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Despite their military success, the Romans never felt entirely safe in Cantabria. Their influence was largely restricted to the new towns that they founded, and when they and their empire were swept away in 410 AD, few tears were shed in the hills. In innumerable villages and towns their demise passed virtually unnoticed. For more than 150 years the rugged mountain folk remained stubbornly independent of all that happened around thern. In 574, the Visigoths tried to impose sorne order by creating the Duchy of Cantabria, but History was soon flexing its muscles again, and with the coming of the Moors Cantabria and its neighbour Asturias became the front line of resistance and the embryo of the Reconquest. The boundaries of Cantabria became less distinct, and ultimately its western sector was swallowed by Asturias, while the eastern part was absorbed by Castile.A lesser people might finally have given up the struggle and allowed themselves to be sucked into oblivion, but Cantabria was far from finished. The province of Santander was created as part of the wholesale re-structuring of Spain in 1833. Cantabria was back, albeit under an assumed name, and for the first time it had its own capital and administrative centre. It would prove, in the words of the popular song, to be the start of something big.

The l9th century was a period of great progress and expansion, especially for the capital, which grew into one of Europe’s most important ports. It is also a beautiful city, with excellent beaches and over 30 parks. Culture is important here, as it is throughout Spain. Frorn humble beginnings in 1948, when someone thought it would be a good idea to bring a little musical enlightenment to the students of the Menendez Pelayo International University (UIMP), the International Santander Festival has become one of Europe’s premier cultural events. A touristic triumph.

Beyond the capital, the mountain nature reserves are a Mecca for the adventurous - particularly those able to deal nonchalantly with the occasional appearance of bears and wolves. Cantabria’s unique situation is highlighted by the Pico de Tres Mares (Three Seas Peak). Depending on which route it takes down the mountain, rainfall here might end up in the Atlantic (via the Rio Duero), the Sea of Cantabria (the Rio Nansa) or the Mediterranean (the Rio Ebro). Amazingly, two years into the 2lst century, no one has yet devised a method of turning this phenomenon into a TV game show. The fit, and those with illusions of fitness, can canoe, ski, parachute and hurtle down mountain rivers on rafts to their hearts’ content. If necessary they can stiffen their sinews beforehand with a sip or two of orujolebaniego - a local beverage distilled from the grape refuse left over after pressing. Its history of physical isolation, and the indomitable independence of its people, has made Cantabria unique. And in its hills there are still mysteries.

Garabandal is a village close to the Picos de Europa. There, on the evening of June 18, 1961, four young girls playing on a hillside saw a vision of the Archangel Michael. The following day he appeared again and told them that if they came back on July 2, they would see the Blessed Virgin. Word spread, and on the appointed day - a Sunday - the girls were followed by a vast crowd, who saw them apparently consumed with ecstasy at a vision which only they could see. They received and passed on messages both of hope and of coming apocalyptic doom. More visions followed, and the girls took to wandering around the village, in and out of houses uninvited. Such behaviour would, in normal circurnstances, have resulted in a hefty clout from the nearest broom, but now the intrusions were welcomed as an honour. The apparitions lasted until November 1965, during which time only one other person, a 38-year-old Jesuit priest, Father Luis Marie Andreu, claimed to have seen the Virgin. That was on August 8, 1961, and so overcome was he that he went straight home and dropped dead of joy.

In her final visitation, the Virgin promised to return one day to proclaim a new era in human history. This will be preceded by a warning, followed by a miracle. Details of both were given to the girls, but they were allowed to reveal only that the miracle would occur on a Thursday at 20.30. Swarnped by the technological wonders of our age, we may well have lost the ability to distinguish genuine miracles from computer graphics, but in the ancient mountains of Cantabria, who knows? Who knows?

