Cantabria Travel Guide

Introduction

At the heart of the Cantabrian Mountains, between the Basque Country and Asturias, lies mainland Spain's second smallest and second least populous autonomous region, Cantabria. It is approximately twice the size of Luxembourg and, with 590,000 inhabitants, has a similar population.

Santander, Cantabria's capital, is the seat of Banco Santander, the largest bank in the Eurozone and one of the largest banks in the world in terms of market capitalisation.

Cuisine

Cantabrian cuisine is varied, but relies heavily on local freshwater and sea fish, seafood, beans, game, and beef. The seafood from the Bay of Biscay ranks among the tastiest in Europe, and includes seaweed, clams, razor shell clams, mussels, scallops, cockles, crabs, barnacles, crayfish, lobster, octopus and squid. The fish menu usually features bonito, sea bass, mackerel, hake, red mullet, scorpion fish, anchovy, and sardine.

The Cantabrian people used to hunt bear in the mountains until the 19th century, and game (deer, roe deer and wild boar) is still an essential component of the local cuisine. The most widely used cooked meat is, however, beef, and especially veal. The black, long-horned Tudanca cow of Cantabria bears uncanny resemblannce to its wild ancestor, the extinct aurochs, suggesting particularly late interbreeding between aurochs and domestic cattle in the region. Spain's largest cattle fair is the National Cattle Fair of Torrelavega, held in Cantabria's second largest municipality.

Typical Cantabrian specialties include arroz santanderino (rice dish cooked with salmon and milk), cocido montañés ('mountain stew', made with dried lima beans, collard greens, black pudding and chorizo, and not unlike southern French cassoulet), hake in green sauce, rabas (fried squid rings), and sorropotún (tuna pot). On the sweet scene, you'll find corbata and polka (both puff pastries), quesada pasiega (cheesecake of the Pas valley, flavoured with cinnamon and lemon zest), sobao pasiego (butter pastry made with eggs, lemon zest and anise liquor or rum), and frisuelos (kind of crêpes).

The indigenous alcohols, shared with other regions of northern Spain, are the chacolí (sparkling, very dry white wine with high acidity, known as Txakoli in the Basque Country), orujo (pomace brandy with an alcohol content over 50%), and apple cider. There are two wine appellations in Cantabria: Vino de la Tierra Costa de Cantabria and Vino de la Tierra de Liébana.

History & Language

Cantabria owes its name to the Cantabri, the Celtic tribe that occupied the region in the Iron Age. The Cantabri were used as mercenaries in various conflicts, notably on the Carthaginian side against Rome during the Second Punic War. The Cantabrian Wars (29-19 BCE) were the final stage of the Roman conquest of Hispania.

Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, Cantabria fell under Visigothic rule. In 574, King Liuvigild established the Duchy of Cantabria, which also comprised the north of the modern province of Burgos. In 714, the Moors conquered the part of Cantabria south of the mountains, forcing the Cantabrians to unite with their Asturian neighbours.

The territorial division of Spain of 1833 placed Cantabria within the Old Castille. Nevertheless, due to its geographic isolation, Cantabria retained a strong sense of independence and cultural distinctiveness and requested its own autonomous status in 1978. Castilian Spanish, which originated in the adjacent region of Burgos, is the main official language. Cantabrian, also known as Montañés ('from the Mountain') is itself a dialect of Castilian, although it has little more than 3,000 native speakers nowadays.

Prehistory & Genetics

Cantabria is the richest region in the world for archaeological sites from the Upper Paleolithic period (Cro-Magnons), ranging from 50,000 to 10,000 years ago. The most significant site for cave paintings is that in the cave of Altamira, dating from about 37,000 BCE and declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, along with nine other Cantabrian caves.

Insight from population genetics revealed that Cantabrians have an unusually high percentage of haplogroup R1a, a patrilineal lineage more associated with Northeastern Europe. The inhabitants of the Pas and Miera valleys in particular, known as the Pasiegans (Pasiegos), were reported to have 18% of R1a. Maternal Pasiegan lineages (mtDNA) were also unusual for the region (21% of haplogroup V, 16% of U5, 6% of I, and 2.5% of U4, among others) and displayed the same strong links with Northeastern Europe. These lineages could be remnants from the Upper Paleolithic or Mesolithic inhabitants of Iberia. An ancient DNA study showed that Mesolithic Iberians were genetically closer to modern Northeastern Europeans than to modern Southern Europeans.

