Colombres and its surrounding areas offer a lot to see and explore. If you arrive to our house early, and feel like exploring the area in the afternoon, the following list may help you decide where to go, and what to do. Keep in mind that we have several bikes in the house that pilgrims can use for free. Hence if you do not feel like walking to some interesting place for an hour, you can easily reach it on bike in a much shorter time. Just ask us once you arrive. Let’s check the list of things:
For beach lovers
When it comes to beaches, La Franca is your no. 1 choice. Considered by many as one of the most beautiful beaches on the entire northern coast of Spain, it is definitely worth a visit. If you’re a fast walker you can reach it in 45 minutes. Or on a bike within 20 minutes, riding easily.
La Franca does sometimes get crowded in summer months (especially from 1st July to 15th September), but it is still worth a visit. Besides pleasant sands and beautiful natural surroundings, you can explore several caves on the beach, or even walk to nearby beaches (much less frequented), when the tide is low. You can also enjoy a cold drink in one of the restaurants and bars on the site with the view on the beach.
In the surrounding areas of Colombres you can find also other, lesser known beaches, but most of them are hard to reach. However, if you seek solitude at sea even in a high season, ask us for recommendations and we will show you (on your favorite mapping application) how to reach one of these beaches.
For nature lovers
The village of Pimiango is located 3,5 kilometers from the house. It offers several viewpoints, easily accessible by bike, and also quite popular by tourists. However, it also offers many hidden locations with spectacular views that only locals know, and where you will find peace and profound connection with nature even in the heights of the tourist season.
Would you like to reach an isolated beach with a fresh water stream, a cave right at the edge of the ocean, or simply a pleasant viewpoint with a bench, where you can marvel at the endlessness of the Atlantic ocean? Just ask us and we will show you how to get to any of these spots!
For religious/spiritual people
If you enjoy visiting churches, chapels, and monasteries, be it for religious motives or other reasons, you will find many places worth a visit in Colombres and the surrounding area.
Starting with the “Iglesia de Santa Maria de Colombres“, located within ten minutes of an easy walk from the house, and a small chapel with nice views “Capilla de Cantu” (15 minutes walk from the house), you can visit also many other churches and chapels in the area.
For example, an isolated chapel “Ermita de San Roque” close to the small village of Vilde (6 km from the house), on a way to which you can stop on one of the little-frequented fluvial beaches at river Rio Deva, or a church “Iglesia de San Emeterio” (5 km from the house) and the mysterious ruins of Monasterio de Tina (6 km from the house), both located in the zone of Pimiango. We especially recommend visiting the last two, for their beautiful natural surroundings and the magic of these places.
For architecture/history lovers
If you’re into architecture, you do not need to go anywhere. Colombres is famous as a “city of palaces”. Back in the day many people emigrated from here to the Americas. Returning back with loads of cash, they built palaces for themselves and for their families.
Nowadays, some of these palaces host local institutions, such as the town hall, the public library, and the museum. In other palaces you can stay for a night or two as a paying guest. Some palaces are even for sale at the moment. Hence if you have a spare million or two, and fall in love with the location, you can buy yourself a palace and live here :).
Besides the palaces, the town and its surrounding villages offer plenty of spots to see for an architecture lover, ranging from rural houses and abandoned settlements, to expensive modern mansions with gardens of immense proportions. Consult us for directions if you want to see such places on your afternoon here.
Other things to see/visit
- For museum lovers: The museum of emigration, right in the center of Colombres. Open all days in the week except of Monday. It is definitely a good alternative on a rainy day.
- For music/book lovers – Libreria de Pimiango, a unique bar & book store which organizes events every weekend. If you happen to stay with us on Friday, ask us for the program. We may be heading to the concert/event as well (after the communal dinner).
- For cave and history lovers: Cueva del Pindal, where you can see paintings thousands of years old. The previous reservation is necessary, and the typical hours for visits are only from 10am to 3pm. However, you can reserve the visit while with us, and go to the cave on the next day, making a 3km detour from the camino. Consult us for options of returning back to the Camino following a beautiful way on the coast, without a need to descend back down from Pimiango, and follow the typical route to La Franca village.
As you can see, there’s a lot to visit in the area of Colombres on a free afternoon. If you do not feel like it, however, you can always just enjoy the company of other pilgrims, and all the facilities our house offers :). Thank you, and buen camino!