The Cantabri had a fearsome reputation. Of all the ancient Iberian tribes, they put up the fiercest resistance to the invading Romans. Nevertheless, the Romans overcame them, humiliated them and marched on. The punch-drunk Cantabria died out dreaming of a rematch. When History flexes its muscles and offers to fight any man in the house it is sornetimes better to don a bow tie and grab a seat in the front row than to step into the ring. Yet two thousand years on, the high peaks that rise at Torrelavega in the province of Santander and stretch across Asturias towards Galicia are known as the Cantabrian Mountains (Cordillera Cantabrica), and not the Sierra Romana.Cantabria is now synonymous with Santander, a province so mountainous that it is known colloquially as The Mountain. It covers 5,289 square kilometres (2,042 square miles) and its south-western border with Asturias is markecl by some of the most impressive mountains in the chain, the limestone mini-Everests of the Picos de Europa, which rise to over 2,620 kilometres (8,600 feet). In the north, the province ends abruptly on the shores of the Bay of Biscay. Judging by the incredible prehistoric paintings and etchings found in the Altamira cave, 30 kilometres west of the region’s capital city, even the Cantabri were relative late-comers to the mountains. A hunter stumbled on the cave in 1868, but it was a nobleman from Santander, Marcelino de Sautuola, who made it famous. Remarkable, really, since he seems to have been either as bhind as a bat, or the unfortunate victim of an arthritic neck which prevented him from looking upwards. He first visited the cave in 1875, and had no problem picking up bones and flint tools from the floor.

However, it was not until four years later, when he took his young daughter, Maria, along with him, that the paintings came to light. While Marcelino was scrabbhing in the dust looking for more bones to add to his collection, she yawned, stared lethargically upwards and said, “Papa, bulls”. The bulls were actually bison, but the child may be forgiven for that. The cavern roof was covered with vivid red, black and violet paintings of them. Among the 150 or so, there were a couple of wild boar, a few horses, a hind, but this was unmistakably the inner sanctum of the Cantabrian Bison Society.

His attention belatedly drawn to the existence of an unparalleled prehistoric art gallery which he had previously failed to notice despite unerringly retrieving microscopic pieces of bone from the dust of millennia, the world’s worst archaeologist now began shouting his discovery from the rooftops. In 1880, his published descriptions of the paintings were initially greeted with scepticisrn. Many denounced them outright as forgeries. After all, it did seem passing strange that their existence had gone unnoticed by the hunter who found the cave in 1868, and by Marcelino himself in the four years he had spent skulking around the cave before the fortuitous visit of his daughter. But despite their suspicions, no one could recail seeing hirn heading for, or returning from the cave with a paintbrush, and by the turn of the century, most experts accepted them as genuine. They had to. By then the paint was dry.

Santander is one of the provinces of Old Castile, and its capital lies on the southern shore of the rocky peninsula of Cabo Mayor, in an inlet of the Bay of Biscay known as Bahia de Santander. It was a natural place to build a town, and sorne historians equate it with the lost Roman settlement of Portus Victoriae. That would have been a characteristically triumphal name to have given a town after the final crushing of the troublesorne Cantabri. Rubbing the noses of vanquished foes in the dirt was de rigueur for the Romans. But there are always historians willing to see evidence of lost Roman settlements on every hillside and in every scrape of an excavator’s trowel, so we should be wary.

According to the ministry for tourism Ceuta is a multicultural European city in northern Africa. It is an open city, easy and comfortable. It is accessible to the Costa del Sol, either for a day visit or a longer weekend stay, and it offers a unique mix of culture, gastronomy and tax-free shopping. A 40-minute journey by Trasmediterranea’s fast ferry from Algeciras, Ceuta is, for administrative purposes, part of Andalucía (and more specifically Cádiz) but it has special status as an autonomous city. It is surrounded on both sides by water (with the Mediterranean and Atlantic connected by what is believed to be the only navigable moat in the world) and, together with Gibraltar on the other side of the Straits, dominates the entrance to the Mediterranean - hence its strategic military importance, both historically and currently.  With one of the highest traffic densities in the world, it covers an area of 19 square kilometres plus five square kilometres rescued from the sea but this includes vast, protected, uninhabited green areas, and the 75,000 residents live in apartment blocks around the port and City centre. Agriculture and industry are almost non-existent in Ceuta and maritime and fishing traditions dominate. The city also has a strong military past. General Franco’s nationalist troops set forth for Spain from Ceuta, and many Spaniards of a certain age had to do their obligatory military service in Ceuta. With the mili now defunct, most of the military barracks are empty, and there are plans to turn the navy area into a university cornplex.

