The Sibarist

Centennial house to enjoy rural life in Cantabria

Description

This 150-year-old country house is located in Santiurde de Toranzo, a unique enclave overlooking the Pasiegos Valleys of Cantabria. Nestled in the rural region of Acereda, this rented villa sits in a mountainous and wooded area formed by the river Pas. The gable-roofed house respects the typical mountain constructions that have been built in the area since the 16th century in oak wood, ashlar stone and thick masonry walls. It has been completely renovated with modern materials and solutions, respecting the original architecture. An ideal refuge to spend a few days with family or friends, it has a total surface area of 300 m2, divided into 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen and a large living room with fireplace.

The living-dining room, with a terracotta tiled floor, occupies an 80 m2 former stone barn, whose double-height ceiling has been used to create an impressive library with more than 800 books, accessible through a mezzanine, which is completed by an office. The lounge area near the fireplace consists of two sofas placed parallel to each other and dressed in sand-coloured canvas.

With direct access to the garden, the kitchen has an office and bar for two, with stools by Tristán Domecq, and a 19th century French cedar table under a white felt lamp.

Upstairs, the five double bedrooms, which occupy the original rooms of the house, sleep up to 10 people and are distributed over three levels. They feature wooden floorboards, William Morris wallpaper and warm-toned décor to ensure comfort.

The owners have given the house a rustic chic style by carefully choosing handcrafted accessories and restored pieces from antique shops and auction houses, such as the solid wood dining table complete with Tulip chairs. The selection of antiques includes a hand-painted wrought iron Milanese chandelier.

Traditional hand-carved wood contrasts with contemporary details from the renovation, such as the floating steel staircase or the lighting that is the owner’s favourite decorative touch. The whitewashed walls match the modern wallpaper by Arts & Crafts pioneer William Morris.

Outside, the estate enjoys a large lawned garden equipped with a stone dining table, wooden folding chairs and deckchairs, plus a built-in barbecue, shaded by two protected century-old oak trees almost 200 years old. From the outdoor seating you can enjoy views of the peaceful Toranzo valley and the neighbouring fields where cows graze.

A mobile baker delivers bread twice every morning and the nearby villages of Alceda and Ontaneda offer butchers, grocers, fishmongers, laundry and health services, and restaurants, bars and banks within a 10 minute drive.

In the surrounding area there is a Via Verde, a 34 km long former railway line converted into a recreational trail (only 500 m away). Also nearby are the Miera Valley, one of the most spectacular in the Pasiega region, the Cuevas del Castillo (10 min.) and the beach of Los Locos (about 30 km). Santander is the nearest city, 40 minutes away, and Madrid is about 3 ½ hours away by car.

For more detailed information, we invite you to visit our 5 star section, which you will find further down on this page, after the images.