Between a footpath along Arroyo Otero and the trail to Alto de la Gigüela, different sides of Sancibrían come into view: mills and a stream here, diverse vegetation and wide-ranging views there. Historic buildings such as the Ermita de San Cipriano add to the nature experiences. To help you plan, consider the distinction: would you like to focus on the watercourse and mills, or on the summit and its panorama?

Along Arroyo Otero, between two mills

Arroyo Otero flows through Sancibrían and Soto de la Marina to La Canal, where its waters reach the sea. A footpath runs along the stream between Ronzón Mill in Sancibrían and San Juan de la Canal Mill in Soto de la Marina. The path therefore connects one mill to the other and safely links the two places. If this route interests you, its main attractions are the stream and the mills; it offers a different experience from the route to Alto de la Gigüela.

Vegetation and views at Alto de la Gigüela

Plants typical of Mediterranean and Atlantic habitats grow along the route to Alto de la Gigüela. These include holm oaks, hazel trees, chestnut trees and oaks. From the summit known as Alto de la Gigüela, the panorama stretches across Santander, Santander Bay and nearly the whole municipality of Santa Cruz de Bezana. On a clear day, the foothills of the Cantabrian Mountains and the Picos de Europa also come into view. After passing the tree nursery, the route returns to the town car park. The summit views and the return to the town are therefore part of the same route description.

Mills with different historical associations

Ronzón Mill is documented as early as 1496. Its architectural value is associated with its large dam. For Izmas Mill, it is important to distinguish between the historical record and what can be seen today: it is documented in 1504, and its remains are in Sancibrían. The two dates therefore do not refer to the same event; they indicate an early documentary reference for Ronzón and a record for Izmas. Together with the footpath along Arroyo Otero, the mills can be explored as a distinct focus of local history, separate from the summit route.

Ermita de San Cipriano and Eduardo Anievas Bezanilla

The Ermita de San Cipriano was built in the 15th century. The building has a single nave and is made of masonry. “Single-nave” describes its architectural form; the details about its century, material and layout relate to three different aspects of the building. Sancibrían is also the birthplace of the sculptor Eduardo Anievas Bezanilla. This biographical connection adds a link to sculpture to the story of the building’s history.

Festival programme and regional perspective

A specific look back at the Fiestas de San Cipriano is the programme from September 2025. The September 2025 programme began with a mass at the Ermita de San Cipriano, followed by hot chocolate being served to the community. The September 2025 programme also included traditional tastings and games; this festival programme brought together tradition, music and traditional cuisine. If a festival is a deciding factor for your trip, check the dates for your visit.

Beyond the individual trails, Santa Cruz de Bezana offers a regional perspective: the municipality is one of the eight municipalities in the Costa Quebrada Geopark. Its coastal and inland trails give visitors insight into geological history. One route crosses the municipality from north to south, passing through its agricultural past and various natural environments. This offers a different geographical perspective from the footpath between two mills or the return from Alto de la Gigüela to the town car park. When planning, you can therefore distinguish between a local trail and a route covering the municipality.

Discover more destinations: Maoño, Soto De La Marina, Mompia.

Return to the main travel overview: Santa Cruz De Bezana.