If one stop captures the romance of El Transcantábrico's Cantabrian leg, it is Santillana del Mar. Jean-Paul Sartre called it 'the prettiest village in Spain', and centuries of visitors have agreed.
The town of three lies
Locals love to tell you that Santillana del Mar is famously misnamed: it is neither santa (holy), nor llana (flat), nor on the mar (sea). What it is, is astonishingly well preserved — a single golden-stone street of medieval and Renaissance mansions, each bearing its family coat of arms.
What to see
- The Romanesque Colegiata de Santa Juliana, the town's spiritual heart.
- The cobbled main street, lined with noble houses and their stone balconies.
- Nearby Altamira — the 'Sistine Chapel of prehistoric art', whose cave paintings are around 36,000 years old (visited via the excellent replica museum).
On El Transcantábrico
Santillana del Mar is part of the Cantabria day, usually paired with Santander and the Gaudí villa at Comillas. The visit is guided and included, with time to wander the lanes and browse for local quesada and sobaos.
