Santillana del Mar, Cantabria

From the moment you land at Santander Airport, you immediately get a sense of what awaits you in Cantabria. This region is part of “Green Spain,” and the name couldn’t be more fitting — the first thing you notice as you step off the plane is just how lush and vibrant everything looks.
On this particular morning, I set off on my first real day of cycling through beautiful northern Spain.

In a moment of festive madness the previous Christmas, I had decided to cycle from Santander in the north to Málaga in the south — a journey of nine days. The idea came to me as I stared out the window of a Ryanair flight from Málaga to Dublin, watching the vast Spanish landscape unfold beneath the plane. I thought, why not cycle across it, weaving as many national parks as possible into the route?
And so, six months later, there I was, pushing my bike up yet another hill as I left the coastal town of Suances behind me. The day had started off foggy, the kind of soft northern mist that clings to your clothes and makes the world feel quiet. After a comfortable night at Hotel Albatros and a solid breakfast, I was ready for a long day in the saddle — one that would take me deep into the Cantabrian Mountains.

I had set off early because I wanted to visit the ever‑popular town of Santillana del Mar. As you know from our previous adventures, I love arriving at these tourist hotspots before the crowds descend. So on this June morning, I rolled downhill into the town just as it was waking up.

Santillana del Mar looks like the set of a medieval film. Its cobbled, traffic‑free streets and houses with flower‑filled balconies are postcard perfect — a place where time seems to have paused centuries ago.​

And there I was, wandering through the village without another soul in sight — though to be fair, it was still very early. On a normal day, Santillana del Mar would already be filling with tourists eager to explore this little gem. And it’s not just the town that draws them in; the world‑renowned Altamira Caves, just a short distance away, attract visitors from all over the globe.

Santillana del Mar lies along the northern pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and is considered one of the best‑preserved medieval towns in Cantabria. Its origins date back to the 8th century, when the settlement grew around the Church of Santa Juliana, a beautifully preserved example of Romanesque architecture that still dominates the heart of the village.

Fresh bread had already been delivered to the many restaurants and hotels, still hanging untouched on their door handles in the early morning light. The town was uncannily quiet — the only sound was my bike rattling over the cobblestones. The air was filled with the scent of flowers spilling from the colourful balconies that line the narrow streets.

After weaving my way through the village, I arrived at Plaza Abad Francisco Navarro, where I paused to admire the old lavadero, the communal washhouse once used by the townspeople. Just beyond it stands the Colegiata de Santillana del Mar, the magnificent Romanesque church around which the entire town first developed.

Passing the church, you soon reach Plaza Las Arenas, home to the Palacio de los Velarde, an imposing Renaissance‑style building that adds yet another layer of charm to the town. Santillana del Mar is undeniably worth a visit, though it’s wise to be prepared for slightly higher prices in its bars and restaurants — a small trade‑off for exploring one of the best‑preserved medieval towns in Spain.

But it isn’t just the town itself that draws visitors. Nearby are the world‑famous Altamira Caves, celebrated for their prehistoric parietal art, including charcoal drawings of animals and handprints that date back thousands of years.
I happened to visit on a Monday in June — the one day the caves are closed — which simply gives me the perfect excuse to return to this beautiful corner of Cantabria.