Cascante, the town that is reborn twice a year thanks to its music festival
Who does not know ** Tudela **, even if only by hearsay? For its garden, its asparagus and its buds, at least. The strange thing is that one has heard of waterfall , another little Navarrese town that is a little more than ten kilometers away, and that for some seasons now begins to be on everyone's lips.
Surely you think that only because of its gastronomy or its landscapes -cold, cold-, when what is causing the most talk is its musical restlessness , which has rather little folklore.
We talk about festivals , a world in which Cascante is becoming a reference among indies and music fans in general thanks to the organization of Sound Stations , a festival that does not lack its food frucks area. And we have already been. And Tequila, La Casa Azul, Depedro, Morgan, Mikel Erentxun, Soleá Morente, Iván Ferreiro…
Baroque Basilica of Our Lady of Romero
ROUTE THROUGH CASCANTE
Cascante barely reaches the 4,000 inhabitants , a demographic that during the days of the festival can exceed 6,000 , without exaggerating. And in addition to the charm offered by a small town lost in the Moncayo mountain range and the natural area of the Royal Bardenas -wonder of semi-desert landscape, straddling the Grand Canyon of Colorado and the planet Mars-, Cascante has its own history, perfect to discover on a festival weekend.
It was an ancient Celtiberian town and an important Roman enclave (named Cascantum), although few remains remain from that time. Those who are standing belong to the 17th and 18th centuries , as the Baroque basilica of Our Lady of Romero , located at the highest point of the town and from where you have a panoramic view of the entire queiles valley , including the Moncayo.
The ramp that leads to the Basilica of Our Lady of Romero
The curious and most remarkable thing is the way in which the basilica is connected to the city: through a ramp either slope flanked by 39 semicircular arches In perfect state of conservation. It is said that it was built to protect visitors from inclement weather. And the wind, (impressive how it blows as you get to the basilica).
Inside the city, the visit is reduced to strolling through its streets and discovering corners such as the mansion of the Guelbenzu winery , a 19th century farm estate that draws attention for the shocking pink color of its facade.
Or the Thermoludic Center, a much more modern and up-to-date wellness center, which is great for recharging your batteries once the festival is over. Their water circuit It's the best way to reconnect with the week's grind after two days of bouncing around on the main stage.
A 19th century farm
WHERE TO EAT AND WHERE TO SLEEP IN CASCANTE
We warn you that, in a territory with good gardens and better meats, any option is good to pamper yourself at the table. But we note two addresses as the most recommended: on the one hand, the Ibarra restaurant , one of those inns that, after 30 years standing, continues to offer quality cuisine, careful presentation -needless to say, we're not exactly talking about minimalism- and with the intense flavor of the stews from before.
Over the years it has shed its skin to become gastronomic space with a slightly more sophisticated air, but its menu remains the same. Its tender chives in tempura or freshly cooked white asparagus -when it's season- are something to repeat.
Here the garden commands
Also note the restaurant the lettuce , halfway between a restaurant with a family atmosphere and a cozy one -you can tell they've been around for more than 50 years-, tapas bar and accommodation.
It is convenient to have it located because it is one of the landmarks at snack time at noon and in the afternoon, just before the festival performances start. Their skewers bar well worth getting strong and ordering a couple of rounds. Or those that are third.
Mango pudding at El Lechuguero
To sleep, a couple more addresses: in the center of town, Pinilla House , a family pension with a rural atmosphere run by Maica. She could not be more friendly and welcoming, and the house, simple and with the residue of the years on each of the steps of its main staircase, could not be more pleasant, with the right services to spend the night and not throw anything less.
is also RuralSuite , a more modern complex of hotel apartments with spacious and functional rooms, kitchen and the possibility of reserving boogie routes to go to the Bardenas Reales. The only thing to keep in mind is that it is a few kilometers from Cascante , so you have to travel by car from the town.
The best option to stay in Cascante during the festival
NEXT EDITION OF SOUND STATIONS
If you're curious, or you're very much from Zahara, go grab a ticket for the next edition of Summer Sound Stations , because it is one of the first confirmed. This new appointment will be held during the days August 30 and 31 and, as usual, two scenarios are foreseen: the free one, in the town square (very close to the El Lechuguero bar), and the main stage, located in the courtyard of Santa Vicenta María school , which of course can be reached on foot by taking a walk of less than five minutes from the town center.
Beside Zahara , have already confirmed other bands like La FASHION, Mucho or The Limboos . What do they have to do with each other? Well, not much, but here there is room for all musical genres, without being pigeonholed into rock sounds, just indie or brit.
As your organizer says, Anselmo Pinilla, If there is something that defines this festival as "unclassifiable" -they organize three or four editions a year, and each concert lasts 90 minutes, no express performances- it is precisely its "musical eclecticism". And that's where they are. In "continuing to grow in quality, rather than in quantity".
Sound Stations, in Cascante
And it's been like this for six years. Putting on a state-of-the-art soundtrack to a town that only a few would be able to place on the map and that now, thanks to Anselmo and all the friends of Radio Cierzo -origin of all this- has sneaked into the national music festivals.
And to think that all this arose because they were tired of the fact that the only concerts that came to this area were those given by popular orchestras... Now the whole town is involved in each edition , organizing from a day of popular tapas in the square or the traditional I skewer pot in the bars of the town , even proposing routes of sustainable awareness with a guide or even enabling a room of Arcade machines free for all.
If you want to see what's going on in the next edition, don't forget to pack a cardigan, because in these lands the cold doesn't even respect the schoolyard.
Food truck zone of the Estaciones Sonoras de Cascante festival