Both the Cantabrians and the Asturians possess a considerable percentage of Y-DNA haplogroup E1b1b and G2a, the two main lineages associated with the Neolithic diffusion of agriculture. The E-M81 lineage, found in about 15% of Cantabrians, suggests that Neolithic farmers in Northwest Iberia came through the Maghreb, an hypothesis corroborated by the presence of about 3% North African maternal lineages (L2, M1, U6).

In contrast, Cantabrians have one of the lowest frequency of haplogroup R1b (55%) on the Atlantic fringe of Europe, a lineage linked to the Bronze and Iron Age dispersal of Indo-European speakers such as the Celts. The Cantabrian mountains therefore seem to have preserved a higher degree of Mesolithic and Neolithic genes than in the rest of Western Europe.

Attractions

West

Picos de Europa National Park

The Picos de Europa National Park offers visitors a remarkable combination of natural beauty and cultural heritage. As Spain's first National Park, established in 1918, it features breathtaking limestone landscapes with razor-sharp peaks, the highest being Torre Cerredo at 2,650 metres. The park is home to diverse wildlife including brown bears, Iberian wolves, chamois goats and bearded vultures. Visitors can explore over 30 self-guided routes, numerous viewpoints, and enjoy free guided tours available from July to September. Beyond natural wonders, the area boasts rich cultural treasures including prehistoric cave paintings, Roman archaeological remains, traditional stone architecture, and significant religious sites such as the Basilica of Covadonga and Santo Toribio de Liebana monastery, which houses one of the largest fragments of Christ's Cross. The park's unique status as Spain's only inhabited National Park allows visitors to experience authentic rural life alongside exceptional gastronomic offerings like Cabrales cheese and Asturian cider.

Comillas

Comillas was notably Spain's capital for a single day on 6 August 1881. The town features remarkable architectural treasures, including El Capricho, a unique building designed by Antoni Gaudí, and the grand Neo-Gothic Sobrellano Palace with its beautiful gardens. The town's transformation began when emigrants returned from America, introducing Catalan Modernismo architecture in the 19th century. Its dramatic landscape includes a crescent beach, rugged coastlines, and views of the snow-capped Picos de Europa. The town became a distinguished summer resort for Spanish royalty and nobility during the late 19th century, and was the first place in Spain to use Edison's electric light bulbs in 1880. Visitors can explore the cobbled streets of the old town, visit the fishing port, and enjoy traditional Cantabrian cuisine in local restaurants. The area is also near the UNESCO-listed Altamira caves, known for their prehistoric paintings.

Potes

Potes offers visitors a captivating blend of medieval charm and natural beauty at the gateway to the Picos de Europa National Park. This small yet vibrant town features cobblestone streets, historic stone bridges spanning the Deva and Quiviesa rivers, and significant architectural treasures including the 15th-century Torre del Infantado tower. Wandering through distinctive neighbourhoods like La Solana and El Sol reveals emblazoned houses and medieval buildings, while the surrounding area provides excellent hiking opportunities and spectacular viewpoints. After a day of exploration, visitors can enjoy Potes' surprisingly lively tapas scene and nightlife. The town serves as an ideal base for day trips to nearby attractions such as the Santo Toribio Monastery, Valle de Camaleño, and the Fuente Dé Cable Car, making it perfect for those seeking both cultural immersion and outdoor adventure.

Altamira Cave ※

The Cave of Altamira stretches 270 metres in length and houses some of humanity's earliest artistic expressions. The cave features remarkable Palaeolithic paintings dating back 36,000 years, with the most famous being the polychrome ceiling's depictions of bison, horses, deer and wild boar, created using ochre and charcoal. The artists ingeniously used the cave's natural contours to create three-dimensional effects in their artwork. Whilst the original cave is closed for conservation, visitors can explore a meticulous reproduction in the Altamira Museum's Neo-cave, which recreates the paintings using identical techniques. The cave's discovery in 1868 sparked significant controversy, as many experts initially refused to believe that prehistoric humans could create such sophisticated artwork, though this was later proven wrong. The site gained UNESCO World Heritage status in 1985 and represents a crucial milestone in understanding human artistic and cognitive development.

