Quijano: Heritage between the Pas River and the countryside

Quijano brings together a historic townscape and a rural landscape along the Pas River. When planning your stay, you can focus on either of two distinct aspects: the town’s neighbourhoods, buildings and cultural landmarks, or its trails and riverside scenery.

Historic neighbourhoods and buildings

La Edesa is one of Quijano’s oldest neighbourhoods. Its terraced houses stand on higher ground, a location intended to protect them from flooding by the Pas. The neighbourhood also makes the relationship between the townscape and the river clear: the elevated settlement is part of the history of a place whose western boundary is formed by the Pas.

One of the cultural landmarks is the altarpiece in the Church of Santa Columba, dating from the second half of the 17th century. The Chapel of San Miguel also features architectural details: it has a single-nave layout and a hipped roof. Its masonry consists of irregular ashlar stones, except at the building’s corners. These different architectural styles offer several specific points of interest on a tour of Quijano’s heritage.

Today’s Centro Cultural Municipal de Quijano is housed in a former hospital commissioned by Ambrosio Mazorra. The Fuente Naveda’s former uses as a watering place for livestock and a washing place recall everyday life in the town. Many residents still use its water for their needs; if you wish to drink it, check its availability locally. In the Barrio de La Edesa, water from an old spring well is also drinkable again. The old Palancate washhouse was restored by a local resident.

The Route of the Indianos and local trails

The 3.89-kilometre route “La huella de los indianos” focuses on the legacy of the Indianos and the wealth brought to Quijano from the Americas. Its cultural landmarks include a coat-of-arms doorway with the manor house of a Hidalgo, as well as the 18th-century Casa de Ciriaco de Cevallos Bustillo. The route thus combines a specific distance with a clear historical theme.

A local trail follows a different course, forming a semicircle from Barrio El Regato to Barrio La Edesa. Its two stated endpoints offer a different point of reference from the route themed around the legacy of the Indianos. There are also numerous birds of various species in a wooded spot along the route through Quijano. Those interested in observing nature will find another feature of the trails described here.

River and rural landscape

The Pas forms Quijano’s western boundary with the localities of Vioño and Oruña. Scattered poplar and alder groves line the river, which is also fed by the waters of the Campiza. In the town, fields of maize alternate with meadows used to produce fodder for cattle. The river, groves and agricultural land each shape a different part of the landscape.

The traditional Belén Viviente is also part of Quijano’s cultural history: it was first held more than 40 years ago. The 2022–2023 edition of the Belén de Quijano featured 24 large figures and an extensive animal display. These details refer to that edition; the long-standing tradition and the specific design of an earlier Belén offer two different glimpses into local customs.

Getting there and choosing a focus

Quijano is accessible from Renedo via the regional CA-233 road. You can plan your stay around your interests: the 3.89-kilometre Indianos route has a cultural focus, while the endpoints of the semicircular trail mark the connection between El Regato and La Edesa. If you are more interested in local history, you can also explore the buildings and historic neighbourhood; the riverside scenery and agricultural land offer a different focus.

Discover more destinations: Samano, Cuchia, Vispieres, La Canal, Quintana, Ramales De La Victoria, Correpoco, Sierra De Ibio

For the wider travel overview: Cantabria.