Unquera: Nature, the Deva River and the Camino

Unquera can be described through several specific travel highlights: the Ría de Tina Mayor, a natural area on the border between Cantabria and Asturias; the Deva River and its water activities; and Cantabrian folklore. A stage of the Camino de la Costa through Cantabria also ends here. You can weigh up nature, river activities, a section of a walking route, or an event date as the focus of your trip.

Ría de Tina Mayor and nature route

The mouth of the Deva River, through the Ría de Tina Mayor, forms the border between Cantabria and Asturias. The estuary is considered a natural area covering 82 hectares, with a perimeter of just over 14 kilometres. Area and perimeter describe different properties: hectares measure the natural area, while kilometres measure its perimeter. From Unquera, you can also take a well-known nature route to the Desfiladero de la Hermida. This gives you two distinct ways to experience nature: a natural area with specified measurements and a route with a specifically named destination.

Getting to Unquera

From Santander or Asturias, the route to Unquera follows the A-8 motorway and then the corresponding exit. FEVE trains also run daily from Santander and Asturias to Unquera. Both road and rail are therefore options for getting there; for specific planning, you can take your starting point and preferred mode of transport into account. Check current road conditions or the FEVE timetable before travelling.

Deva River: canoeing and rafting

The full descent of the Deva River by canoe covers 12 kilometres from Panes in Asturias to Unquera in Cantabria. The route is considered not very difficult and suitable for couples, families and groups. Several active tourism companies in Unquera provide canoes and pre-descent briefings. A rafting package includes transport from the base in Unquera to the rafting starting point in Cantabria.

The information highlights different aspects: for the full canoe descent, it specifies the distance, start and finish points, and an assessment of the difficulty; the rafting package includes transport from the base to the starting point. You can use the features described for each to compare the river activities. Conditions on the routes and availability may change, so check before making plans.

Camino de la Costa through Cantabria

The Cantabrian stage of the Camino de la Costa ends in Unquera. This makes the town the end point of a specific section of the coastal Camino. If you are planning your trip around a walking route, you can compare this with the canoe descent: the full river route starts in Panes and ends in Unquera, while the Cantabrian Camino stage ends here. The two descriptions offer different kinds of orientation—one based on a river route with two end points, the other on the end of a regional Camino stage.

June fiesta, August descent

The Fiesta de la Gaita Cántabra takes place in Unquera on the second Sunday in June. It brings together a broad representation of Cantabrian folklore, and the programme also includes a market selling traditional products. Folklore and the market are part of the same cultural event. The Descenso Internacional del Río Deva takes place in Unquera in late August. The events differ both in timing and focus: the fiesta is associated with folklore and a market, while the Descenso is a separate event on the Deva River. If your trip depends on either event, check the specific dates before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Pesués, Serdio, Estrada, San Vicente De La Barquera, Prellezo, Abanillas, Pechón

See the main travel overview: Val De San Vicente.