The Vía Verde del Piquillo, the Iglesia de la Inmaculada in Ontón, and Playa de Ontón–El Berrón represent three different themes: route, architecture, and coast. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on a specific route, architectural features, or conditions at the beach.
Greenway and mining history
The Vía Verde del Piquillo is 1.93 km long and runs between Ontón and Covarón (Bizkaia) in Cantabria and Euskadi. It is suitable for walkers, cyclists, and people with reduced mobility.
The railway tracks between Ontón and Covarón, which are linked to the area’s mining history, are among the traces of mining along the eastern coast of Castro-Urdiales. A large part of these remains can be explored on foot and viewed from the Vías Verdes. This brings two different scales into focus: the Vía Verde del Piquillo is a route with a clearly specified length and endpoints; the railway tracks form part of the broader story of mining remains along the coast.
Religious buildings and architecture
The Iglesia de la Inmaculada in Ontón has a single-nave layout with four bays and star vaults. A single nave means the church has one nave; four bays divide it into sections, while star vaults describe the shape of the vaulting. The portal consists of two parts; the first features a round arch between Doric columns. To understand the architecture, you can consider the interior and portal separately: the nave, bays, and vaults relate to the layout of the space, while the round arch and columns belong to the first part of the portal.
In Baltezana, a Roman Imperial-period funerary stele is incorporated into a window of the Ermita de San Juan Bautista. A funerary stele is a stone memorial marking a grave; its incorporation into a window also makes it a distinctive architectural feature of the chapel. The Ermita de Ntra. Sra. de Guadalupe is also located in the Talledo area. This brings religious buildings in three named locations into focus: the Iglesia in Ontón, the Ermita in Baltezana, and the chapel in the Talledo area.
Playa de Ontón–El Berrón
Playa de Ontón–El Berrón is covered in pebbles and has strong waves. Wave conditions depend on the weather and tides, while the pebble-covered shore is a permanent feature of the beach. The beach has no facilities. If you need a particular amenity, check the current situation locally. When planning, consider the ground, changing water conditions, and facilities separately: each affects your expectations of a beach visit in a different way.
Discover more destinations: La Cueva, La Maza, Casamaría, Valle De Villaverde, Cotillo, Secadura, Dueso, Rumoroso
For the broader travel overview: Cantabria.
