The most beautiful villages to visit in Cantabria

There are many reasons to visit the Spanish region of Cantabria.

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2 August 2021, 14:53

Cantabria is one of the places with the greatest tourist interest in northern Spain, which is due to the great beauty and spectacular nature of its natural surroundings, but also for all that it can offer in terms of culture and art. Today we're taking a tour through the 10 most beautiful villages to visit in Cantabria.

Laredo

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What are most beautiful towns in Cantabria? Where can you enjoy a getaway or a few days away? Among them it is worth mentioning Laredo, which, although it is a city, should be included for the great beauty of the place and for all that it can offer visitors.

What to see in Laredo: This municipality located on the seashore is the capital of the Costa Oriental region, standing out especially for its sandy areas. It is located in the Natural Park of the Santoña, Victoria and Joyel Marshes, and from its historical legacy there are different places of great interest, as well as the environment that surrounds it.

La Puebla Vieja and Old Town Hall: La Puebla Vieja is the historic area of Laredo, being one of the areas that you must visit. It is made up of a set of six streets dating from the reign of Alfonso VIII and that intersect each other. In La Puebla Vieja you can find different buildings from the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries in perfect condition.

Church of Santa María de la Asunción and Atalaya: One of the great attractions of this municipality, one of the beautiful Cantabrian towns, is its Church of Santa María de la Asunción, a Gothic jewel that has received different reforms throughout history. It is a church that is an example of different styles. In addition, we must also mention the Watchtower, from where you can enjoy incredible views of the city and the Puerto Deportivo de Santoña.

Rastrillar Fort and its viewpoints: In the Watchtower you will find the Fort of the Rastrillar, from the 16th century. It was used together with Santoña to control boats that arrived at Salvé beach. It was active until the 20th century and vestiges of when it was used for a military purpose are still preserved. It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, and for many it is considered the most important defensive complex in the region.

San Vicente de la Barquera

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San Vicente de la Barquera is, for many, among the most beautiful towns in Cantabria. It is also well known for being the hometown of the popular singer David Bustamante. Beyond that, it is one of the towns with the greatest charisma in all of Cantabria, which offers many possibilities for leisure and entertainment.

What to see in San Vicente de la Barquera: Located 15 meters above sea level, it belongs to the Western Coast of Cantabria, and has become one of the most important tourist spots in the autonomous community. Among its main attractions are:

Maza Bridge: The Bridge of La Maza is one of the essential places to visit in San Vicente de la Barquera, one of the most beautiful towns in Cantabria. Crossing it you can reach its beautiful beaches, this being a stone bridge that is more than six hundred years old and which, at the time, was one of the longest in all of Europe thanks to its 500 meters in length.

Church of Santa Maria de Los Angeles: The Church of Santa María de Los Ángeles, located near the Hospital de la Concepción, is an essential building to visit in this town. Built between the 13th and 16th centuries, it is one of the best Gothic temples in the community, and inside it has a carving of the crucified Christ, a Renaissance tomb by Antonio Del Corro and a Baroque altarpiece.

Oyambre Natural Park: If you like nature, you cannot miss the Oyambre Natural Park, a park that enchants its visitors thanks to its large cliffs, abundant fauna, green meadows, beautiful Maristas, estuaries and its incredible beaches and dunes.

Santillana Del Mar

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Santillana Del Mar cannot be absent from a list of the most beautiful towns in Cantabria. It is one of the towns in the region with the greatest charm and is known as "the town of the three lies", since it is neither holy, nor flat, nor has a sea. It is part of the region of the Western Coast of Cantabria and one of the most famous places in the community.

What to see in Santillana Del Mar: Located next to the Cantabrian Sea, with a coastline full of cliffs next to gentle hills and rivers, it is a place known internationally for being in its municipal term the Altamira Caves, considered "the Sistine Chapel of Quaternary art". Beyond them, it has other attractive places that are recommended to visit:

Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana: The Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana is the heart of Santillana del Mar, one of the jewels of Romanesque architecture in the north of the country. Besides being one of the most beautiful towns in Cantabria, we can find the most important Romanesque monument in the region. It is a church from the beginning of the 12th century accompanied by a cloister from the end of the same century. It is recommended to visit both.

Historic helmet: If you decide to walk through this town, do not forget to visit its historic center, full of charm thanks to its cobbled streets and mountain houses, which will make you feel that you are in another era. You can get lost in its narrow streets, being Calle Cantón and Calle San Juan Infante two of the most beautiful.

Museums: Besides being a beautiful place, Santillana del Mar has a great cultural offer, having as main exponents the Regina Coeli Diocesan Museum, the Santillana Torture Museum or the Barquillero Museum.

Comillas

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Comillas is one of those beautiful towns in Cantabria to visit that you cannot miss. It is located in the Comarca de la Costa Occidental, on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea. It is known as the "Villa de los Arzobispos" and stands out both for its imposing cliffs and for its beautiful coastline.

What to see in Comillas: Comillas is one of the few places outside of Catalonia in which modernist artists intervened, which means that it has a series of artistic works that arouse great tourist interest.

Sobrellano Palace: In Comillas it is essential to visit the imposing Palace of Sobrellano, built in 1888. It stands out for its large dimensions and its neo-Gothic style, having the possibility of enjoying guided tours inside to find furniture designed by Antonio Gaudí.

The Capricho of Gaudí: In Comillas you will find Gaudí's El Capricho, which is part of the three great buildings located in the Sobrellano Park, being built between 1883 and 1885 by Antonio Gaudí. It is one of its main tourist attractions, receiving more than 100,000 visits per year.

