A guide to exploring Cantabria village by village
Cantabria packs extraordinary geographic variety into just over 5,300 square kilometres. Between the Bay of Biscay coastline and the peaks of the Picos de Europa, deep valleys, beech and oak forests, and villages with distinctive stone architecture follow one after another. Touring its districts reveals a region where the drive from the sea to high mountain takes barely thirty minutes.
The Cantabrian coast: cliffs and seafaring towns
The coastline alternates between fine sandy beaches and dramatic cliffs. San Vicente de la Barquera overlooks an estuary with the Picos de Europa rising behind it, while Comillas displays Gaudi's whimsical Capricho alongside its pontifical university. Santillana del Mar preserves one of the best-kept medieval ensembles on the Iberian Peninsula, and Castro Urdiales rounds out the coastal route with its Gothic church of Santa Maria and a fishing harbour in use since Roman times.
Inland valleys and the Liebana district
Liebana operates as a world of its own, shielded by mountains that exceed 2,500 metres. Potes, its capital, serves as the starting point for Fuente De and its cable car. Mogrovejo, with medieval towers facing the central massif, appears on every list of Spain's most photogenic villages. Further east, the Pas, Miera, and Ason valleys offer quieter routes where cattle farming and Pasiego traditions still set the daily rhythm.
Ancient heritage and Cantabrian flavours
The Altamira caves, with paintings dating back 36,000 years, are merely the most famous example of a heritage that includes Romanesque collegiate churches, returning-emigrant mansions, and medieval defensive towers. The food matches every route: cocido montanes with its white beans and cabbage, salt-cured anchovies from Santona, sobaos pasiegos (butter sponge cakes), and quesadas (cheesecake-style pastries) round out a culinary offering worth the trip on its own.
Practical tip: plan your route by alternating coast and mountain days. Distances in Cantabria are short, but mountain roads demand extra time. Allow at least four or five days to cover the main districts without rushing.