© Lonely Planet Publications 498 lonelyplanet.com CANTABRIA •• Santander 499 CANTABRIA 0 30 km Cantabria & Asturias 0 20 miles Mar Cantábrico (Cantabrian Sea) Bay of Biscay To Ribadeslla (20km); Oviedo (102km) Bahía de Santander Noja Santander Barro Llanes Santoña San Vicente A67 Somo A8 Pendueles de la Santillana Laredo N634 Barquera Comillas Muriedas A8 Oriñón Castro- Rolling meadows and cattle pasture, craggy hills, cider-drinking and bagpipes. It might be del Mar Urdiales ASTURIAS Cuera de Solares Altamira Torrelavega Unquera N634 Limpias an advertisement for a composite of Ireland and Wales, but no, it is the flip side of the typi- Arrangas AS114 Panes R Obregón Parque í o Ampuero Cabárceno Cartes To Bilbao Puente Socobio M cal image of Spain. The verdant emerald strip (between Galicia to the west and the Basque Arenas de Cabrales Cabezón (31km) El Soplao i Viesgo El Soto e Arredondo Tielve Tresvivo Linares de la Sal r CA282 Carmona a Ranero Country to the east) formed by Cantabria and Asturias is as beautiful as it is surprising. Carmarmeña CA270 BegesLa Hermida Puentenansa Ramales Karrantza (Carranza) Valle de Villacarriedo Sotres o Lebeña N611 de la í a Cabuérniga v N623 R Victoria Argüébanes e San Roque Balmaseda N621 CA281 Río The two regions share a spectacular coastline along the Bay of Biscay, alternating between D P a de Riomiera VISCAYA Baro Turieno CANTABRIA s Puerto Puerto Fuente Dé El Cuernón de Braguía Potes Molledo de la Sía sheer cliffs, tiny coves, small fishing and resort towns, and scores of sandy beaches. Stone Camaleño (2046m) Tudanca Vega de Pas Espinama La Vega de Bárcena Bárcena de Pie Río de villages dot the roads leading inland towards the chainmail wall of mountains that forms the Cosgaya Liébana Mayor de Concha Portilla de Trueba regions’ southern boundary, the Cordillera Cantábrica – beyond which the landscape changes la Reina Cucayo Cordillera Cantábrica LEÓN Alto Campóo Embalse Corconte Espinilla del Ebro with amazing abruptness to the parched plains of the meseta (tableland). The mountains reach See Picos de CA171 Europa Map (p527) Reinosa their greatest heights and grandeur in the Picos de Europa, a northern spur of the cordillera Requejo BURGOS C627 Cervatos Arroyo Valdecebollas straddling southeast Asturias, southwest Cantabria and the north of Castilla y León. (2136m) N232 Arroyal ALAVA Cervera de CA272 It’s not just bucolic beauty that attracts people here. From the prehistoric art of Altamira Pisuerga Arroyuelos Río Cadalso E Orbaneja del b Embalse Polientes Castillo ro to the medieval splendours of Santillana del Mar, the area is dotted with manmade gems. de Aguilar San Martín Trespaderne CA273 de Elines Guardo de Campóo Aquilar Campo The big three cities of Santander, Oviedo and Gijón, all offer plenty of sightseeing and PALENCIA de Campóo N627 de Ebro nocturnal diversions in their restaurants and bars. To Palencia N623 To Burgos (86km) N611 (37km) Oña The only drawback to ‘green Spain’ is what makes it green: the rain. Even in August you might endure a week of grey skies and showers, especially inland. cellars) and handful of sights. The towns of CANTABRIA Santillana del Mar and Comillas entice with their medieval and Modernista trappings. The HIGHLIGHTS It is no wonder the Romans had a hard time remarkable cave paintings of the Cueva de Al- CANTABRIA & ASTURIAS Playa del Silencio subduing the Cantabrian tribes. The lush- tamira, off limits to the public, can be admired Sidle up for cider poured in the convivial Cueva de Santillana Ribadesella Altamira ness of the vegetation belies the difficulty in impressive replica form near the site. sidrerías ( cider houses) of Asturias ( p516 ) del Mar Oviedo Comillas Santander of much of Cantabria’s terrain. Sliced up by The Romans, as reported, finally carried Ignore the pong and savour the tangy Picos de Europa Puente deep mountain valleys dotted with the occa- the day against the proud Cantabrians and Cabrales cheese (see the boxed text, p534 ) Viesgo sional settlement, the region remains largely pacified the area by around 19 BC. In more Travel by train along the Santander–Oviedo untouched by the modern legions of visitors recent centuries Cantabria was long regarded coastal corridor that flock to Spain each year. simply as a coastal extension of Castilla and It offers a little of everything for the travel- as its direct gateway to what was confidently Walk the Garganta del Cares (Cares Gorge; ler looking for an escape. Some pretty beaches known as the Mar de Castilla (Castilian Sea). p533) in the Picos de Europa CANTABRIA CANTABRIA & ASTURIAS make summer seaside days quite possible Cantabria became a separate region under Let the medieval town of Santillana del Mar ( p507 ) bewitch you with its charms (unreliable weather permitting), while the Spain’s 1978 constitution. Bathe at secluded Playa del Silencio ( p524 ) inland valleys, dotted with quiet towns and villages and casas rurales (country homes) Admire the ancient rock paintings at Cueva de Altamira (Altamira Cave; p509 ) and Puente SANTANDER to stay in (check out www.turismocantabria pop 183,950 Viesgo ( p505 ) .net or www.cantabriarural.com), offer a feast Most of modern Santander, with its bustling Take the plunge and canoe down the rapids of Río Sella ( p530 ) near Ribadesella of natural beauty for the eyes, whether you centre, clanking port and shapeless suburbs, Marvel at the pre-Romanesque churches of Oviedo ( p512 ) choose to drive the country roads or walk stands in drab contrast to its pretty beaches, the trails. The rugged ranges culminate in the particularly the old-world elegance of El Sar- Admire a little Modernista madness in the buildings of Gaudí and Co at Comillas ( p509 ) west in the abrupt mountainous walls of the dinero. A huge fire raged through the city Picos de Europa. in 1941, but what’s left of the ‘old’ centre AREA: 15,925 SQ KM AVE SUMMER TEMP: HIGH 22°C, POP: 1.64 MILLION The capital, Santander, offers a slice of is a lively source of entertainment for the LOW 14°C urban life with its bustling bodegas (wine palate and liver, and has an atmosphere well CANTABRIA & ASTURIAS 500 0 400 m SANTANDER 0 0.2 miles pingTo Cam ••Santander CANTABRIA m)MayorCabo (2.5k 16 To Palacio Municipal El Avenida de los In Sardinero de Deportes (300m) fantes Playa del 0 200m los Hoteles 5 Sardinero v de Plaza C 23 A 26 a 15 de Italia Ave l 13 ni l da e Av d C de C de Valliciergo Avenida de los Castros e Antoni la d o Ma 12 Re ura d in e a Lucía e V a l ant C e de S ic Call D 30 a t o s u r i 1 m q e i Nort a nifaz el u C de Lope de Bo i d a s alle de r lleja t ui e C o 10 Ca s de L z 24 o C íne d S C t osa ar e Plaza de a Herb ainz n M e la Peñ uí S Cañadío 20 C d 21 q a a n n 19 Jo ó t rnán am o e de He e e R 28 Call d d l tés 29 P Dávila lle aja M 22 17 Cor aseo del General Ca y C e Vega a ola l eneral M l u le G a r To Península de la Plaza de Cal o Pombo C Magdalena (50m); To Santillana Playa de Bikinis (200m); elayo Palacio de la Magdalena (500m) del Mar (29km); ndez P aldós Mené z G Oviedo (206km) eo de Pére Pas de Playa aseo de la 25 P Magdalena C n de Tetuá alle d C e l See Enlargement R í o Playa d d T r de los e e a alejas l n v l de Ca a seo C Peligros a e cía P P Santa Lu a s ia e í lle d n r i a a o l C ct a a i V l eina Calle de Gu Cal e S la R co Calle d evara Calle de le d an de ro Blan e 18 Bailén C Martín venida Carre Cisneros de Juan d A Luis Cubo rtés e la Casa de 9 C de 11 ernán Co enida lle de H C Av El Serbal.......................................23 B1 Rubio 8 Calle de Rualasal 27 Ca astelar Plaza la 14 4 La Conveniente............................24 A1 C de Cervantes Esperanza Plaza de La Flor de Tetuán.........................25 C2 C de Juan Porticada Puerto 35 de Herrera e Burgos Av reda Chico C d enid 3 Paseo de Pe 2 DRINKING a de Calvo Sotelo Plaza To Hospital Alfonso XIII 33 Cool.............................................26 B1 Valdecilla Plaza Jardines (1km) INFORMATION SLEEPING La Floridita....................................27 B3 Obispo de Pereda Bahía de Eguino 7 Ciberlope.......................................1 A1 Hospedaje Botín.......................11 A3 Rocambole...................................28 A2 Alta diz Santander C 6 de Cá Municipal Tourist Office.................2 B3 Hostal Carlos III.........................12 E1 Calle To Playa de Somo; z 36 Post Office.....................................3 B3 Hostal Paris...............................13 E1 ENTERTAINMENT Calle de Rodr ñe a z PuntalPlaya del Train 31 ú arc e N B p Station C M la ó Regional Tourist Office...................4 B3 Hotel Central............................14 B3 It..................................................29 B2 de L 32 (Renfe) erón ald io Summer Tourist Kiosk.....................5 E1 Hotel Hoyuela...........................15 E1 Montrëal Lounge.........................30 B1 C C n to Hotel Sardinero.........................16 E1 illa n lonelyplanet.com ast A 34 C de SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES Pensión La Corza......................17 A2 TRANSPORT guez de C le al Escuela de Surf Santander..............6 A3 Alcar..........................................(see 34) Train C Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo / EATING Bus Station...................................31 A4 Station Cathedral...................................7 A3 A,11.........................................18 B3 Estación Marítima (Ferry to UK)....32 B4 (FEVE) Museo de Bellas Artes....................8 A3 Bar Del Puerto..........................19 B1 Estación Marítima Los Reginas......33 B3 To Playa del Somo; Airport (5km); Playa del Puntal (22km); Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico.....9 E3 Bodega Cigaleña......................20 A1 Europcar......................................34 A4 0kmBilbao (10 ); Burg)os (150km Museo Regional de Prehistoria y Bodegas Mazón.......................21 B1 Underground Car Park.................35 A3 Arqueología de Cantabria........10 B1 Café de Pombo........................22 A2 Underground Car Park.................36 B4 5pm-midnight Sun) h Valdecilla) Valdecilla) History ).