¿Would Carlos V have dipped his feet in the waters of El Bañaero? Would the artists from the Santimamiñe cave have captured molluscs on the beaches of Urdaibai? Would the men of El Cid have washed themselves in the waters of the Duero as it passed through San Esteban de Gormaz? Would the Romans have surfed the waves of Gijón's beaches? We have gathered five locations through which our routes run and where it is possible to take a dip (or thousands) just as our historical figures might have done.
May is the prelude to summer and the best weather of the year. May is the month of open spaces and (still) moderate warmth. May is a month of half-flagged beaches and (still) cool waters. The five itineraries of Spain's Cultural Routes are, above all, a stroll through the country's interior, through the stony heart of Spain, but without renouncing the coast, nor the beaches, nor, of course, the riverbanks or the waters of the reservoirs.
1. Camino del Cid: River beaches of San Esteban de Gormaz (Soria, Castile and León)
Bathing in the Douro is not simply bathing in fresh water. No. It is a more solemn act, considerably more solemn. It is one of the great rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, a giant nearly 900 kilometres long (the third after the Ebro and the Tagus) and the one with the largest flow: if a drop of water falls in the west of the northern half of the peninsula, it is very likely to end up in the Douro.
Beyond its size, the Duero also stands out for its cultural, gastronomic, and historical importance: its waters are part of Spain's DNA, its literature, its wines, and its diet. The Way of El Cid (also known as the ‘path of the brave’) is the itinerary of Spain's Cultural Routes that intersects with it on the most occasions. One of these encounters takes place in San Esteban de Gormaz, a Soria town famous for many reasons: for its Romanesque churches, for its castle, for its mention in the Cantar de Mio Cid... San Esteban was born on the banks of the Duero and has two areas for bathing in its waters, both next to El Sotillo, the natural islet that grazes in the Duero itself. One of these is La Alameda, a mixed sand and stone beach protected by a dense grove of trees, with rest areas, tables, and barbecues. The other is La Rambla, another area, this time on the opposite bank and somewhat more exposed to the currents (caution, then, swimming friends), which has a couple of steps for entering and exiting the water.
2. Paths of Passion: Vadomojón Marsh (Baena, Córdoba)
The most famous inland sea in Andalusia is, without a doubt, the ‘sea of olive trees’ that covers a large part of the territory. There are also other inland seas, reservoirs, where you can practice water sports or simply swim, taking the appropriate precautions: the absence of waves does not mean the absence of currents. The Vadomojón reservoir is one of them. It is located about a dozen kilometres from Baena, one of the stops on the itinerary. Paths of Passion, and it is used to control the flow of the Guadajoz and Guadalquivir rivers. Its waters have strong symbolic value, as part of them are used to irrigate Andalusian olive groves and, consequently, to make gastronomic enjoyment of olive oil possible.
Although the marsh is an artificial creation (it's barely 35 years old), it's located in a fiercely natural environment with no nearby constructions, not even power lines, and with numerous paths that allow access to it or to go around it, a fact that hikers and cyclists should take into account. Vadomojón also has several access points, a jetty, an area for anglers, and a picnic area. The Baena tourist office will inform you on how to get there and the best access points.
3. Vía de la Plata Route: Playa de San Lorenzo (Gijón, Asturias)
Something will have a beach when a Roman emperor (even if he's made of bronze) greets those going for a swim. It happens in Gijón, on the sands of San Lorenzo, which has been watched over for three decades by a reproduction of the iconic statue of Augustus (the original is in the Vatican Museums), the first emperor of Rome. Augustus is remembered not because he was a regular swimmer in Gijón's waters, but because it was during his command that the Cantabrian Wars came to an end, thus leaving the entire peninsula in Roman hands in 19 BC.
Gijón is located in the north of Spain Vía de la Plata Route, that motorway popularised by the Romans to connect Seville (in the south) with the north of Hispania, making Playa San Lorenzo (and its other city sisters) unique on this itinerary that crosses mountain ranges, pastures, dry fields and mountains. What does it offer? The usual on the Cantabrian beaches that popularised summer holidays in the north at the end of the 19th century: cool waters (ideal for refreshing that Madrid bourgeoisie escaping the heat of the meseta in the summer months); a few waves; the ever-interesting phenomenon of tides rising and falling; almost two kilometres of sand to walk along the shore and, very importantly, the fascinating city that lies behind it.
4. Emperor Charles V's Routes: El Bañaero (Cuacos de Yuste, Cáceres, Extremadura)
Speaking of emperors. Augustus wasn't the only one to set foot in Spain. There was, at least, one more. That was Charles V. In fact, Charles V ruled the largest known empire in history and, among those territories, Spain was included. This is why the emperor visited the country frequently (he lived in Flanders) and chose a secluded corner (very secluded) of the country to spend his final days. The The Emperor Charles V's Routes They go up and down the paths and country lanes that emperor traversed on his visits around the country, and, of course, they arrive at this secret spot: it’s called the Monastery of Yuste, in the province of Cáceres, in Extremadura, to the east of the country. At the foot of the monastery is a village, Cuacos de Yuste, which has everything you’d expect from such a special location: mountain cottages with timber framing, winding streets, some noble buildings, a handful of beautiful squares (some arcaded), a 16th-century organ (inside the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption, of course), and, naturally, a natural swimming pool.
This is called Bañaero, it is located in the lower part of the village, just a 10-minute walk from the attractions mentioned, and it is a natural gorge through which the waters of the mountains flow, making these places so abrupt. This means that the fresh water runs cool, as cool as is usual (and necessary) in such a place, to combat the rigours of summer or, if you're feeling brave, to take a dip in spring, autumn, or even better, in winter.
5. Prehistoric Rock Art Trails: Beaches of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve (Bizkaia, Basque Country)
Living that contrast will be worth it.
First, you will get to know a closed space, a very closed one, with more than 12,000 years of history. Travel to the Biscayan town of Kortezubi, located between the historic town of Gernika and the Urdaibai estuary. On one of the slopes of Mount Ereñozar there is a cave. Venture inside it; it is called the Santimamiñe cave and is one of the cathedrals of Basque prehistory. Along with its neighbour (about 150 kilometres away) Altamira and other artistic caves of the Cantabrian coast, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Santimamiñe has a lot of art, some spectacular rock formations (stalactites and stalagmites), and a few animals: around fifty of them, including bison, goats, horses, and a bear, all painted with something as simple as charcoal. The main chamber, which houses the most paintings, cannot be visited for conservation reasons, but all of this art can be experienced thanks to a virtual visit. Santimamiñe is just one of the more than 100 caves in Spain that form the family of Prehistoric Rock Art Trails.
After the darkness of the cave, it's time to emerge into the light of the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, a vast natural space where, and this is what interests us, there are a few more than interesting beaches: from a surfing beach with a wave that has fans all over the world (Laidatxu beach, in Mundaka) to a stretch of sand that, when the tide goes out, seems to have no end, Laida beach, just opposite, on the other shore. Halfway between one and the other, is the intimate little beach of San Antonio with its own little island which, when the tide is out, can be reached by walking.
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