Dossier prensa inglés

Press Dossier. O Turismo Comillas .

Comillas is also known as the Villa of the Arzobispos, it is one of the most beautiful and best known villages in Cantabria. Santander is only 48 km. far and Comillas is sited between the Cantabrian Sea and the Picos de Europa in a privileged environment due to its spectacular landscape.

Comillas would probably remain a small fishers village in the Cantabrian coast had it not been for Antonio Lopez and his heirs. They were given the Marquisate of Comillas.

They transformed the village completely and made of Comillas host of one of the most significant group of modernist architecture. Antonio Lopez and his heirs enhanced Comillas’ touristic tradition when in 1881 and 1882; they invited King Alfonso XII and his family to spend their holidays in the village.

Nowadays, Comillas offers its visitors a wide range of architectonical and natural attractions, significant cultural events, the possibility of enjoying beaches or golf courses, its gastronomy, pleasant walks along its cobbled streets, and to sum up, its people’s good know-how.

Apart from the village, the municipality has five populations more: Ruiseñada, beginning of the Monte Corona (Corona Wood) with interesting rural architecture; Trasvía, located in a nice natural point overlooking the estuary of La Rabia and the dunes of Oyambre; Rubárcena with a nice walk with centenary trees, the small park “El Joyucu”; La Rabia, next to the estuary of the same name, an ecosystem of great ecological value for its great variety of birds and Rioturbio, the same as La Rabia, with a high ecological and landscape richness.

Press Dossier. O. Turismo Comillas.

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HOW TO GET TO COMILLAS Comillas is connected by road with the Cantabrian Motorway A8 which in turn connects with the motorway of “La Meseta”. It has a bus line that connects the village with San Vicente de la Barquera on one side and with Santander on the other. It connects San Vicente de la Barquera, Comillas, Santillana del Mar, Torrelavega and Santander.

The Parayas Airport (Santander) is 52 kilometers far from Comillas. There are regular national flights between Santander and Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Palma de Mallorca, Malaga, Sevilla, Valencia or Reus. There are also regular international flights that connect Cantabria with London, Frankfurt, Rome, Milan, Dusseldorf, Dublin and Brussels.

There is a railway station (RENFE) 25 km far from Comillas, there are daily departures to Alicante,Valladolid and Madrid.

FEVE (a different railway net) runs along the Cantabrian coast.

By sea there is a line of Ferries (Plymouth) that sails between Cantabria and England.

How to get to: Santander: Go along the A8 Motorway (Autovía del Cantábrico), heading to Oviedo till the way out 249 (to Comillas and Cabezón de la Sal).

Asturias: Go along the A8 Motorway (Autovía del Cantábrico), heading to Santander till the way out 249 (to Comillas and Cabezón de la Sal).

Madrid, Bilbao, Burgos, Palencia, Valladolid: The easiest way to arrive in Comillas is reaching Torrelavega and then following the A8 Motorway (Autovía del Cantábrico), heading to Oviedo till the way out 249 (to Comillas and Cabezón de la Sal).

Press Dossier. O. Turismo Comillas.

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MONUMENTAL AND MODERNIST COMILLAS Visiting Comillas is entering a rich monumental patrimony. This patrimony is organized in two main routes: The Modernist Route and the Monumental Route.

The Modernist Route is closely linked with the figure of Comillas´ 1st Marquis Antonio Lopez y Lopez who made possible for great Catalan artists of the 19th century, such as Joan Martorell, Luís Domenech Montaner or Antonio Gaudi, to start working in Comillas and consequently, leaving an unique manifestation of the artistic movement known as Modernismo, at the same time as it gave the Town a highly reputation in Art productions. Many of the buildings display precious sculptures and paintings. Some of them could be considered the most valuable sculpture works of the end of the 19th century.

Among the most important monuments we find: El Palacio de Sobrellano.

A majestic building that stands on a hillside next to the Capilla- Panteón. It was designed by the Catalán architect Joan Martorell. The Chapel houses some beautiful pantheons that display some of the best sculptures of the late 19th century in Europe. They are both open to the public.

