Cantabria is on Spain’s north coast. The province is renowned for its beautiful, dramatic coastline and picturesque mountains. It has a population of about 580,000. It is bordered by the Basque Country to the East and Asturias to the West. Castile and León lie to the South.
Its capital city is Santander which sits on the coast and is famous for its El Sardinero Beach.
Cantabria is particularly green and beautiful. This is thanks to its position on the coast and exposure to Atlantic and mountain weather patterns. It´s not surprising then that the region is part of an area known as Green Spain.
Cantabria has several national parks including Picos de Europa National Park. The administration of the park is shared with the neighbouring regions of Castile and León and Asturias.
Cantabria boasts numerous archaeological sites. These include the famous cave paintings of Altamira which date back to around 37,000 BC. Altamara and nine other Cantabrian caves have been declared as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Read information and tips on these Cantabrian Cities and Towns:
Santander – The Cantabrian Capital facing the Bay of Biscay
Santona – Seaside town best known for its Tuna and other seafood.
Laredo – A popular holiday destination during summer.
San Vicente de la Barquera – a picturesque coastal town with history, culture and natural beauty.
There are direct flights to Santander from most major European cities. Flying time from Londons Stansted airport is just under two hours with Ryanair.
If you feel like doing something a bit different, catch a ferry from Portsmouth which takes just under 24 hours.
If driving, Santander is just over two hours drive from Donostia-San Sebastian and Vitoria-Gasteiz. From Madrid it is about a four and a half-hour drive.