Cantabria

If you’re thinking of planning a getaway to Cantabria in what is known as Green Spain, you can look forward to a trip full of beautiful scenery, excellent gastronomy and unique heritage.

This northern part of Spain is home to various prehistoric caves, of which the most famous of all is Altamira, awarded the World Heritage designation and known as the "Sistine Chapel of Prehistoric Art". Cantabria also lies on the famous Way of Saint James pilgrim route, and its towns and villages contain a wealth of beautiful monuments such as the Magdalena Palace in Santander, the monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana or Gaudí’s “Capricho” monument in Comillas.

You’ll also marvel at the spectacular landscapes, as the coast of Cantabria offers over 60 beaches with fine white sand in holiday resorts such as Laredo and San Vicente de la Barquera. And further inland, as well as its various nature reserves, nobody should miss a visit to the Picos de Europa National Park, the ideal place for adventure sports.An additional attraction when visiting this area is its first-rate cuisine. You'll be able to sample typical dishes such as the bean stew known as “cocido montañés”, “sobaos” (sponge cakes) and the “quesada pasiega” cheesecake. And to relax, what could be better than one of its famous spa resorts?

Gaudí’s "Capricho"

The design of this building by Gaudí combines music and…

Pas Valley

It is part of the valleys in the Pas Region, in Cantabria.…

El Soplao Cave

El Soplao is situated in the western part of Cantabria, in the…

Palaeolithic cave art of the Cantabrian Coast (Altamira Cave extension)

There are 17 caves that represent one of the most important…

Cabárceno Wildlife Park

This nature reserve is in a man-made setting created on a karstic…

Picos de Europa National Park

Spread across the provinces of Asturias, Cantabria and León, the…

Santo Toribio de Liébana Monastery

It is built in the Gothic style, although the Cistercian…

Santillana del Mar Collegiate Church

The church has its origins in a monastery dating from 870.…

Centro Botín

A cultural space dedicated to contemporary art, music, film,…

Cantabrian Maritime Museum

This venue offers a profound look at different areas of the…

What to do

Other ideas for your trip

Routes to discover waterfalls in Cantabria

The topography of the region is what makes Cantabria such a special place. It’s criss-crossed by countless rivers that over the passage of time have transformed…

Tourist looking at the Bolao waterfall in Toñanes, Cantabria

Autumn in nature

Finding truly natural autumn landscapes in Spain is easy. Perhaps the only difficulty is choosing from the idyllic spots that are spread across the country.…

Autumn landscape in the Ambroz Valley, Extremadura

Travelling by car around northern Spain

Spain's extensive road network makes travelling by car a comfortable and enjoyable option.…

A week in Green Spain

We suggest a route from east to west covering the four regions that make up this part of Green Spain: the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia.…

Horses in the Aiako Harria Natural Park in the Basque Country

The luxury of travelling through Green Spain by tourist train

This is the proposal: forget your hectic life aboard one of the best tourist trains in the world. Sounds good, doesn't it?…

Charles V Route: The last trip

The idea is to revive an important chapter in the history of Spain in the 16th century: The last trip that Charles I of Spain and V of Germany made before dying.…

Memorable coastal towns

Fishing boats coming into port with their catch, sailors striding towards the market with fish to sell, nets piled on the dock, the lights at twilight… We could…

Santander, in full sail

The promenade in Santander (Cantabria) features enough attractions to deserve a visit, especially since its bay, included in the Club of the Most Beautiful Bays…