Get to the heart of ancient Cantabria
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Cantabria may well be Spain’s best-kept secret. Its lush, green pastures are home to cows whose milk gives flavour to some of the region’s famous culinary delights, from sobaos (buttery sponge cakes) to quesadas, dense puddings spiced with cinnamon and lemon. And Cantabria is also home to some of mankind’s earliest creative expressions in the Palaeolithic art adorning UNESCO World Heritage-listed caves. It offers a wealth of immersive experiences, too, from the natural to the agricultural – and we’ve picked the best for you to try here.
Walk the Lebaniego Way
The Camino del Norte, a challenging variant of the famed trail to Santiago de Compostela, traces the Cantabrian coast. But for an alternative pilgrimage, tackle the Camino Lebaniego (Lebaniego Way), a route dating back to the sixth century that snakes 72km south from San Vicente de la Barquera to the Monastery of St Toribio in the picturesque Liébana Valley. According to legend, St Toribio brought a piece of the true cross to northern Spain; it was then carried to the site of the monastery that bears his name. This relic soon attracted pilgrims, thousands of whom continue to visit the monastery each year, seeking spiritual connection and the healing properties attributed to the relic.
The Camino Lebaniego winds through breathtaking natural scenery, starting on the astonishingly beautiful northern coast and skirting the Picos de Europa mountains to the west. This verdant land is home to abundant wildlife, not least majestic eagles and falcons. Along the way, you’ll not only explore the region’s rich history but also discover Cantabrian life and cuisine in villages and towns such as Cades, Cicera and Potes, with their exquisitely preserved churches, ancient bridges and cultural treasures culminating in the fabulous Monastery of St Toribio perched high in the foothills of the Picos de Europa above Potes.
Delve into Cantabria's caves
However spectacular the scenery topside, it’s below the surface where things really get interesting. Cantabria is the region with the highest density of caves in Europe – more than 6,500, many containing spectacular geological formations. Of its 60 odd caves containing prehistoric paintings, ten have been recognised with UNESCO’s World Heritage designation for their Palaeolithic art, including Altamira El Castillo, Las Monedas, Las Chimeneas, La Pasiega, La Garma, Covalanas, El Pendo, Hornos de la Peña and Chufín.
If you have time for only one cave, make it Altamira, outside the beautiful town of Santillana del Mar. It was discovered in 1868 after a fallen tree cleared the rocks blocking the cave entrance, allowing its drawings to be admired; in fact, it was one of the first such caves in Europe to be found and promoted. The earliest of its charcoal drawings and paintings of local wildlife and human hands date back more than 36,000 years.
Today, to curb the damage caused by water vapour and carbon dioxide emitted by the large numbers of people admiring the images, visits by the public are no longer permitted. Instead, accurate reproductions of its art have been created, and are displayed in the National Museum and Investigation Centre of Altamira near the cave. It’s fascinating to see the polychrome paintings of now-extinct bison, horses, deer and wild boar – images that have played a key role in mapping the history of human development over the millennia.
To discover a different aspect of Cantabria’s historical underground network, delve into the 27km-long El Soplao Cave. Here, the headline act is geology – or, rather, the extraordinary array of stalactites, stalagmites and other curious mineral formations sculpted over countless millennia. Mining tools used in the cave are also on display, and guides are available in several languages.
Photo by Jan Rojas
Hike around Trasmiera Ecopark
Some towns have art museums. Arnuero and the surrounding villages, however, are different. This marshy area between Santander and Bilbao is home to Trasmiera Ecopark, an ‘open air museum’ that links four villages, each with its own facilities exploring local heritage, art and nature. Spread out over about 25 sq km, this culturally rich complex is worth a full day’s visit. Laced with walking trails leading through swamps and lowlands, along cliffs and up to the cross-capped viewpoint atop 249m-high Monte Cincho, the area is teeming with natural wonders.
