Santander
Of these four World Heritage–listed caves 30km southwest of Santander, two – El Castillo and Las Monedas – are open for 45-minute guided visits (in…
Must-see attractions in Cantabria
Cantabria
The museum’s highlight is the Neocueva, a dazzling, full-sized re-creation of the real Cueva de Altamira’s most interesting chamber, the Sala de…
Comillas
With this marvellous 1888 building, the Marqués de Comillas’ summer palace, Modernista architect Joan Martorell truly managed to out-Gothic real Gothic…
Comillas
Antoni Gaudí left few reminders of his genius beyond Catalonia, but of them the 1885 Capricho is easily the most flamboyant. This brick building, one of…
Santander
Santander's newest and splashiest landmark, this ambitious waterfront arts and cultural centre opened to great fanfare in 2017. The futuristic two-block…
Comillas
The 2km-long, soft-blonde Playa Oyambre, 5km west of Comillas, is a sandy dream protected by the Parque Natural Oyambre. It has frequently surfable waves,…
Iglesia Rupestre de Santa María de Valverde
Cantabria
Dating back to the 10th century or earlier, Santa María de Valverde is the Ebro Valley's largest iglesia rupestre (rock-cut church). The church retains a…
Cantabria
Discovered in 1903 (second only to Altamira among Cantabrian caves with prehistoric artwork), the World Heritage–listed Covalanas cave is home to several…
Península de la Magdalena
Santander
At the eastern tip of the bay, this sprawling parkland is perfect for a stroll, and popular with picnickers. Kids will enjoy the resident seals, sea lions…
Cantabria
About 14km east of Laredo, small, wild Playa de Sonabia is tucked into a rock-lined inlet beneath high crags, above which rare griffon vultures circle the…
Nacimiento del Río Ebro
Cantabria
The Río Ebro starts life at this tree-shaded spring 5km northwest of Reinosa. It’s a stunningly serene spot, with deep-turquoise water, a tiny shrine and…
Santander
The eclectically styled, English-inspired palace crowning the Península de la Magdalena was built between 1908 and 1912 as a gift from Santander to Spain…
Santillana del Mar
A stroll along Santillana’s cobbled main street, past solemn 15th- to 18th-century nobles’ houses, leads to this beautiful 12th-century Romanesque ex…
Cantabria
The CA281 south from Puentenansa follows the Río Nansa upstream. Along the way, a 2km detour east leads to the attractive hamlet of Tudanca, dominated by…
Cantabria
This broad sandy strip, just off the A8 16km west of Castro Urdiales, is set deep behind protective headlands, making the water calm and comparatively…
Catedral de la Asunción
Santander
Santander’s serene cathedral comprises two Gothic churches, one above the other. The 14th-century upper church, extensively rebuilt after the 1941 fire,…
Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo
Santander
Two superposed Gothic churches make up Santander’s cathedral. In the lower, older, 13th-century Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo, glass floors reveal…
San Vicente de la Barquera
This extensive 20km cave system, exploited as a lead and zinc mine before 1979, makes for a popular outing inland from San Vicente. The one-hour visit…
Cantabria
The elegantly proportioned 12th-century Romanesque church in Cervatos, 6km south of Reinosa, is most celebrated for the rare explicit sexual carvings on…
Antigua Universidad Pontificia
Comillas
Several Modernistas had a hand in this imposing neo-Gothic former seminary, looming over the west end of town. Domènech i Montaner contributed its…
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles
San Vicente de la Barquera
San Vicente’s outstanding monument is the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, commissioned by Alfonso VIII in 1210. Though mostly Gothic, it sports…
Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo
Santander
Santander’s art museum offers an extensive eclectic collection spanning the 16th to 21st centuries. Much of it is secondary Spanish art, though you’ll…
Santander
El Sardinero’s 1.5km-long strand of gorgeous golden sand faces the open sea, north of the Península de la Magdalena. It’s backed by some of Santander’s…
Centro Arqueológico Muralla de Santander
Santander
Below the majestic Plaza Porticada lies the Centro Arqueológico Muralla de Santander, where you can see parts of the city’s medieval walls, built from…
Comillas
Comillas' cemetery, around the ruined medieval parish church, was remodelled by Catalan Modernista Lluís Domènech i Montaner in 1893. It’s overlooked by a…
Santander
The two gorgeously wild golden beaches of Langre are backed by cliffs topped with rolling green fields, and often have surfable waves. Most beachgoers…
Capilla-Panteón de Sobrellano
Comillas
On a grassy hillside beside the Marqués de Comillas’ summer palace is the marquis’ family tomb, an intricate ‘mini-cathedral’ designed by Joan Martorell,…
Cantabria
The remains of Julióbriga, Cantabria’s most significant Roman town, lie 4km east of Reinosa. Hourly guided visits (45 minutes, in Spanish) lead you…
Parque de la Naturaleza Cabárceno
Santander
This open-air zoo 18km south of Santander is a curious but successful experiment: a free-range home on the site of former open-cut mines for everything…
Biblioteca de Menéndez Pelayo
Santander
This vast old library with its beautiful wood-lined reading room was built in 1915 to house the 41,500 books bequeathed to Santander by local teacher,…
Santander
A 2km-long finger of sand jutting across the bay towards Santander, Playa del Puntal is idyllic on calm days (but beware the currents). A couple of…
Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria
Santander
The elegant prehistory and archaeology museum showcases Cantabria’s archaeological wealth, with the help of interactive multimedia displays. Many exhibits…
Casa-Museo de Menéndez Pelayo
Santander
The family home of celebrated local scholar Marcelino Menéndez Pelayo (1856–1912) stands directly behind the elaborate Biblioteca de Menéndez Pelayo,…
Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción
Cantabria
The haughty Gothic jumble that is the Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción stands out spectacularly above Castro Urdiales’ harbour. It was built in the…
Cantabria
The main draw at the Cueva de Cullalvera is the jaw-dropping vastness of the cave itself (enhanced with some rather overdone light and water displays)…
Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico
Santander
Find out all about Cantabria’s long seafaring history at Santander’s maritime museum, 800m east of the Puerto Chico marina. The four floors cover all…
Santander
Tucked deep between two rocky headlands just north of El Sardinero, this tiny golden cove gets packed during the summer months. From the northern end of…
Santander
The pretty, recently refurbished gardens around the Centro Botín are named after 19th-century Cantabrian writer José María de Pereda, whose bronze effigy…
Santander
Across the bay from Santander, and just beyond Playa del Puntal, Playa de Somo is a beautiful, gold-tinged beach, often with pretty good surf. A year…
Centro de Interpretación Collados del Asón
Cantabria
The Centro de Interpretación Collados del Asón, 20km southwest of Ramales de la Victoria, has info on hikes (guided and unguided) in the Parque Natural…
