Laredo, Cantabria

Laredo
Municipality and town
Panoramic view of Laredo center
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Laredo
Laredo Location in Spain
Coordinates: 43°24′52″N 3°24′36″W / 43.41444°N 3.41000°WCoordinates: 43°24′52″N 3°24′36″W / 43.41444°N 3.41000°W
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Cantabria
Province	Cantabria
Comarca	Eastern coast of Cantabria
Judicial district	Laredo
Settled	757
Government
• Alcalde	Juan Ramón López Visitación (2015) (PSOE)
Area
• Total	15.71 km^2 (6.07 sq mi)
Elevation	5 m (16 ft)
Population (2014)
• Total	11,800
• Density	750/km^2 (1,900/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Laredano/a, pejino/a
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	39770
Dialing code	942
Website	Official website

Laredo (Spanish pronunciation: [laˈɾeðo]) is a town in the autonomous community of Cantabria. According to the 2008 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 12,648 inhabitants. In addition to Laredo, the municipality includes the villages of La Arenosa, El Callejo, Las Cárcobas, Las Casillas, La Pesquera, Tarrueza and Villante. Except from the last two, the other villages had been physically integrated into Laredo.

Located between the cities of Santander and Bilbao, Laredo is known in the region and nationally for "La Salvé", its 5 km long beach (7 km at high tide) and for the historic part of town dating back to Roman times. Its festivities in August are also well known due to the main event that occurs every year on the last Friday of August, known as la batalla de flores (the battle of the flowers), during which large floats entirely covered with flowers and petals are paraded along the central streets.

In Laredo (and many other cities in Spain) it is tradition for a group of men to parade a giant sardine through town at the end of carnival. At the end of this ritual, called Entierro de la Sardina ("burial of the sardine"), the sardine is burned on the beach after a fireworks display.^[1]

Economy

Economically, Laredo, is based on fishing and the service sector and tourism. Laredo is considered one of the main resorts on the Cantabrian coast.^[2] The local industry is based on the processing of fishery products, especially anchovies, and family businesses.

In Laredo, whose average income level is amongst the fifteen highest in Cantabria, the service sector employs over half the population (51.2%). Laredo Regional Hospital in Laredo serves the surrounding region.

Transport

Laredo is connected to Spanish transportation hubs Bilbao and Santander via Automoviles Luarca, S.A.. Bilbao is an hour to the east of Laredo, while Santander lies 40 minutes west. Madrid is a 5-hour bus journey away.

People from Laredo

• Bernardino de Escalante (1537-circa 1605), 16th-century writer.
• José Emilio Amavisca (1971-), retired footballer.
• Ignacio Rodríguez Ortiz (1982-), footballer.

Twin towns - Sister cities

• Cenon, France (since 1988)^[3]
• Dakhla, Sahrawi Republic (since 16 December 2011)^[4][5]
• Laredo, United States^[6][7]

Gallery

• 
  "El Canto", old port of Laredo (1883-2006)
• 
  Works on the new port of Laredo, May 2009
• 
  Medieval walls (13th century) at the "Puebla Vieja" of Laredo
• 
  "Santa María de la Asunción" church (13th century-17th century) at the "Puebla Vieja" of Laredo
• 
  "Santa María de la Asunción" interior
• 
  "San Martín y Santa Catalina" church (13th century)
• 
  Beach Volleyball Spanish Championship 2004 in "La Salvé" beach, Laredo
• 
  "El Regatón" beach
• 
  Old town hall (1561-2008)
• 
  New town hall
• 
  Former Dr. Velasco school, nowadays used as cultural center, and in summer as cinema and main location of the University of Cantabria summer courses
• 
  The Battle of Flowers festival
• 
  3 Laredos Park
• 
  Laredo's "El Ensanche" and "La Salvé" beach in the 1950s

References

1. El Diario; Último adiós a la sardina en Laredo
2. www.spain.info
3. "Veinte años después, la villa volvió a hermanarse con la ciudad gala de Cenon" (in Spanish). es:El Diario Montañés. 2008-10-12. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
4. "Laredo y el Campamento Dajla firman convenio de un hermanamiento de solidaridad" (in Spanish). Sahara Press Service. 2011-12-17. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
5. "LA CASA DE CULTURA ACOGERÁ MAÑANA LA PRESENTACIÓN DEL DOCUMENTAL HIJAS DE LA ESPERANZA, DE JAVIER IBARRA" (in Spanish). Laredo.es. 2011-12-15. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
6. "Estudiantes tejanos de visita en Laredo" (in Spanish). El Diario Montañés. 2011-07-29. Retrieved 2013-03-03.
7. Laredo, Spain Laredotexas.gov

External links

• Ayuntamiento de Laredo
• Nostalgias Pejinas
• Laredo - Cantabria 102 Municipios
• Pictures of Laredo