Costa de Cantabria

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?

The region of Cantabria is blessed with 220 kilometres of coastline, along the Bay of Biscay, and boasts more than 90 beautiful beaches. Two of the best resort towns with stunning white sand beaches are Laredo and San Vicente de la Barquera.

Gaudí is of course mostly associated with Barcelona, however he did design a few other buildings across Northern Spain too. The region of Cantabria is home to El Capricho – a fantastical building of quirky turrets and chimneys, and brightly coloured glazed tiles. It can be found in the small town of Comillas.

The UNESCO World Heritage Altamira Cave is one of the best examples of prehistoric cave art in the whole of Europe. Located close to the historic town of Santillana del Mar, the cave art here dates back to the Palaeolithic period – from 35,000 to 11,000 BC. Comprising both wild coastline and a dramatic mountainous interior, Canatabria boasts some stunning landscapes. Lush, green and wild, you won’t be able to keep your camera away for long when visiting this northern Spanish region.