With such limited space, Ceuta has had to be creative in its urban planning. Sorne of the land redeveloped from the sea features three expansive saltwater “lakes” (or pools), the Parque Marítimo Mediteraneo, where residents and visitors can spend their days swimming and sunbathing (a five kilometre pipeline transports clean water from the middle of the Straits). Which brings us to the history of the city. Whenever the issue of Gibraltarian sovereignty is mentioned, those who oppose Spain’s claims to the Rock like to taunt: so what about Ceuta (and Melilla)? It is indisputable that, geographically, Ceuta is in northern Africa and is as physically close to Morocco as Gibraltar is to Spain. But after that the comparisons become irrelevant.

Over 1,500 years Ceuta was variously dorninated by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Rornans, Vandals, Visigoths and Arabs, before the Portuguese took power in 1415. When Don Sebastian died without heirs in 1581, the Portuguese crown (including Ceuta) passed to the King of Spain, Felipe II. Portugal gained its independence in 1640, but Ceuta voted in a plebiscite to stay loyal to the then Felipe IV. Ceuta subsequently suffered two centuries of war with the Arabs but Spain signed a peace treaty with the Sultan of Fez in 1860, and the Spaniards were not required to demand sovereignty over Ceuta because it had been a part of Spain even before the kingdom of Morocco existed. Indeed, the ceutis are the only Spanish inhabitants to have chosen voluntarily to be part of the kingdom of Spain - though they stress that Ceuta is much more than sorne anachronistic outpost of Spanish colonialism. It is, they say, an attractive, modern tourist destination where visitors can discover four different worlds as they have managed to create a community in which four cultures - Christian, Hebrew, Hindu and Arab - live together in relative harmony.

Baza is the capital of the northern part of the Province of Granada, and festivals take place here that are unique in Spain, such as the famous Cascamorras. Archaeological remains tell us that man has lived here since prehistoric times. The well-known Dama de Baza was found in one of the Iberian burial sites in the area, and the Moorish baths are among the most complete in the country.Baza is believed to be one of the oldest of all human settlements in Spain. The town and its surrounding area has a rich and varied architectural, historical and archaeological heritage, having been home to many different cultures down the centuries and back to pre-historic times. Its town centre was declared a Historic Centre in 2003, and in its narrow winding streets, especially around the walled medina area where the Alcazaba was built, we can see rnany remains of this rich and ancient past. Approximately 20,000 people live in the municipality, situated to the north of the province of Granada. Its archaeological sites, such as the Iberian-Roman town of Basti and its ancient burial sites, in one of which was discovered the famous Dama de Baza, and its Moorish Baths all make this one of the most important archaeological and historical towns in Andalucía.

From the point of view of the environment, Baza offers a contrast of landscape which ranges from its mountain range, declared a Nature Park in 1989, to almost desert landscapes in the area known as the Altiplanicie, with an oasis of green between the two, which is La Vega. But the region is also known far and wide for its own particular type of domestic architecture, which is the house cave. Many of these ancient dwellings, which were used in the past by farmers, cattle breeders and miners, have now been adapted for rural tourism.

Baza has an important architectural, archaeological and historical heritage, the result of the many different peoples who lived in this area over the centuries, ah of whom left something of their culture behind them. Although little remains of the Alcazaba de Baza these days other than sections of wall and sorne towers, in its day it was an impregnable fortress. Its walls were built in three phases: the first in the 11th and 12th centuries, the second in the time of the Nazari occupation and the third by the Christians in the 16th century. It is located in the heart of the old town centre, dominated by the old medina. The palacio de los Enriques is a magnificent example of a Renaissance palace designed in the style of an Italian country villa, and as such it is unique in all of Andalucía. It was ordered built by Enrique Enríquez and his wife Maria de Luna, aunt and uncle of the Catholic Monarchs. Work on the palace began in 1506, and since then it has been extensively restored. Inside can be seen sorne excellent examples of Mudejar armoury, all extensively decorated with Renaissance motifs.

The Real Pósito was built in 1762, during the reign of Carlos III, and it still conserves its beautiful patio surrounded by galleries. On the main entrance we can see the royal coat-of-arms and that of the corregidor (the local chiefmagistrate) and the mayor. Inside, besides being a grain store, works of theatre are also held. This was also once the headquarters of the Economic Society of Friends of the Baza Country during the last quarter of the 18th century. The Moorish Baths in the town are particularly well preserved, dating back to the 13th century. They are a rnagnificent example of urban baths of the period, located beside the mosque in the old area of Marzuela (the present barrio of Santiago). A visit to the Moorish Baths is a must for any visitor to the town.

