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Potes
«Potes es la capital de la comarca de Liébana y produce orujo.»Potes is the capital of the Liébana region and produces orujo.
Potes is located where the four valleys of the Liébana meet, inside the Picos de Europa. In the monastery above the town, the largest known fragment of the Cross is kept, and for this reason, Santo Toribio has a jubilee year just like Rome and Santiago.
Did you know
Orujo is celebrated annually once.
Potes produces the famous Orujo, a strong local grape spirit celebrated with a large annual festival.
How they talk in Potes
«Lebaniego» refers to the people, cuisine and culture of the Liébana region. «Orujo» here means the traditional spirit obtained from grape pomace, not just a generic liqueur.
pindio / pindia
Very steep or inclined. Used especially for an ascent, a road, or terrain with a sharp incline: «una cuesta muy pindia».
Everyday life in Potes
«Orujo» in November
The town celebrates the distillation of the grape brandy with stills lit up in the square: it is tasted warm, and families from the valley bring their own.
«Un orujo, que hace frío.» — An orujo, since it's cold.
The «cocido lebaniego» at midday
Small chickpeas from the valley, cabbage and meat, served in three separate courses: it is the Sunday dish, and it is eaten early because it fills you up for the whole day.
«Se come en tres vuelcos.» — It is eaten in three courses.
The Fuente Dé cable car
In four minutes you climb eight hundred metres to a balcony over the Picos de Europa: people go with their children and grandparents, and in August there is a queue from eight o'clock.
«Se sube ochocientos metros en cuatro minutos.» — You climb eight hundred metres in four minutes.
What to eat in Potes
Cocido lebaniego
Small chickpeas from Liébana with cabbage, potatoes and meats, served in three courses.
Queso Picón
Blue cheese aged in the caves of the Picos, wrapped in maple leaves.
Orujo
Grape pomace brandy distilled in the valley, which is drunk at the end of a meal or added to coffee.
Festivals in Potes
Fiesta del Orujo
the second weekend of November
The copper stills work in the square in front of everyone, and you can taste the freshly distilled brandy.
What to see in Potes
Monasterio de Santo Toribio
It houses the largest preserved piece of the Cross, and has a jubilee year like Rome and Santiago.
Torre del Infantado
The medieval tower in the middle of the town, where four valleys meet.
Teleférico de Fuente Dé
The cable car that climbs seven hundred and fifty metres of rock face in less than four minutes.
Puente de San Cayetano
The stone bridge over the Quiviesa, with houses overlooking it and the tower at the end.
Where Potes comes from
The largest piece of the Cross
9th century
The monastery
Santo Toribio receives the relic of the Cross, brought according to the story by Toribio of Astorga.
13th–15th century
The tower
The Torre del Infantado is built, which dominates the town and the four valleys.
1512
The jubilee
The Pope grants Santo Toribio the jubilee year: it is one of the few places in the world to have one.
20th century → today
Liébana
Mountain tourism and orujo support the valley's economy.
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