El Capricho: It is one of the first architectural works by Antonio Gaudi (18831885), a modernista and internationally recognized building. Gaudi also designed La Puerta de los pajaros, a door made out of stone remains with wavy surfaces and roundy corne

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Fuente de Tres Caños, a historic fountain that incorporates a lamppost above it, work of Luis Domenech.

La Estatua del Marqués and the expansion of the Graveyard, another two architectural works

by Luis Domenech.

Angel Guardían, a sculpture of a Guardian Angel situated on one of the walls that surrounded the Cemetry. This work of art belongs to Josep Llimona.

La Universidad Pontifícia, a majestic building that is preceded by a spectacular entrance.

Although its exterior may look quite austere, its interior is fully decorated with a wide variety of art works, thanks to the architect Luis Domenech.

Asilo Hospital de Comillas. It was built in 1888, and presents similar architectural structure to el Palacio de Sobrellano. This work was done by the architect Cristobal Cascante.

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The monumental route leads the visitor through an immense variety of places and buildings such as the port; it was the last Cantabrian port that kept its whaling tradition.

Different testimonies of religious architecture such as the Parochial Church of San Cristobal, built and funded by the town´s people. From the half of the 17th Century, it houses in its interior El Cristo del Amparo (Christ the Protector), the patron saint of local fishermen.

The Hermitage of Saint Lucia, very connected to the sailors. And El Corazón de Jesús (Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ), a monument which was entrusted the II Marquis of Comillas, following the devotion from the consecration of Spain to the Sacred Heart.

Comillas also presents singular examples of civil architecture such as; The Espolón, which construction was ordered by archbishop of Lima, D. Juan Domingo González de la Reguera, in the 17th Century as a school and chair of Latin.

La Casa Ocejo (Ocejo house), indiano house.

The I Marquis of Comillas bought it for his mother. In 1881, it became the summer residence of the King Alfonso XII.

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La Carcel (The Jail), this building was built and financed by several neighbours in the 18th Century in order to shelter the prisoners of the villa. Nowadays, it is used as a pilgrims’ lodging.

The Duke, a beautiful construction of the 19th Century with clear influence of English architecture style.

The ancient Town Hall: It possesses in his interior a lounge for plenary sessions of modernista style. On the outside the shields of the archbishops born in the villa are shown.

The new Town Hall: The original building was constructed at the end of the 19th Century, as a free school for infants.

Nowadays, it is the new headquarters of the Town hall.

Finally, Comillas counts with some other interesting outdoor spaces such as the Corro San Pedro delimited by several typical constructions of noble architectures of the 17th Century, and the Corro Campíos, a place of leisure and celebrations that as the years go by continues being the meeting point of the villa.

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NATURAL HERITAGE

Comillas Town has a natural and exceptional environment; there are plenty of zones where you may enjoy walking through nature. Comillas offers the opportunity to delight you with all kinds of outdoor activities.

Its coast is outlined by rocky almost vertical cliffs, formed by the strong erosion that on them has exercised the Cantabrian Sea, These cliffs alternate with beaches of thin and golden sand and dunes that were generated by the effect of the wind and tides. Between all the beaches that can be found in this area, Comillas beach stands out, with something more than 500 m length, together with Oyambre Sandbank.

Another natural element of interest is “La Ría de la Rabia” constituted by the rivers Turbio and Capitan in their river mouth. They both are part of Oyambre Nature Reserve. It is an excellent habitat for the numerous aquatic birds that hibernates in the zone or rest during the migrations.

Comillas is also surrounded by a large area of forests with many autochthonous trees, most of which are gathered in crowds in Monte Corona.

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HOTELS AND ACCOMODATION Comillas has a wide variety of lodgings, actually there are 1074 hotel rooms, apart from the 305 camping parcels.

3 four-star hotels 2 three-star hotels 4 two-star hotels 1 hostel 10 guest houses 5 enterprises of touristic apartments 6 rural accommodations 1 camping 1 enterprise of active tourism

Apart from these accommodations, in Comillas there is a pilgrims’ hostel, ran by the municipality, with a capacity for 20 people. The building, a former prison with two dungeons and an interior patio was rebuilt with these objective not many years ago. It will be opened from 1st April to the 30th October.

