The Best Day Trips From Santander Spain

The northern Spanish city of Santander makes for a great base, particularly if you want to explore the Cantabrian coastline with its many historic towns and villages, natural parks and wide sandy beaches. Here are some of our favourite day trips from Santander, which all lie less than a two-hour drive from the city.

1. El Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno

Park

El Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno is located in an old mining area, which covers over 750 hectares, and is now protected. It can be reached via a half hour drive south of Santander. Today it’s home to around 150 species of semi-wild animals, including bears, rhinos, leopards, elephants and lynx, which are either free to roam the park or housed in huge enclosures. The park is dotted with serene lakes, craggy rock formations, children’s play areas, cafes, and spectacular view points.

Barrio Obregon, 6A, 39690, Cantabria

A bear at Parque de Cabárceno, Cantabria, Spain | ©Mario Modesto Mata / Wikimedia Commons

Santillana del Mar

Around a one hour’s journey west along the coast is the charming medieval village of Santillana del Mar. A visit here is like stepping back in time, where the roads are still all made from cobbles and cars are not allowed. The town is renowned throughout the country for both its historic and artistic value. Head first to the collegiate church of Santa Juliana, one of the most important examples of Romanesque architecture in Cantabria, then make your way to the Altamira Caves, known as the Sistine Chapel of ancient rock art, and dating back over 14,000 years.

Approximately a 45-minute drive west of Santander, you’ll find the small coastal town of Comillas. It may not be very big, but the cobbled streets and atmospheric squares are filled with magnificent buildings and historic architecture. One of the top sights is Antoni Gaudí’s El Capricho – a fantastical design, covered in the architect’s signature colourful tiles and quirky structures. Also worth a look are the Sobrellano Palace and the Pontifical University. In summer, Comillas is also a great spot for enjoying the beach and a range of water sports.

El Capricho, Barrio Sobrellano, s/n, 39520 Comillas, Cantabria

Sobrellano Palace, Barrio el Parque, s/n, 39520 Comillas, Cantabria

Castro-Urdiales

Located in between Santander and Bilbao, Castro-Urdailes is a beautiful medieval seafaring town. Behind its colourful marina you’ll find a web of narrow streets, lined with historic houses and original wooden balconies. Two of the main sights are the church of Santa María, dating from the 13th to the 15th centuries, and the castle-lighthouse. The town also has three beaches, making it a particularly great option for a day trip during summer.

Laredo

Laredo is one of the most popular beach resort towns on the Cantabrian coast, and lies around a 40-minute drive east of Santander. This day trip is best for beach lovers, home to one of the best beaches in the region – the huge five-kilometre crescent of sandy La Salvé. It also has a lovely historic old town, surrounded by parts of the old city wall, and filled with elegant houses from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Santoña

A 45-minute drive east of Santander in between limestone mountains, beaches and natural parks, you’ll find Santoña, a must-visit for fish and seafood lovers. Santoña was in fact one of the first fish canning ports on the Bay of Biscay, and today is famous for its bonito fish and tinned anchovies. As well as eating, travellers can visit the Baroque 13th-century Monastery of Santa María del Puerto, with its 15th century Flemish altarpiece paintings, and the many forts and batteries which once protected the town from military invasions.

Bilbao

The arty city of Bilbao lies just an hour and 15 minute drive east of Santander, making it ideal for a day trip. You’ll probably need more than a day to explore it, but it will give you enough time to see its main sights. Your first stop should be the famous Guggenheim contemporary art museum, where you can see works by the likes of Jeff Koons, Anslem Kiefer, Richard Serra and Anish Kapoor. Besides all the contemporary architecture and style, the city has a lovely Old Town and the largest undercover market in Europe – La Ribera.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

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