12 essentials: what to see and do on a trip to Cantabria

There are many attractions that will lead you to plan a tourism trip to Cantabria, and more so in this new stage after the health confinement that we have experienced.

Since the scenery mountainous and green Picos de Europa, to historic or picturesque towns, both inland and on the coast, such as Santillana del Mar, San Vicente de la Barquera, Comillas, Bárcena Mayor or Castro Urdiales.

You will also find areas with big beaches, such as those of Liencres, Somo, Laredo or Santoña, or even semi-hidden coves.

Or beautiful valleys with natural landscapes, like the Asón Valley, Valley of Liebana or Cabuérniga Valley.

And, of course, a city with a special charm, such as Santander.

Of course, Cantabria is also a great attraction for its surprising caves, Such as Altamira o The Blow. where you can see everything from cave paintings to large rooms with stalactites and stalagmites.

What to see and visit on a tourism trip through Cantabria

To plan your trip, here is a list with Tourist sites you should visit on a trip to Cantabria.

At the outset, we suggest that you start reading this article with tips for visiting Cantabria, so that you will have a first approximation to its main attractions which will be very useful when preparing your trip.

And if instead of going on your own you prefer to visit in an organized group with a guide, here you have several tours and excursions in Cantabria.

Visit the city of Santander

Santander It is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain and you have many attractions for your visit, especially the area of ​​the Sardinero and Magdalena Peninsula, but also with a notable cultural aspect.

El Sardinero, the city's beaches 

The Sardinero beaches They are the center of tourist activity during the summer in the city ​​of Santander.

But in this article we discover other corners that you can see during your walk through the Sardinero and its surroundings, from historic hotels such as the Royal HotelUntil the Grand Casino, stately homes or natural areas such as Mataleñas park and beach or Cape Mayor Lighthouse.

Magdalena Palace, former residence of the Kings of Spain

In your visit to the Sardinero area It is a must-see tour to explore the Magdalena peninsula, where the Magdalena Palace which in its day became the summer residence of the Kings of Spain.

Headquarters of the courses at the Menéndez Pelayo Summer University, in non-summer season you can visit this palace that is located in a beautiful enclave next to the coast.

Cathedral, medieval history of Santander

In the city center you also have other attractions, such as discovering the Santander Cathedral, an essential stage to learn about the medieval history of the city, and also see interesting corners such as the Hope Market

Museums and other cultural places

While Santander has a well-earned reputation as resort town, with its Sardinero beaches as a great icon, in the Cantabrian capital it also has an outstanding cultural aspect.

Here you have extensive information about museums and cultural visits What you can do during your vacation or your weekend getaway to Santander.

And for your visit, here you can buy the priority tickets to visit the Botín Center, the new cultural icon of the city of Santander, where you can see various exhibitions by international and Spanish artists.

Best beaches in Cantabria

Without a doubt, as we have mentioned, one of the great attractions of a vacation and tourism trip to Cantabria They are your beaches.

In Cantabria you find beaches with huge sandy beaches, like Laredo, or in natural areas and with dunes, like in Liencres, and also small coves.

Here you have extensive information with the best beaches in Cantabria.

Cabárceno, nature park

Very close to Santander you find the Cabárceno park, one of the most visited places in northern Spain as it combines the appeal of a large nature park, with the animals in semi-freedom, with the landscapes of an old mining area.

Here you have extensive information about the visit of the Cabárceno nature park in which the exhibition of birds of prey in the Cabárceno park It is one of its great attractions for visitors to this beautiful natural enclave.

En Cabárceno tYou can also make a very special visit, such as accessing the bear enclosure so you can see them more closely.

If, instead of going on your own, to visit this attractive place near Santander you prefer to sign up for a tour with a guide in Spanish, here you have the information about the excursion to Cabárceno park from Santander, which you will do in a minivan with a duration of four and a half hours.

Santillana del Mar, the most beautiful town

When highlighting a beautiful town in Cantabria, there is no doubt that we must refer to Santillana del Mar, a town in whose vicinity the Altamira cave.

Its enormous appeal, with beautiful corners of rural and monumental architecture, such as the Romanesque collegiate church, makes it Santillana del Mar On weekends and high season it is a crowded tourist town.

But I can assure you, from my own experience, that it is still possible to walk through its almost empty streets on weekdays and at other times of the year.

If to get to know this beautiful town you prefer to go with a organized tour, you can sign up for this excursion to Altamira and Santillana del Mar, in which you will visit the museum and neocave and walk through said town with a guide in Spanish.

You also have the option of this excursion through the west of Cantabria where you will visit, in addition to Santillana de Mar, places as interesting as San Vicente de la Barquera, Comillas and the Altamira museum and neocave.

Museum and neo-cave of Altamira, cathedral of cave paintings

If there is a corner Cantabria icon that's the Altamira Cave.

 Although it has not been possible to visit it for many years to avoid the deterioration of the paintings that it contains, it is now possible to participate in the extraordinary visits that are periodically organized by lottery.

Here you have information about how to visit the original Altamir Cavea.

In the absence of being able to see the original cave, you have the excellent alternative of the visit to the museum and neocave of Altamira, which is one of the most popular among those of us who travel to Cantabria.

Gaudí's Capricho, a jewel of modernist architecture in Comillas

Did you know that in Cantabria there is a building designed by Gaudí?

Indeed in the beautiful coastal town of Quotation marks can visit El Capricho, one of the first works carried out by the brilliant Catalan architect, the greatest exponent of modernism.

Here you have the information about what the visit of Gaudí's Capricho in Comillas.

Fuente De Cable Car in Picos de Europa

Cantabria not only are beaches, but also mountains, and in this respect the An essential place to visit is the Picos de Europa area, in the interior west of the autonomous community.

And the most visited corner, without a doubt, is the Fuente Cable Car and climbing it becomes a true experience.

In addition, in this way you will have access to natural places of great beauty, as you can see in these photos of the Picos de Europa from Fuente De.

Liébana Valley in Cantabria

On the way to Fuente De you will pass through one of the most beautiful valleys in Cantabria, where the town of Jars, monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana or the Mozarabic church of Santa María de Lebeña.

On the route you will pass through places like La Hermida Spa in Liébana Valley and you can visit a Bejes cheese curing cave

El Soplao Cave, natural formations

Beyond the ability to see cave paintings in Cantabria, if there is a cave that, despite not housing paintings, has great interest in the spectacular rock formations that it contains, that is The Blow.

You can visit it in the area of Saja-Nansa, west of the region.

In this article we tell you how the visit to the El Soplao Cave, and specifically the so-called Adventure Turism, the most complete of what you can do in this Cantabrian corner.

Other experiences and activities in Cantabria

There are numerous and diverse experiences you can live and tourist activities which you can sign up for in Cantabria.

As an example, here you have information about the sobaos pasiegos workshop in Selaya., and also curious popular festivals such as Cantabrian Wars in Corrales de Buelna.

If you want to sign up for gastronomic experiences or various types of tourist and sports activities, here you go extensive information and you can hire them.

There you will find everything from boat or kayak rides, visits to anchovy factories, tastings of sobaos pasiegos or artisanal cheeses from Cantabria, to tickets for spas in Liébana or Solares, or canyoning, surfing, rafting or caving activities.