An old fishermen's refuge, San Vicente de la Barquera offers one of the most picturesque sights on the Cantabrian coast, with its beaches, the old village and the exceptional backdrop of the snow-capped mountains of the Picos de Europa.
San Vicente's old town was declared to be of Cultural Interest in 1987 because of its interesting collection of monuments, forming part of which are the church of Santa María de los Ángeles, built between the 13th and 16th centuries, the castle and the remains of a wall. The bridges are another sign of the town's identity, such as the Maza bridge, with its 28 arches, which was built on the orders of the Catholic Monarchs in the 16th century, or Parral, which dates from the 18th century. It also has some magnificent beaches, and a beautiful estuary full of brightly-coloured boats. San Vicente de la Barquera's maritime vocation can be appreciated in its gastronomy, which includes excellent fish and seafood and which has its greatest expression in sorropotún or Barquera hotpot, a stew prepared with tuna and potatoes.