Potes

The municipality of Liebana is one of the most attractive in Cantabria thanks to its geographical peculiarities. Potes, its main town, is a flat area surrounded by mountains which witnessed the medieval battles of the powerful houses of Mendoza and Manrique. More recently, in 1836, the great violinist Jesús de Monasterio was born here.

The town of Potes, the capital of the small municipality, is in the centre of the Liébana region, where the rivers Deva and Quiviesa meet. Surrounded by spectacular scenery and situated at the confluence of four valleys, the town has a rich past.

It is mentioned in documents from the mid ninth century and, from the end of the Middle Ages, it was first connected to the House of the Marquis of Santillana and then to the House of the Infantado.

Potes is known as the town of bridges and towers. The most outstanding is that of the Infantado (today the seat of the Town Hall) and that of Orejón de la Lama, both dating from the fifteenth century.

The old quarters of the town retain their traditional feel and charm. The narrow little streets and rambling houses (most bearing a coat of arms) take the visitor back in time.

Cuisine is undoubtedly one of the most significant aspects of Potes and of the entire region. The town has a wide variety of restaurants of varying styles and categories, offering a wide range of dishes. One of the culinary stars is the Liébana cocido (a kind of stew), made from chickpeas from the region (small and tender), cured meat or beef, cabbage and stuffing.
 

Meat is also first class in Potes, since this is a stockbreeding area. Game dishes are also excellent (wild boar and roe deer), as are the river fish (trout and salmon from the river Deva). Traditional cheeses are another delicacy from the area, along with the homemade desserts of frisuelos, rice pudding, canónigos and sequillos. The famous traditionally-produced liqueurs of orujo (eau-de-vie) and tostadillo are well worth a special mention. A popular festivity has grown up around the eau-de-vie, held every year in October with a view to promoting this product manufactured in stills from the harvest of the area's many vineyards. This popular liqueur is an ideal accompaniment to another drink from the region, Picos de Europa tea. All the typical foods can be found at the traditional market held every Monday in the Plaza de Potes. This market is deeply rooted in history and is a traditional meeting point for local people to exchange their agricultural produce. On 22nd January, the municipality celebrates the feast of its patron saint, St. Vincent Martyr and on 15th August, Our Lady of Valmayor. But the most popular and deep-rooted festivities are those held for the Holy Cross, on 14th September and following days.

This is a land of cattle and consequently livestock fairs. There are six main occasions throughout the year for buying and selling animals: 11th January, 1st March, 1st May, 29th June (St. Peter), 16th September and 2nd November (All Saints). The latter is one of the most important and well attended in the whole of Cantabria.

Potes and its region offer a varied range of alternative leisure pursuits, with emphasis on culture, sports and nature. The visitor can enjoy all kinds of facilities for activities that include trekking, mountain-biking, pony trekking, rock-climbing, cross-country skiing, paragliding, hunting, and fishing.