Town Hall 942 720033 / fax: 942 720037

Post Office 942 720095

Pharmacy 942 722240

Tourist Information Office 942 722591

Guardia Civil 942 720035

Parochial 720216

church

942

942

942

Medical 722270

Local authorities 942 720006 / 609 446201

centre

Bus company 720822

TELEPHONE DIRECTORY

Taxis 942 720034 Sobrellano 720339

Palace

942

Press Dossier. O. Turismo Comillas.

Sports Center 942 722600

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GOLF AND OTHER ACTIVITIES

In Comillas, sports as Golf can be practiced. There is a nine-hole golf club that was inaugurated in 2002. It is 100m over sea-level. Autochthonous natural species make easy the integration of the golf course in the landscape. It offers facilities such as a restaurant, a hotel, practice course and equipment rental

In Comillas, there is also the great chance of riding horses; it offers a unique way to enjoy the natural landscapes and the contact with animals Hiking is another wonderful way to enjoy the area. There are eight walking and cycling tours. There is a guide at your disposal at the Tourist Information Office.

Route 1: Comillas' monuments

coastal

spots

and

Route 2: Cycle path from Comillas to La Rabia Route 3: From Comillas to Rioturbio Route 4: From Comillas to Ruiseñada Route 5: From the hermitage of San Esteban to Valle del Río del Mato Route 6: Monte Corona Route 7: The hermitages in Monte Corona Route 8: Cycling in the mountain area.

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CELEBRATIONS AND TRADITIONS The most important traditional celebration in Comillas is on 16th July, El Cristo del Amparo’s day (Christ the Protector’s day), patron saint of the local fishermen. It is a celebration of the people whose lives are connected to the sea. There is a mass, dances, and picayo’s songs.

This fiesta of the Christ still has the solemnity of the old days; religious celebrations are eventually followed by more and more people who are curious for knowing his hymn and his devotional dancers (picayos), as well as his sea procession.

Religious celebrations to honour the Cristo del Amparo begin with nine masses that start nine days before the 16th July. On the 15th of July, the eve of the great celebration day, some processions honouring the Patron Saint start. A sculpture of the Christ is taken to the fish market in the port where it will spend the night; it is accompanied by a bugle band and the picayos from Comillas.

The following day in the morning, the statue is taken in a sea procession. After it, a mass is celebrated, that is when the Christ’s hymn is sang and when it is finished the picayos perform their song and dance in front of the altar and at the door of the church. Apart from religious celebrations, there are open-air dances in the evening and at night, brass bands, sport activities and, of course, traditional bowling, games at the port and fireworks the eve of the 16th In Comillas, San Pedro is also celebrated on 29th June, there are dances. Trasvia has recovered the celebration of San Andrés.

Celebrations in Comillas: 9th February, Santa Apolonia in Ruiseñada 15th May, San Isidro Labrador in Ruiseñada 29th June, San Pedro 16th June, San Adrián in Ruiseñada 16th July, Santo Cristo del Amparo 1st Sunday in August San Esteban Last weekend in August, cattle exposition.

30th November, San Andrés in Trasvía.

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CULTURAL SUMMER IN COMILLAS

Comillas becomes each year a place of cultural reference in the summer of Cantabria.

Los Caprichos Musicales (Musical Whims) are set as a cultural referent; important groups and solos take part on these programs. Concerts are held at the Palacio de Sobrellano (Palace of Sobrellano), in the Constitution Square and the parochial church of the town, and they include from classical music to Jazz and Theatre music; prestigious internationally known artists participate in these programs.

This is joined by Folk Music Concerts in Palacio de Sobrellano (Palace of Sobrellano). There are also Painting competitions for children and adults, choral concerts..., these are some of the proposals performed in summer.

It is also worth pointing out the high quality exhibitions that are held in the Town Hall.

There is also a Cattle contest and a traditional pull of weight carried out by cows or oxen.

All these initiatives are intended to promote the taking part of both residents and the hundreds of tourists visiting the village.

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