Santander, capital of Cantabria, curves around one of the great bays of northern Spain. The royal Magdalena Palace, the grand seafront, and the gleaming Centro Botín give the city its refined, salt-air character.
A short drive inland lies Santillana del Mar, one of the most beautiful medieval villages in Spain — famously "neither holy (santa), flat (llana), nor by the sea (mar)". Its honey-coloured stone, cobbled lanes and the Romanesque Colegiata are perfectly preserved. Nearby, the Altamira caves hold some of the finest prehistoric art in the world; they are not part of the train's programme, but are well worth a visit if you extend your stay in Cantabria.
Comillas & Gaudí
This stretch of Cantabria is also home to El Capricho de Gaudí in Comillas — a playful, sunflower-tiled villa, one of the few works the architect built outside Catalonia.
On your journey
Travelling west, the train reaches Santander on day two, Comillas is visited on day three together with Potes and the Liébana valley, and Santillana del Mar fills the morning of day four. Travelling east, Comillas comes on day five and Santillana del Mar and Santander on day six.
