an interesting area drained by the river Besaya, which is parallel to the remains of the Roman road which linked the Roman Pisoraca with Julióbriga and the ports of Suances (Portus Blendium) and Santander (Portus Victoriae).

The visit starts in Reinosa, a town 850 m above the sea level capital of the district of Campóo. In España square, the centre of the town, one can enjoy the oldest buildings of the place. They are the early-medieval large fortified towers of Manrique and Navamuel and Navamuel and Calderón, which during the Middle Ages, were part of the northern border of the village protecting the rear with a string of moats and ramparts, already gone. In the square and in the street around it, the old Camino Real (Royal Road), the 18th century buildings such as the house of Pano or Mioño are outstanding. Finally, it is worth mentioning the Town Hall beside the towers. Nearby, the church of San Sebastián, the best example of Baroque architecture in the area and one of the best in Cantabria, can be found. Towards the Camino Real and passing along Carlos III bridge, Puente street can be reached, where a series of 18th and 19th century buildings are remarkable, and among them, the Casona or house of La Niña de Oro. In the green area two regionalist buildings can be remarked, Txiqui Enea, which represents Basque regionalism, built by Smith Ibarra, and the Chalet Julióbriga, a clear example of montañés regionalism.

There are several possible routes from Reinosa. One of them is to take the road to the skiing station in Alto Campóo, reaching, after passing through Fontibre, the spring of the river Ebro, and taking a turn to the right, the castle of Argüeso, located high in a hill and at present being renovated. It essentially consists of two towers joined by a central body surrounded by a rampart. Taking the road to Campóo station, few kilometres away, there is another turn towards Proaño, where the medieval tower of Proaño can be found.

 
   
 
Towers of Navamuel and Calderón
(Reinosa)
 
   
 
Town Hall
(Reinosa)
 
 
   
 
Church of San Sebastián
(Reinosa)
   
 
Casona or House of La Niña de Oro
(Reinosa)
   
 
Castle of Argüeso
   
                             
  A R T I S T I C   R O U T E S