San Vicente de la Barquera

San Vicente sits on an estuary within the Oyambre natural park, and the standard image is the Puente de la Maza, a long bridge of many arches crossing the water, with the town on its ridge behind and, on a clear day, the snow-covered Picos de Europa rising beyond. It was one of the four maritime towns of the Cantabrian coast granted trading privileges in the medieval period, and it keeps a castle of the thirteenth century and the church of Santa Maria de los Angeles with a Gothic portal and the alabaster tomb of an inquisitor. The fishing fleet still works. In April the town holds La Folia, a night procession in which a boat carries an image across the water surrounded by lit vessels.

What you actually see

• The Puente de la Maza - a long multi-arched bridge across the estuary.
• The Picos backdrop - the mountains behind the town on clear days.
• The castle and church - thirteenth-century fortifications and a Gothic church.
• La Folia - an April night procession of boats on the estuary.

When to go

May, June, September and October; August fills the town with Spanish holidaymakers. The Picos view depends on clear weather, which on this coast is not guaranteed in any season.

Honest expectations

Cloud hides the Picos more often than not, and the famous view is a matter of luck. The town is busy in summer and quiet the rest of the year. Rain is frequent.

Nearby

Comillas lies east; the Picos de Europa and Potes are inland to the south.