Cantabria is a region on the northern coast of Spain. Its main infrastructure hub is Santander with about 180,000 inhabitants.

Cities

• 1 Santander – capital city
• 2 Castro Urdiales
• 3 Santillana del Mar
• 4 Torrelavega

Get in

The nearest airport is in Santander (SDR ^IATA). There are domestic flights, primarily from Madrid and Barcelona, and international flights with Ryanair from London, Dublin, Brussels, Rome, Milan, Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam. Other international flights to Bilbao.

Arrival by ferry from UK is also possible in Santander. There is a ferry terminal.

Arrival by car from Bilbao is via the A8 freeway.

Get around

Since many interesting places are outside Santander in small villages in the countryside a car is useful. Alternatively public buses are available to larger towns. Frequent public buses are available between Santander and Bilbao.

See

File:AltamiraBison.jpg

Bison in the Altamira cave

• Monte el Castillo Caves
• Covalanas Caves
• El Pendo Caves
• Hornos de la Peña Caves
• Altamira Caves and Museum
• El Soplao Caves
• Roman spa in Camesa Rebolledo
• Cabárceno Nature Park and Zoo
• Picos de Europa National Park

Do

You can surf at the beaches of Somo, Los Locos in Suances near Torrelavega and Meron in San Vicente de la Barquera.

Eat

• El Estanque de Gama, Gama (Next to the N634), ☏ +34 942104202. One of the most beautiful restaurants in Cantabria. 20 min. from Santander towards Bilbao. It is also an elegant cocktail bar in the middle of the Santoña`s Nature Reserve Marshes. €20. 

Go next

If you are coming from the Basque Country the logical continuation is to go to Asturias. Just follow the coastline westwards.