Riaño

Riaño is a very special place to be thanks to its beautiful hills, impressive mountains, and, of course, the water reservoir.

Despite its beauty, it has a darker past due to the forced construction of the reservoir in 1987 that flooded nine towns in the valley, including the old town of Riaño. The construction involved violence in response to the locals' tenacious opposition. One of the inhabitants couldn't bear leaving his home, and this attachment led him to take his life.

Sadly, the old valley is now submerged and in ruins, so the only way to remember it is through stories and photographs. Thirty-eight years later, the reservoir fulfills its purpose of hydroelectric power generation and irrigation of the nearby lands of León and the rest of Castilla.

Riaño is the youngest town in León, and its cozy spots and joyful people made the visit totally worth it. It is a fantastic place to relax and avoid gentrification. The views are the prelude to Picos de Europa and part of the beautiful North of Spain.