The various routes around the Ecopark visit an array of fascinating sites. Your first stop could be the Molino de Santa Olaja, accessible only at low tide. Here you can learn the story and workings of this historic hydraulic mill, showing how such medieval structures were powered by the tides. Another highlight is the Art Observatory alongside the Church de la Asunción (Church of the Assumption) in Arnuero.
The Trasmeran people of this area were known for their skills as masons, sculptors and altar makers, making a significant impact on Spanish architecture and leaving their legacy across the Iberian Peninsula. The observatory displays some of their masterworks, and a visit includes the chance to admire the church’s richly ornamented plateresque altar. Benath Monte Cincho lies the village of Isla, whose old centre is graced by medieval towers, a historic palace and the beautiful Church of St Julián and St Basilisa, superb examples of local architecture. The Ecopark’s fine beaches are particularly alluring during the warmer months – try the golden sands of wide Playa de la Arena or secluded little Playa de los Barcos.
Roam from farm to farm
If you’ve ever dreamed of a rural lifestyle – or even just thought of trying it on for a day – De Granja en Granja (‘from farm to farm’) is for you. Part of an initiative to highlight the value of farmers’ work and encourage the preservation of agricultural heritage, this route links dozens of farms across Cantabria’s rolling countryside. Visitors aren’t just welcomed – they are encouraged to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty with a range of experiences, learning skills passed down through generations and hearing from farmers sharing the traditional techniques of the region.
You might visit Carnicería Quintana, a family farm at the foot of the Cabuérniga Valley, birthplace of the native Tudanca cow. Or Flor de Limón, an organic citrus-fruit plantation. En route you’ll learn about ancestral wisdom and food production practices on real Cantabrian farms, and it’ll give you the chance to taste traditional produce in an experience that is so much more rich and authentic than simply popping into a local restaurant.
You might walk through the vineyards of a local natural winemaker, churn butter made from Cantabria’s famous cow milk, or visit the sheep that produce the milk for Pendo cheese. For a hands-on cooking experience, join a quesada and sobao workshop to learn how to make two of Cantabria’s most celebrated sweets – those custard desserts and buttery cakes.
Visit La Lleldiría Fermentation Project
Cattle have always been important elements in the landscape of the Valles Pasiegos district. Residents of these valleys nurtured a wealth of artisanal knowledge about farming this livestock, but the practice suffered a downturn in the late 20th century as younger generations moved to big cities.
The mission of La Lleldiría fermentation project (lleldar means ‘to ferment’ in the Cantabrian dialect) is to demonstrate the value of a traditional agrarian lifestyle, showing young people that a living can be earned without leaving the valleys and cutting ties with their homeland. Hence Aitor Lobato and Sarah Hart launched the project in two cabañas (traditional mountain houses) they purchased over a decade ago. At La Lleldiría, the principal product is cheese – but you’ll also find less-typical fermented treats such as kombucha, vermouth and mead.
Visiting is a great way to experience the slower side of Cantabrian artisan life, and to hear Aitor and Sarah recount their personal experiences and the challenges of starting a fermentation project. Choose between two different packages: the Lleldiría Visit + Tasting (€10/£8.50) or th Valles Pasiegos Tasting (€15/£13). The first visits the creamery where the cheese is made, and the cellar where it matures. You’ll explore fascinating sustainable processes that maintain links with the environment, and end with a tasting of cheese and kombucha. The Valles Pasiegos Tasting allows you to try La Lleldiría’s full range of products, from cheese and cured meats to mead and vermouth.
Need to know
When to go
Getting there & around
There are direct flights to Santander from London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester that run between March and October. Brittany Ferries sails to Santander from Portsmouth twice weekly in around 33 hours. Buses run infrequently along the coast; self-drive is the easiest way to explore inland.
Photo by Lynn Van den Broeck
Event
Glossary
Sustainability
The quality of being able to continue over a period of time, or the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance (Camrbdige Dictionary).
