Cantabria

Cantabria's bay city of Santander, prehistoric caves and medieval towns combine mountain and sea scenery.

The province of Cantabria is coextensive with the autonomous community of the same name, on the Bay of Biscay coast of northern Spain. The capital, Santander, has a beautiful bay, El Sardinero beach and the Palacio de la Magdalena. The Cave of Altamira is known for its prehistoric paintings, and nearby Santillana del Mar is a well-preserved medieval town. Comillas has El Capricho, designed by Gaudí. In the southwest you can enter the Picos de Europa and take a cable car to the summit for views. The climate is cool and damp, and summer is the best time to visit. Santander's airport and ferry port are the main gateways.

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.