Santona is a small town in the autonomous community of Cantabria. It has a population of just 11,000. The town is very pretty and is protected from the Bay of Biscay by a headland.
The town has a long history and connection with anchovies and tuna fishing. Santona is famous for its white tuna and anchovies in oil. The fishing and associated canning industry have been major employers for many years.
These days, tourism boosts the local economy with many people coming to Santona as a cooler summer alternative to the south. The average high temperature in August is 23 degrees.
The town is well preserved with two major thoroughfares running through the old town. These lead naturally towards the waterfront. The waterfront has a nice beach and a park and recreational facilities running almost the whole length of the waterfront.
Fuerte de San Carlos (Fort San Carlos) sits on the headland overlooking the bay. This popular tourist attraction marks one end of the waterfront.
From San Carlos, you can follow the waterfront along the beach. At the other end of the waterfront is the working harbour where the fishing boats and cannery are located.
You can catch a ferry to cruise the bay and get off at Laredo on the other side of the bay. This trip offers a great chance to take some amazing photos of the coast.
There are many places to eat and drink while strolling through the town or along the waterfront. Along the way, there are many shops selling local anchovies, sardines and tuna.
“My tip for Santona is to grab a few jars or cans of the local anchovies and white tuna. It’s very good and isn’t always available elsewhere in Spain“
People who love anchovies (sorry I don´t) tell me that Santona anchovies are fantastic so you might want to stock up on these too. You can also do a boat trip and tour of an anchovie cannery.
Santona is just a 35 minute drive from Santander, the Cantabrian capital. It is just under an hours drive from Bilbao. It will take around five hours to drive there from Madrid.
You can also get there by bus from Santander or Bilbao.
As mentioned above, you can catch a ferry from Laredo across the small bay. This is a picturesque ride and feels more like a tourist trip than a direct crossing.