Other attractions

Oyambre Natural Park
Reinosa
Saja-Besaya Natural Park

East

Santander

Santander, the capital of Spain's Cantabria region, boasts a rich maritime heritage dating back to Roman times when it was known as Portus Victoriae. The city features stunning beaches along the Bay of Biscay and the iconic Magdalena Palace, a former royal residence that blends English Tudor and neo-Gothic architectural styles. A devastating fire in 1941 led to the rebuilding of the medieval city centre, though visitors can still explore the Gothic cathedral with its ancient Roman artefacts visible through a glass floor. The city's gastronomy is renowned for its fresh seafood, particularly sardines and traditional dishes like Sopa de Pescado (fish soup) and Cocido Montañes (mountain stew). With a population of 172,600 as of 2023, Santander serves as a significant cultural hub, hosting an annual International Music Festival and maintaining the University of Cantabria. A tragic historical event occurred in 1893 when the Cabo Machichaco steamship explosion claimed about 590 lives and destroyed numerous harbour buildings.

Santillana del Mar

Santillana del Mar, known as "the town of the three lies" because it's neither holy (santa), flat (llana), nor by the sea (del mar), is a remarkably preserved medieval town. The town grew around an 8th-century monastery of Santa Juliana and received its municipal charter in 1209. Its cobblestone streets are lined with impressive 14th to 18th-century buildings, many funded by residents who returned wealthy from the Americas, as evidenced by the ornate shields adorning house facades. The town's most significant attraction is the nearby Altamira Cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nicknamed the "Sistine Chapel of Palaeolithic Art," though visitors can only access a precise replica to preserve the original prehistoric paintings. The historic centre features notable structures including the Gothic Merino and Don Borja towers, whilst peculiar green balls of air plants (tillandsia) hanging from wooden balconies add a distinctive touch to the medieval architecture. The town is also close to the gorgeous Santa Justa beach, where visitors can spot an ancient chapel sculpted into a spectacular anticlinal fold.

Collados del Asón Natural Park

Collados del Asón Natural Park, established in 1999, spans 4,740 hectares in Spain's Cantabrian Mountains. The park features spectacular limestone formations, beech forests, and Cantabrian holm oaks, along with a remarkable 70-metre waterfall where the Asón River originates. Wildlife enthusiasts can spot various raptors, including griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures, and short-toed eagles, whilst the park's numerous caves house several bat species, including the cave bat and horseshoe bat. The park's landscape was shaped by ancient glacial activity, with the Circo de Hondojón serving as a prime example of glacial erosion. Visitors can explore three marked hiking trails or visit the interpretation centre in La Gándara de Soba, which showcases the area's geomorphology and underground cave systems through exhibitions and a 20-minute audiovisual presentation. Remarkably, the park contains only one populated area, the small neighbourhood of Asón in the municipality of Soba.

Dunes of Liencres Natural Park

The Dunes of Liencres and Costa Quebrada Natural Park, established in 1986 as Cantabria's first natural park, features one of northern Spain's largest dune systems, formed by wind-gathered sand from coastal currents and the Pas River. The park encompasses two main beaches, Valdearenas and Canallave, with the latter being particularly popular among surfers. The dunes were stabilised through maritime pine reforestation in the mid-20th century, creating a unique forest ecosystem that now serves as a habitat for diverse wildlife, including aquatic birds, lizards, and three varieties of newts. The area is also a geological treasure, featuring ancient coral reefs and seabeds that date back to the dinosaur era. Visitors can explore the park through marked walking trails, whilst the local cuisine offers delectable specialities such as fresh seafood, Picón Bejes-Tresviso cheese, and traditional desserts like quesada (milk pudding) and sobaos pasiegos (soft sponge cakes).

Other attractions

Macizo de Peña Cabarga Natural Park
Monastery of San Sebastián de Hano
Santoña, Victoria and Joyel Marshes Natural Park