If you are considering La Canal as a place to stay, you can plan your visit around a clear question: should the focus be on sacred architecture and art history, or would you also like to include the walking route through the municipality of Villafufre and a combination of food, art and music? The architecture offers concrete points of interest; the walking route and restaurant broaden this perspective with further planning options.

Monastic heritage and architectural history

The Monasterio de La Canal was designated a Bien de Interés Local on 24 April 2003. Its two-storey cloister comprises twenty Herrerian arches. The two levels and precisely specified sequence of arches give the cloister a distinct architectural layout. This makes it possible to understand the monastery not only through its heritage designation, but also through a notable architectural feature.

The façade and portal of the Convento de La Canal date from the second half of the 17th century. The Iglesia Franciscana de La Canal is part of an 18th-century religious complex. These details offer different historical perspectives: the first concerns specific architectural features, while the second concerns the context to which the church belongs. Domingo Herrera de la Concha y Miera is also important to the history of the monastery. He founded the Monasterio, provided a plot of land from his estate for it and held its patronage.

Sculpture and the bolera

The Iglesia Franciscana de La Canal contains two funerary sculptures of the monastery’s founders. They were made by the Cantabrian sculptor Gabriel de Rubalcava. Alongside the cloister, façade and portal, the works of a specifically named artist are therefore another point of interest for visitors interested in sacred art.

The Bolera de La Canal is listed as tangible cultural heritage and is used occasionally. Its use sets it apart from the permanent architectural features. If you are hoping to see it in use during your stay, check in advance whether this will be possible.

Walking route through Villafufre

La Canal is included in the “Por los pueblos y barrios de Villafufre” walking route. It follows the road through the villages and districts of the municipality of Villafufre, visiting chapels, churches, towers and manor houses along the way. This offers a broader perspective than a stay focused on La Canal’s architectural history: the route takes in different types of buildings and the municipality as a whole. If you are interested in this wider range of architectural forms, you can include the route in your plans.

There is also a stop named La Canal in Villafufre. Use this name when planning your journey and check the connections for your travel date.

Planning food and accommodation

La Dama Boba is a restaurant in La Canal de Villafufre, housed in a restored 18th-century Montañés manor house. Food, art and music come together there. The restaurant makes its own bread and reinterprets traditional flavours with contemporary recipes. It thus adds a culinary focus to the architectural themes. Check whether the restaurant is open before you visit.

When looking for a hotel in La Canal, you can first decide whether your stay will focus on architectural and art history or on a broader exploration of the municipality.

Discover more destinations: Sierra De Ibio, Argüébanes, Corvera, Samano, Quijano, Santa Olalla, Correpoco, Ongayo

For the main travel overview: Cantabria.