Two buildings offer a tangible insight into Valdeprado’s traditional architecture: the Casa Hidalga del siglo XVII and the Hórreo de Valdeprado. The routes to the village also provide different points of reference for planning: one route description leads from Cueva to Valdeprado via an old path and a concrete track; another gives a distance of around five kilometres one way. This lets you consider culture and hiking options as separate focuses for your stay.

Casa Hidalga and traditional architecture

The Casa Hidalga del siglo XVII is listed as a protected cultural asset in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage of Cantabria. A resolution published in 2001 records its inclusion. Its main entrance is particularly striking, with a large, archaic-style round arch. Its features and location make it unique in the Liébana Valley. This draws attention not only to the age of the building but also to the design of its entrance.

Above the round arch is a window with restrained detailing. The lintel, windowsill and cornice are worked, providing further details to look out for. Together with the arch, the window shows how different elements of a façade can give it a distinct architectural character. Valdeprado also preserves traditional architecture that is almost intact, with stone houses, wooden balconies and, in some cases, intricately carved doors. These features add other forms of local building to the picture offered by the Casa Hidalga.

The Hórreo of Valdeprado

The Hórreo de Valdeprado is a small, rectangular wooden structure. Four or six wooden or stone pillars raise it about two metres above the ground. When looking at the Hórreo, it is therefore worth noting both its compact shape and the structure beneath it.

In general, hórreos were used to store grain, meat and other provisions. Their design was intended to help protect these from damp and rodents. Anyone interested in rural architecture will find a different kind of example here alongside the imposing Casa Hidalga: a small utility building whose raised construction is part of its purpose.

Religious heritage

Religious heritage also forms part of Valdeprado’s historical points of interest. The parish is named La Asunción. The church in Valdeprado was built at the expense of Don Juan Domingo de la Torre. The local church history includes the parish of La Asunción and the church built at the expense of Don Juan Domingo de la Torre.

Routes to and through Valdeprado

A route description from 2013 describes the crossing of the Sierras Albas from Cueva to Valdeprado via an old path and a concrete track. For planning, the starting point and the type of route are useful details. Check access and current trail conditions on site, as conditions can change seasonally.

A 2021 description gives the Monte Hormeo–Valdeprado route as a distance of around five kilometres one way, ending in Valdeprado. The route passes through an Atlantic beech and oak forest and reaches the road beside the village entrance. The approximate distance is for one way, which helps you gauge it when planning your own route. Here, too, you should check current trail conditions on site. The two route descriptions offer different points of reference: the Cueva crossing focuses on the path and concrete track, while the Monte Hormeo route highlights its approximate distance, the forest and the end of the route.

Discover more destinations: Quintanaentello, Rasines, Anero, Escalante, Pejanda, Brez, Camijanes, Vega De Pas.

For the overview of the wider region: Cantabria.