There is a place, in the north of Spain, which seems to have come out of a fairy tale. Is called Playa de Gulpiyuriin Cunning (on the border with Cantabria), set between the meadows and rocks near the town of Llanes, without any contact visible with the coast and is considered the smaller beach in the world: with a length of just 40 meters. Yet it is a real beach, with white sand, salted water and even tides. The water filters between the rocks through a small underground stream: You hear the sound of the seabut from there it is not seen. With the low tidethe sand takes over, while with thehigh tidethe space is significantly reduced and the beach seems to disappear. All this without even looking out on the ocean, it is a flooded sink.
Gulpiyuri, the name derives from the ancient Spanish and means “Water circle”it’s not just one of the smallest beaches on the planet – it is also one of the strangest. To reach it you have to walk a little, you can access you via a path from the San Antolín beach and go down a staircase from the country cliffs between green meadows and cliffs. When arriving, you are in front of something surprising: a tiny expanse of white sand hidden in the hills … but without any view of the sea. How then does the water come to here?
The answer is all in the geology. Gulpiyuri is actually one widenthat is, a natural cavity formed over time due to erosion. In the past, the Cantabric Sea has carved out of the underground caves along the coast. At one point, the roof of one of these caves has collapsed, leaving a basin in the ground. Over time, sea water started to slip through underground tunnels, feeding this sort of Natural savory swimming poolover 100 meters from the actual coast.
The result is a unique beach in the world: you don’t see the sea, but there is. Precisely for its uniqueness, Gulpiyuri has been declared Natural monument by the government of the Asturies and is part of the regional network of protected natural areas. It is still quite intact, without tourist facilities, bars or services. The nearest country is Navesabout 6 km, but to reach the beach you have to walk about a kilometer on foot.