As one would expect, there are numerous churches in the town, the most outstanding being the Iglesia Mayor Colegiata. One should also see the Caños Dorados, a monumental fountain situated close to the Puerta del Peso, on the royal Lorca road, which was designed in the form of lion and human heads. There are many local festivals throughout the year in the town, the most outstanding of them being the Festival of El Cascamorras. It was declared to be of National Tourist Interest in 2006, and begins every year on September 6, from six in the evening, kicking off what has become one of the most popular traditional festivals in the entire region.

The area which constitutes the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama National Park and the rest of the mountains of the Poniente Granadino, has a Mediterranean climate, characterized by hot summers and mild winters. As such, the region can be visited at any time of year. The Betic mountain ranges, which include the sierras of the Poniente Granadino, are made up of easily eroded limestone masses. This has resulted in the development of an abrupt landscape which contrasts with the smoothness of the flood plain of the River Genil, known as the Granado Basin. The water of many streams empty into this channel, filling with life a land whose predominant feature is the diversity of its landscope.

As well as the sierras which give their name to the Natural Park, to the North of the Genil, the Sierra de Parapanda and the Sierra de las Chanzas rise from the ground, and to the South, the Sierra de Gibalto, la Sierra de Campo Agro, la Sierra de Loja and la Sierra Gorda, which constitute a hilly landscape, with some outstanding mountain peaks, and gentle valleys.

Yesterday we talked about the communications of the Poniente Granadino and its privileged position which allows the visitor to reach the cities of Granada, Seville, Cordoba and Malaga in less than an hour by car. We also spoke about the history of the area and the Hispano-Muslem culture and the many architectural examples we can enjoy today.

Much more ancient are the Megalithic remains from the frontier between life and death which marked the primitive population of the zone such as the dolmens from the Peña de los Gitanos. Having examined the mix of reality and symbolism in the prehistoric rock art, the traveller can swiftly move on to admire the aesthetic tendencies of classical illustrated art, with the best examples to be found in the churches of Encarnación de Loja, Alhama de Granada, Íllora and Montefrío, without forgetting the sumptuosity of the numerous Baroque buildings which dot the region.

For those who wish to discover these treasures, but are too far away the plane is a perfect means of transport. The airport in Granada is very close to this region. and has regular flights from Madrid, Barcelona aud Melilla. It is also possihle to come via Málaga airport, at the opposite end of the region. The Poniente Granadino’s land communications are also very efficient. The main axis of the The Poniente Granadino road system is the A-92 motorway, from which rnany national and regional roads branch off, providing efficient connections between most parts of the region. Furthermore, several railway services cross the Poniente Granadino daily, connecting Sevilla and Algeciras with Granada, passing through Loja and other towns.

 We remind our readers that a rent-a-car is the perfect solution to discover this interesting region by yourself and recommend to visit the website www.hispacar.com for competitive quotes for car rental in Granada or car rental in Malaga from reputable car hire companies at Granada airport, Seville airport, Jerez airport or Malaga airport and many other destinations in Andalusia and Spain.

Poniente Granadino is crossed from East to West by Andalucia’s main artery of communication, the A-92 motorway. This road provides easy access to the whole territory, connecting it rapidly to the cities of Granada, Málag, Sevilla and Córdoba.
As such, the Poniente Granadino can be said to be strategically privileged. With an area of 2,044 km2, the region contains 16 municipalities: Algarinejo, Alhama de Granada, Arena del Rey, Cacín, Huétor-Tájar, Jayena, Íllora, Loja, Moclín, Montefrio, Moraleda de Zafayona, Salar, Santa Cruz del Comercio, Villanueva Mesía, Zagra and Zafarraya. It borders the provinces of Jaén to the north, Córdoba to the northeast, and Málaga to the south and west. Its privileged position allows the visitor to reach the cities of Granada, Sevilla, Córdoba and Granada, in only a few minutes.

