Circuit at your own pace Essential Cantabria

Day 1. ORIGIN - SANTANDER

Upon arrival at the chosen hotel, we will check-in and get to know the local culture.

We will take this day as free time to pack our luggage and relax with a walk and a good overview of the city and its streets. After this free afternoon we will return to the hotel to have strength and be well rested for the next day with more movement.

Day 2. Santander

Second day in the selected accommodation. Once breakfast is over, we will get ready to explore Santander with a guided tour. We will visit three centers: the Tower of the Cathedral, the Interpretation Center of the Wall of Santander and the Palace of La Magdalena. Santander Cathedral is not a building that at first glance is related to a typical cathedral. This is because it is the building of the main parish of Santander, which in the mid-18th century was declared a cathedral. During the tour we will climb to the top of the bell tower where, in addition to the various explanations, we will delight in beautiful panoramic views of the city. To complete this journey through time to Medieval Santander, we will observe the archaeological remains of the old wall as a small sample of what life was like in the then small town in the 12th century.

As a culmination, we will approach the Palacio de la Magdalena, the most emblematic building in the city. It sits on the peninsula of the same name surrounded by forests, parks and gardens and we will see rooms such as the Alfonso XIII Room, the Gala Dining Room, the Royal Hall or the Family Room.

Once the tour is over, we will have the rest of the day free to experience the streets at our leisure and recreate ourselves again in what we liked the most.

To eat, a series of typical Cantabrian cuisine dishes are suggested, such as mountain stew, sardines Santander style, tudanca sirloin or, of course, the famous quesada pasiega.

When we are ready we will return to our accommodation to rest for a new adventure the next day.

Day 3. Horse Lighthouse - Santoña - Castro Urdiales - Laredo

After breakfast at the hotel today we will check-out and begin our excursion along the eastern coast of Cantabria.

Our first stop is the Horse Lighthouse, on the cliffs of Mount Buciero, the entrance to the Bay of Santoña, we find this enclave which we will access after 685 steps. There are several routes to access the lighthouse, including a maritime one. In any case, the difficulty on foot is low, but it will take us several hours round trip, which we must take into account. However, the effort will be worth it as it is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful lighthouses in Spain.

The next town on the route will be Santoña, noted for the beauty of its beaches and its picturesque squares and is well known for its anchovies. The city prides itself on having the most delicious anchovies on the Spanish coast and it is possible to visit some of its canning factories.

We will continue to Castro - Urdiales, one of those towns that smell of sea breeze and seem to be taken from a postcard. This fishing village brims with history on all four sides: 17,000-year-old caves with animal engravings (closed to the public), pre-Roman forts in the Peña de Sámano, the Roman settlement in the port of Flaviobriga, a castle from the s. XIII, lighthouses, churches and medieval bridges. All this bathed by beautiful beaches and amazing cliffs.

Once we arrive at our last stop, Laredo, we will check-in at our accommodation and get ready to admire the town.

Nowadays it is a summer city given its spectacular beaches but it has a great amount of history behind its streets. We recommend walking through the medieval Puebla Vieja, one of the best preserved in northern Spain, where the Catholic Monarchs and their children were once, among other historical figures.

Day 4. Torrelavega - Suances - Santillana del Mar

After a restful night and a good breakfast, we'll check out at our hotel in Laredo to head west.

On this day our tour will begin with the second most important city in Cantabria, Torrelavega. We will stroll through its old town paying special attention to the Herrero Palace, the Church of the Virgen Grande and the Plaza Mayor; and its cultural triangle that includes the theater, the exhibition hall and the library. Very close to the latter is the Casona Calderón, a building from the s. XVIII with a typical mountain architecture that deserves a look.

The next town where we recommend stopping is Suances. It is not a typical fishing village nor does it have a renowned historic centre, but rather it stands out for the beauty of its coast as well as for its great gastronomy, which is why we recommend eating here and enjoying its promenade, beaches and numerous viewpoints.

Finally, we will arrive in Santillana del Mar, going first to our accommodation to check-in and then tour the town. It is world famous for the Altamira Cave, a World Heritage Site with paintings from 36,000 years ago. It is closed to the public for its conservation, but you can see an exact replica in the Altamira Museum.

However, Santillana is much more. It is one of the most beautiful villages in the entire peninsula. A medieval town of cobbled streets and mountain mansions in which to lose ourselves.

Day 5. Sequoia Forest - El Soplao - San Vicente de la Barquera - Comillas

Breakfast at the hotel and we will get ready for a new full day excursion around the outskirts of Santillana del Mar.

We will start with the Sequoia forest of Monte Cabezón de la Sal. It is a Protected Natural Area, declared a Natural Monument, and included in the Network of Protected Natural Areas of Cantabria. Its origin dates back to the forties of the last century when the Franco regime decided to plant a 2.5-hectare plot with more than 800 sequoia trees that they planned to use in industry in the area. But by the time the redwoods grew large enough to be useful they were no longer needed. Despite this, the result of this experiment today is sensational and perfect for having fun in the natural environment as a family.

