As a travel destination, Villapresente brings together a distinctive leisure attraction, architectural and industrial history, and cultural uses. When planning your stay, you can first decide what interests you most: the cypress maze, which is suitable for the whole family; historic buildings; or the cultural center.
The Cypress Maze
The Laberinto de Villapresente is an intricate cypress maze covering an area of 5,625 m². Its Victorian style adds a distinctive design feature to the stated size: the area indicates its scale, while the style describes its design. The maze is suitable for the whole family. As a leisure attraction, it offers a different focus from Villapresente’s historic buildings, with the landscaped grounds taking center stage.
El Pavón on the Saja River
At the El Pavón power station, protected status, industrial heritage, and landscape come together. The site lies on the Saja River in an ecologically valuable plain characterized by riverside vegetation and various animal species. The remains of the power station and its chimney form an archaeological site of industrial and cultural heritage. Since 2025, the power station has been protected as a “Bien de Interés Local” in the “Monumento” category. The declaration was issued on November 27, 2025, and published on December 11, 2025. The protected status classifies the power station as a monument; the riverside vegetation and wildlife also describe the ecological setting along the Saja. El Pavón can therefore be viewed both through its industrial heritage and its surrounding river landscape.
Cultural Center and Former School Building
The Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo de Reocín in Villapresente is a cultural center for exhibitions, concerts, conferences, and presentations. It is housed in the former Escuelas Pías building. The restoration preserved the original floor plan and the main building materials. This offers two perspectives for culture enthusiasts: the activities outline the center’s scope, while the preserved architectural elements are part of the building’s history.
Different Historical Periods
The historical reference points also differ: the protection decision for El Pavón was made in 2025, while the church of San Juan and its cemetery are documented from 1097 onward. This places a more recent monument designation and the early ecclesiastical history of the locality in context.
The baptismal font from the original church is still preserved in San Juan. The original church was transferred to the Abbey of Santa Juliana in 1097. The connection to the abbey and the surviving baptismal font offer different points of reference for the church’s history: a documented ecclesiastical connection and a specific surviving feature. The Torre de Villapresente adds another historical connection: it belonged to the House of Velasco. The ecclesiastical ties of San Juan and the Torre’s association with the House of Velasco thus represent different strands of local history.
Discover more destinations: Comillas, Valle De Villaverde, Veguilla, Mazcuerras, Liendo, Cabuérniga, Caviedes, Arenas De Iguña
For the regional travel overview: Cantabria.