Being a territory which bordered on other provinces, the Poniente Granadino became a strategic site in the defence of the Nazarine Kingdom of Granada, in the final phase of the splendour of Al-Andalus. Moreover, its position meant that the region witnessed the new influences which trickled in from the Christian areas, thereby favouring the cultural enrichment which we can enjoy today. The castles of Loja, Moclín, Íllora, Zagra and Montefrío are a reflection of a time dominated by frontier rivalries between two very different cultural and religious traditions: the Hispano-Muslim Culture, and the incipient Renaissance Culture, from both of which magnificent architectural examples survive to this day.

For those who wish to discover this territory we recommend to use reputable car hire companies at Granada airport as well as Malaga airport, like Europcar, National Atesa, Hertz, Auriga Crown Car Hire etc. To obtain a free online quote for car hire at Granada airport or car hire at Malaga airport from on of these companies we recommend the website of hispacar, an online car rental broker with very competitive prices for car hire in Malaga, Granada, Almeria, Seville, Jerez etc.

1.- The Poniente Granadino is a new tourist area, without the saturation of other destinations with similar characteristics.

2.- It is an area which is easily accessible from anywhere in Andalucía, meaning that as well as seeing this region, visitors can also make trips lo a large number of other tourist areas in Andalucía (Costa del Sol, Granada, Sevilla, Córdoba, the Sierra Nevada, the Subbética of Córdoba, etc.) making one day round trips.

3.- The arcea contains five towns with first class monuments (Alhama de Granada, Íllora, Loja, Moclín and Montefrio), as well as an archaeological park, with extraordinary environmental and cultural value (la Peña de los Gitanos in Montefrío).

4.- lts landscape of water meadows, farmland and mountain peaks encloses the Sierras de Alhama, Tejeda and Almijara Natural Park, as well as another space which is on the point of receiving the same nomination, the Sierras de Loja, Chanzas, Parapanda, Marqués. Come and see the transparency of the rivers and lakes, which carve out this land.

5.- The transport network within The Poniente Granadino is one of the most complete in the surrounding area, with the A-92 motorway and the Granada-Sevilla railway. Furthermore, Málaga and Granada airports are only a short distance away.

6.- The Poniente Granadino has a wide range of lodgings, with options ranging from 5-star luxury to modest pensions, with 2 and 3-star hotels in between, as well as spa resorts, campsites, rural hotels, farm schools, etc.

7.- The gastronomic offer allows the enjoyment both of exclusive dishes from the local cuisine, and of the most exquisite international food and dishes invented and prepared by renowned chefs. And this is without mentioning the option of tapas, so typical of Andalucía. Trout and sturgeon from Riofrío (in Loja), green-purple asparagus from Huétor-Tájar, wine from Alhama and goats cheese from Montefrío, Jayena and Jatar are some of the specialities of the region.

8.- Some of the cultural celebrations and festivals of The Poniente Granadino already enjoy tradition and prestige recognized at an international level: the pilgrimage of El Cristo del Paño in Moclín, the Holy Week celebrations, or the “Va de calle” International Festival of Street Theatre and Animation in Loja, the “Parapanda Folk” International Music Festival in Íllora, Camival, and the Andalucía Song Festival in Alhama de Granada.
9.- The range of tourist activities includes trout-river fishing, donkey trekking, 4×4 group outings, bicycle tours, water activities in the Bermejales lake, etc.

10.- A common tie unites the region with the following towns: with Granada, the whole of history; with Málaga, our geographical roof, the Peak of the Maroma, and the river Guadalhorce, the umbilical cord between the Puerto de los Abazores and the provincial capital.

Good news for all our German readers and customers; due to the huge demand of useful information today we’ve launched our blog in german with news and information about rural tourism, activities and accomodation.

This is a great opportunity for the german speaking community to find out where to go, what to do or where to stay with lots of information about places worthwhile, gastronomy, walking, hiking, culture, history, nature, flora and fauna, excursions, etc.

The URL of our german blog is: http://www.rural-tour.com/ferien/blog

We`re proud to announce, that we have started a new blog in spanish with news and information about rural tourism and rural accomodation for the spanish speaking community. As usual themes will range from where to go, what to do, where to stay with information about interesting places to visit, gastronomy, history, culture, excursions, etc.

The URL is: http://www.rural-tour.com/vacaciones/blog