In the town centre and the surrounding area, Olea preserves 17 livestock troughs, eight water basins, six fountains, a washhouse and numerous churratas. Beside the Pila de Ciano, an interpretation panel provides information about the traditional water heritage.
Water Heritage and Romanesque Traces
The Romanesque Ermita de San Miguel is a historic landmark. It was declared a national historical-artistic monument by Royal Decree 1750/1979 of 4 April 1979. Remains of an early medieval necropolis with slab graves were found near the Ermita. The necropolis adds a specific archaeological find to the history of the town.
Among the Romanesque remains preserved in Olea are two portals. One of a series of corbels is also decorated with a figure. These details add to the picture of Romanesque architecture in the town.
Walking Routes on Different Scales
The Ascensión al Endino route starts and ends in Olea; its starting point is the square by the Romanesque Ermita de San Miguel. It is approximately 11 kilometres long and takes about 3 hours and 15 minutes without the summit, or about 4 hours and 15 minutes with the summit. For day planning, this means the summit option takes about an extra hour compared with the route without the summit. The route follows a descending track through oak stands; it passes through oak and beech forest. Along a four-kilometre stretch, viewpoints offer views of Reinosa and the entire Campoo De Suso valley.
From Olea, a path passes the church of Santa Eulalia and follows trails between lush meadows. A pilgrimage stage also starts in Olea and leads to Aguilar de Campoo; it is 24.590 kilometres long. Compared with the Endino route, it differs not only in distance but also in format: a circular route returning to Olea or a stage ending in Aguilar de Campoo. Check current conditions on the planned route before setting out.
Getting to Olea
Olea is accessible via the Autovía Cantabria-Meseta. It is 8 kilometres from Mataporquera and 10 kilometres from Reinosa.
Bienal de Rabel in Autumn
The Bienal de Rabel takes place in Olea every two years in autumn in odd-numbered years and attracts traditional music enthusiasts from across the Iberian Peninsula. The programme includes opening and closing concerts, talks and a fair of instrument makers. At the fair, visitors can watch the craftspeople and try out instruments. The specific programme may vary from one edition to the next, so check the dates of the relevant edition before planning a trip around it.
Plan Your Travel Dates and Accommodation
When looking for a hotel for a stay in Olea, it is best to choose your travel dates according to your plans: the Bienal means planning your visit around autumn editions in odd-numbered years, while for Ascensión al Endino, the choice of whether to include the summit changes the approximate duration of the hike. This makes it easier to distinguish between an event-focused trip and a day hike when planning your stay.
Discover more destinations: Camplengo, La Pared, La Ventona, Bárcena De Cicero, Gornazo, Brez, Orejo, Villaverde De Pontones.
For the regional travel overview: Cantabria.
