Imagine a place you will never forget. The memories of this region of contrasts, its varied forests, its fresh rivers will encourage you to return.
You will also remember the magical corners with interesting Romanesque hermitages, thin towers, castles and the other remaining heritage.
One thing is certain, the calm of its villages, its lively roots, its tasty gastronomy and the charm of the inhabitants will remain in your memory for ever. After your visit your only obsession will be to return to “Las Merindades”. You will come back!
In the north of the province of Burgos more than 360 villages extended over an area similar to that of nearby Vizcaya, compose the broad area of “las Merindades”.
Here, the river Ebro and the Cantabrian Range have created a contrasting landscape that enables the coexistence of different species of vegetation and animals. Enchanted landscape:
The existing diversity of vegetation gives birth to many different colours in nature, being so during all the seasons of the year.
Landscape of quality:
Broad depressions and desolated highs, glacial villages and steep mountains, huge cavities and challenging gorges, waterfalls and rich rivers, aboriginal forests and steep meadows, all this is present in our landscape.
Heritage of the past:
From the primitives until our days different people have bequeathed their heritage. During the Middle Age the area was of crucial importance to the “re-population” as it was the original centre of Castilla
Merindad:
The name Merindad appears in the X century, referring to an area where a “merino” was the Royal representative.
The religious heritage:
Several outstanding Romanesque churches posses, in spite of their reduced size, a good unity of style. There are also good examples of Gothic style.
The great number of defensive towers and strongholds are the reminders of a warlike past, the battles between the li neage of the “Salazar” and the “Velasco”: We can find in nearly every village a boasted house.
As monumental ensembles those of Oña, Frias, Espinosa and Medina de Pomar are outstanding. A special mention has to be made to the rural house, based on a highlander model with its sun-trap as the most particular element.
 A place to enjoy:
Traditions and fairs are alive in Merindades. Pilgrimages and local festivals are still joining the people of the region and the curious visitants year after year.
During the summer months several villages celebrate their local festivals .We must not forget the weekly markets, the cattle-dealers fairs and other cultural events.
The gastronomical products have a good reputation because of the quality of the raw material and the careful craftwork. Thanks to its natural taste, the meat of the area has reached a acknowledged fame.
There are a great number of restaurants where to taste the delicious northern kitchen, known for its good price/quality relation.
 The offer of a ccommodation has been conditioned by its quality. There are from flats to hire during the summer months to hotels, rural houses, hostels, inns, rural centres, campsites and holiday settlements.
Las Merindades is the ideal place to practise sports in nature: trekking, mountain biking, rock climbing, speleology, skiing, sailing, rafting, rowing, golf, fishing, hunting, and all kind of air sports. There is a large range of activities all year long. |
