In the heart of the Cantabrian coast, where the mouth of the river Asón savagely celebrates its betrothal with the sea, the old city and town of Santoña, apart from its natural charm, still zealously preserves multiple secrets.
Located opposite another large coastal city, such as Laredo, Santoña still continues to speculate about whether it could have been, in origin, the ancient and splendid Portus Victoriae cited by the Roman historian Plinio.
Of its Roman and port past, however, there is no doubt, since in its waters and in its mysterious marshes, a multitude of objects have been found that testify to this and bring in check archaeologists, eager, as in the case of the old Egyptian city of Alexandria, in bringing to light a past that refuses to make it easy for him.
Much has also changed, it is true, the appearance of its splendid port, since it was launched in 1492, which was the flagship of the three caravels that accompanied Christopher Columbus on his voyage across the Atlantic and that shared the limelight with the discovery of the New World and the historical episodes developed from it: the Santa María.
The illustrious sailor and cosmographer, Juan de la Cosa, was also part of the city's illustrious surnames from Santoña, who obtained a prominent role in the first trips to the American continent and is considered to have drawn the most old preserved, with the description of the coasts and lands of the New World.
The prosperity of Santoña, whose fleet is famous, among many other things, for being little less than the main producer of a product with a certificate of excellence, such as its universally famous anchovies, can also be measured by the investments made in its port.
A port, which like many others that are distributed throughout the rugged Cantabrian coast, saw a multitude of pilgrims from all over the world flock to pay their respects to the Apostle Santiago, in Compostela, following the so-called itinerary o Route of the Coast and that now has renovated and modern facilities, among which stands out, in particular, an excellent viewpoint, shaped like the bow of a traditional fishing boat, from which you can contemplate a superb panoramic view of the bay and the environment of marshes and mountains that surround it.
Within the facilities, where there is also space for sports adventure, the so-called Paseo de los salazoneros (salting shakers) Italians also stands out, in memory of those pioneers who arrived from places like Sicily in the 19th century, which apparently gave rise to the salted fish that made this city famous.
In addition, as a gastronomic tourism route, the port of Santoña also has magnificent modern facilities, such as 'La Lonja' (The Fish Market), specialized in freshly caught seafood, which is undoubtedly a delight and an added attraction, as well such as controlled parking areas and a variety of interesting additions.
The marshes or lagoons, which extend over an infinity of square kilometers, are the scene of magnetic and eminently captivating landscapes, which give rise to extensive natural parks, where fauna and flora with a spectacular biodiversity value are conserved.
Among this, the reed beds and reed beds stand out, which serve as shelter and shelter for countless families of birds, such as ducks, cormorants and gray herons, among many other families and species, especially those known as ducks.
In short: a place with multiple and attractive possibilities, capable of surprising and at the same time captivating lovers of the most diverse and heterogeneous sensations.
RELATED MOVIE:
NOTICE: Both the text and the photographs that accompany it, as well as the video that illustrates it, are my exclusive intellectual property and therefore, are subject to my Copyright.
