Potes

Potes is a village in Cantabria where the Deva and Quiviesa rivers meet, with the peaks of Picos de Europa National Park rising around it. The town center features the Torre del Infantado, a 15th-century tower that now displays medieval manuscripts and serves as a landmark for orientation.

The settlement rose to prominence in the 8th century under Alfonso I of Asturias, with its first written record dating to 847. This early documentation reveals that it became an important site in the medieval Liébana region.

The Monday market in the main square remains a living tradition that connects the town to its farming roots. Local producers bring cheese, honey, and the regional spirit Orujo to sell, showing how the region feeds itself.

Everything here is within walking distance, as the main attractions cluster around the central square and the river area. A Monday visit captures the liveliness of market day, when the town feels most active and welcoming.

Each June, shepherds move livestock through the streets toward mountain pastures in a practice called transhumance that dates back centuries. This seasonal migration briefly transforms the village into a gateway between lowland and highland worlds.

Location: Cantabria

Elevation above the sea: 291 m

Part of: Mancomunitat de Liébana y Peñarrubia

Shares border with: Cillorigo de Liébana, Cabezón de Liébana, Vega de Liébana, Camaleño

Address: 39570 Potes, Cantabria, Spain

Website: https://ayuntamientodepotes.es

GPS coordinates: 43.15368,-4.62343

Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:00