The Romans already used the rivers and coastal inlets of these lands for trade, but it was not until the Middle Ages when small harbours intended for trading and fishing started to appear with scant coastal traffic.
Among other functions, these medieval harbours were used for hunting large migratory groups of whales. This was a widespread activity in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries and the great lords obtained good profits from allowing whale hunting.
Once the whales had disappeared, the harbours continued evolving over time: trade, inshore and deep-sea fishing and, eventually, tourism. Sail boats disappeared with the coming of steam-ships, subsequently replaced by motor vessels. Old maritime trades remained on their quays: shipwrights, sail-makers, net-makers, and, for some time, canneries for preserving fish.
But these coasts and harbours have witnessed another human phenomenon: emigration to the Americas. The many architectural manifestations that dot the region are witness to the social, economic and cultural importance of /situation.
Indiano villas built by returning emigrants who had made their fortune in the Americas, known here simply as americano villas, as well as schoolhouses, washhouses, casinos (social clubs), public fountains, parks, etc. A sign of love for their homeland by those who triumphed in the tough emigration.
Visitors can see the imprint of the centuries in the harbour towns, their intricate medieval streets and their fishing quarters. Stories of men and women who made their living looking out to sea and trying to tame it without ever managing to do so.
Here can be found an array of spectacular beaches, cliffs, estuaries, dune ridges, islets and rocks, forming a striking landscape that has remained intact to this day. A perfect facility for those who love the sea, sport fishing, diving, sailing or even riding the waves on a surfboard.