Our next stop would be the Cueva del Soplao. Its name is due to a mining term allusive to the air that is perceived when one gallery is penetrated from another with less oxygen. It is considered one of the great wonders of geology, as it treasures a true speleology paradise with stalactites, stalagmites, columns, etc.

We go forward to San Vicente de la Barquera. It is a quintessential fishing village and its origins seem to go back to the Roman Swedish Portus Vereas given the strategic position it occupies next to the bay. The current town has its origin in the construction of its first castle or King's Castle during the High Middle Ages. However, the walls of the current castle are later, from the 13th century. It is a defensive castle declared an Asset of Cultural Interest with a Monument category.

But in addition to its castle, the old town of San Vicente is a place full of charm thanks to its church, bridges and the remains of a wall.

Our next stop on the road before returning to the assigned accommodation in Santillana is Comillas. Declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1985 thanks to the Marquis López y López, it attracted a large number of modernist architects from the Catalan school such as Antonio Gaudí, Domènech i Montaner and Joan Martorell i Monells. The most representative monument of this town is Gaudí's Capricho, closely followed by the Palacio del Marqués de Comillas, although in this town there is no shortage of hidden corners with architectural gems.

Day 6. Picos de Europa - Potes - Fuente Dé Cable Car - Liébana Monastery

After breakfast today we will check-out at the hotel in Santillana del Mar to head to the Picos de Europa. First of all, we will arrive in Potes and check-in at our selected accommodation.

Potes is located in the heart of the Liébana region and in this case it is a mountain village. We suggest strolling through its labyrinthine old part and getting lost in this municipality full of towers and bridges. Its mountain cuisine differs fundamentally from that of our earlier days. The most characteristic dish is the Lebaniego stew made with chickpeas from the area itself, followed by different meat dishes such as beef, venison, wild boar or suckling lamb from the Liébana mountains and finally salmon and trout from the Deva river.

Now we will go to Fuente Dé Cable Car, where we will set off at the agreed time. It is quite close to Potes and its almost vertical climb saves a difference in level of about 800 meters in just 4 minutes. At the summit, incredible views of the Picos de Europa and its valleys await us from the cafeteria or from the outside viewpoint.

The Liébana valley has numerous points worth visiting, such as Bejes, the Hermida Gorge or the Hermitage of San Miguel; but our advice is to go to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana, a couple of kilometers from Potes. It is a Franciscan monastery that houses the Lignum Crucis (Piece of Wood of the Cross of Christ) Gothic monastic of Cistercian influence with three naves of four sections, rectangular in plan, with a transept that does not protrude in plan, and with three polygonal apses.

At the end of the day we will return to our accommodation to rest for our last night in Cantabria.

Day 7. POTES - POINT OF ORIGIN

After breakfast, we will check-out at the hotel and end our getaway.

We wish you a good trip back and that you have enjoyed these days in Cantabria.

• In case of traveling with your own car, the meeting point will be the first accommodation.
• Check-in: Since 12:00 a.m., at your choice.

• It is advisable to always wear comfortable clothing and comfortable shoes in any type of experience and visit. Some of the routes are longer than others and it would be a good idea to plan departure times well in advance.
• Be careful on the road, the trip and visits are enjoyed more calmly and on time.
• There is a possibility of change this itinerary if you wish in case you come with your own car.

• 7 days / 6 nights in bed and breakfast basis 
• 2 nights in Santander
• 1 night in Laredo
• 2 nights in Santillana del Mar
• 1 night in Potes
• Guided tour of Santander
• Visit el Soplao Cave 
• Cable Car of Fuente Dé
• Free Cancellation Insurance (up to 30 coverages)

HOW TO FORMALISE YOUR RESERVATION

Our travel agency advised to book minimum 15 days in advance for a better management. It remains feasible to book this gateway although is made less than 15 days. However it is advisable to do it with more time in advance.

A deposit of 60€ will be required so as to formalise the reservation.

Once your reservation has been formalised, shortly after, our team will be in contact with you to specify all of the details. Once the reservation is finalised, we will send you all the information for your compliance.

Once all the services have been booked and confirmed, the client must make full payment minus the deposit paid in advance, 15 days before the beginning date. In case the reservation has been formalised less than 15 days before starting date, the client must paid in full the total amount

NO CANCELLATION FEE up to 7 days before beginning date. In this case, we will refund the total amount paid as deposit. Up to 7 days before the start date, there is no cancellation fee. In the unlikely event that it gets cancel, the deposit will get refund in full.

If you require any further information, please contact us via email info@getingalicia.com or mobile/whatsapp (+34) 639 935 925  

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