Cantabria

Spain's northern "Green Coast," where the seaside city of Santander, the Altamira Cave and the Picos de Europa complement one another.

Cantabria lies in northern Spain, with the Bay of Biscay to the north and the Cantabrian Mountains to the south. Its capital, Santander, is known for its elegant bay and the Magdalena Palace; the prehistoric cave paintings of Altamira are a World Heritage site (visitors now mostly see a replica museum), the medieval town of Santillana del Mar and Comillas, with its Gaudí work, are also popular, and the Picos de Europa to the west offer magnificent mountain scenery. The climate is damp and cool, and summer is the best time to visit. Santander's airport and ferry port are the main gateways, and you can also arrive overland from Bilbao.

Destinations

• Santander & Cantabria
• Picos de Europa
• Bilbao

Itineraries

• Green Spain Coast-to-Coast Road Trip – Drive west from San Sebastián along the Bay of Biscay to Santiago de Compostela, connecting the coasts and mountains of…
• Picos de Europa Three-Sided Traverse & Cantabria – Loop around the Picos de Europa from the western lakes to the eastern Liébana Valley, then head to the coast at Santill…
• Basque & La Rioja Wine Country Loop – Starting and ending in Bilbao, this loop connects Vitoria-Gasteiz, Logroño, Haro wineries, and San Sebastián.
• Car-Free Bilbao & San Sebastián Tour – Connect the two major Basque cities by public transport to see the Guggenheim, an island hermitage, La Concha Bay, and…
• French & Spanish Basque Coast Car-Free – Cross the border from Biarritz to San Sebastián and Bilbao, connecting the Basque coast by train and bus.