We will leave Santander towards Potes at 9:00 am. This village is the capital of the Liébana region and it is considered to be one of the nicest villages in Spain. During our drive,  we will have to cross the impressive gorge of the Hermida (the largest gorge in Spain).
 

As we arrive in Potes, we will give you the opportunity to do a short 3 km walking pilgrimage to the Monastery of Santo Toribio (3 km and about  45 minutes walk). The pilgrimage that we will carry out is the last part of Lebaniego Way prior to arriving at the Monestry. However, if you do not want to do the whole walkig, you can only do part of the path, or skip the walk and arrive directly with the minivan to the Monastery. 

This Monastery is together with Santiago, Rome and Jerusalem one of the four main Holy places of Christianity. The Monastery of Santo Toribio is in fact the only one in the world that keeps the longest piece of wood of the cross where Jesus Christ died. This place offers the jubilee and relief of sings to pilgrims doing the Lebaniego Way. The next Jubileum Year will be in 2028 when the Monastery's door of forgiveness will open again.

​

It was Holy Toribio of Astorga, custodian of the relics of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, who transferred this piece of the Cross to Astorga in the V century, city of which he was Bishop. This relic was transferred then to Liebana by Christians who wanted to keep it safe from the Muslims who had initiated the invasion of the peninsula (VIII century).
 

The importance of this Monastery was already known in the Middle Ages, when the pilgrimage to the Monastery to see the Lignum Crucis was a must-visit for the Pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. In addition, this place was in itself a place of pilgrimage, with its own identity due to the curative and miraculous powers attributed to the remains of the Saint of Astorga and to the Relic itself.

​

​

We will attend the Pilgrim's Mass (in spanish) at 12:00 am.

​

After the mass, we will visit the chapel of  Saint Michel  from where you will enjoy beautiful views of Picos de Europa.

We will then go back to Potes for lunch. The menú included is a “Cocido Lebaniego” (a stew of chickpeas and meat). This is the perfect local dish to recharge your batteries. However, should you prefer another menú, please let us know in advance.
 

After lunch, you will enjoy some free time to visit Potes and do some shopping.

 

Finally, we will head towards San Sebastian de Garabandal. This is a small village in the mountains where there were appearances of Virgin Mary from 1961 to 1965. You will have the opportunity here to walk up to the "Sanctuary of Los Pinos", the main place where the Virgin appeared, and have some time for your prayers and thoughts before resuming back to Santander.