Old Town: Another of the best things to do in this town is to take a route through the old town, starting with the Plaza de la Constitución. This is surrounded by the Old Town Hall and the Parish Church of San Cristóbal.

Castro Urdiales

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If we talk about the most beautiful towns in Cantabria, we cannot leave aside Castro Urdiales, where we can find numerous tourist attractions. This municipality is located on the seashore, on the Eastern Coast and is flanked by a set of mountains that gives it a unique beauty.

What to see in Castro Urdiales: Although it is a city, it is necessary to place it as one of the beautiful towns to see in Cantabria, since it has everything that is needed to make it an exceptional vacation destination or to make a getaway, both for its natural and cultural beauty.

Fishing port: When looking for beautiful towns near Cantabria, it is undeniable to think of Castro Urdiales. One of its strengths is, without a doubt, its fishing, commercial and whaling port, which represents the heart of this town. In the Middle Ages it was one of the most important whaling ports in the Cantabrian Sea.

It is a place with a wonderful picture, with views that will not leave you indifferent. In the background is the historic center, which makes the post one of the main places to visit in the town.

Castillo – Faro de Santa Ana: It is one of the main places to visit in Castro Urdiales. It is located in a privileged place, between spectacular cliffs and on an old castle. It is one of the few medieval castles that have been preserved in the community. El Castillo - Faro de Santa Ana was built in the 13th and 14th centuries and inside there are usually free exhibitions or cultural events.

Church of Santa María de la Asunción: The jewel in the crown of Castro Urdiales is the Church of Santa María de la Asunción, a symbol in the town as it is one of the most important Gothic churches in Cantabria. It was built between the 13th and 14th centuries and inside it houses different figures and sculptures, but its giant organ stands out especially.

Bárcena Mayor

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Bárcena Mayor is another of the beautiful towns in Cantabria that is worth a visit. It is a small and picturesque town that belongs to the Saja Valley, a place full of possibilities to get in touch with nature, and in which it is also possible to enjoy all its gastronomy, especially its mountain stew.

What to see in Bárcena Mayor: As you walk through Bárcena Mayor you can feel how time seems to have stopped, thanks to the cobbled streets and its traditional houses. It is one of the beautiful towns to visit in Cantabria that have the greatest charm, and it should be noted:

Streets of the town: One of the greatest attractions of this place are, without a doubt, the streets of the town. The cobblestone floor and the stone-fronted mansions and decorated wooden balconies mean that when you walk through the streets, you automatically teleport several hundred years ago.

Saja-Besaya Natural Park: Bárcena Mayor has different tourist spots that make your visit worthwhile. In this case, many of them go through the possibilities that it offers at a natural level, being highly advisable to enjoy the different hiking routes that can be done in the Saja-Besaya Natural Park.

Church of Santa Maria: The Church of Santa María is the temple of Bárcena Mayor, one of the beautiful towns in Cantabria. This eighteenth century church is very interesting and it is worth visiting by anyone who does tourism in this town. This respects the traditional architecture of the mountain villages.

Potes

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If you are looking for beautiful towns in Cantabria and Asturias to enjoy a getaway, you can drop at the foot of Los Picos de Europa, where Potes is located. Considered by many to be the most beautiful town in Cantabria, it is located in the Liébana Region, one of the areas of Cantabria that offers greater possibilities.

What to see in Potes: Located at a height of 291 meters above the rival of the sea, it is a beautiful enclave where you can enjoy a picturesque and attractive town, with cobbled streets and declared a Historic Site. Some of its main attractions are:

Infantado Tower: The Torre Del Infantado is a medieval fortification from the 14th century that has become an icon for the town. It belonged to the Lord of Liébana and has had different uses throughout history. Now it is the City Council of Potes, but in its day it was a jail. It is located in the town square and has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest.

Historic centre of Potes: During your visit to Potes, one of Cantabria's beautiful towns, you cannot miss its historic center, a charming place where you can walk through its cobbled streets and feel the atmosphere of other times. It has a medieval aspect that leaves no one indifferent and is considered one of the most spectacular historical monuments in Cantabria.

Church of San Vicente: The Church of San Vicente is another of the most representative places in Potes. The old one was built in the 14th century and the new one at the end of the 19th century, thus joining two churches that house some great treasures that are worth visiting. An example of them are the baroque altarpieces that come, mostly from the old convent of San Raimundo.

Liérganes

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More and more people are looking for beautiful towns near Cantabria or in this region itself, Liérganes being one of those destinations that are worth visiting at least once in their lives. It is located in the beautiful region of Trasmiera, at an altitude of 110 meters and which is crossed by the Miera River.

What to see in Liérganes: Declared a Historic-Artistic Site since 1978, it is a place that has an attractive historical legacy, but is also full of magic. To speak of Liérganes is to speak of its legends and mythologies that are closely linked to the history of the town. In addition, it is very close to Cabárceno, one of the most popular zoos in Spain. Among its places of greatest interest are:

Major Bridge of Liérganes: The Puente Mayor de Liérganes is one of the great attractions of one of the most beautiful towns in Cantabria, and is also one of the first stone bridges in the region. It was built at the beginning of the 17th century. Right next to the bridge is an old mill, which is currently the Fish Man Interpretation Center; and on one of its banks is the sculpture of the Fish Man, a legend deeply rooted in the town.

House of the Canyons: This place is another of the essentials to visit in Liérganes. It is located in the old Plaza del Mercadillo, currently called Plaza de Marqués de Santillana. Here was the first Artillery Factory in Spain, created at the beginning of the 17th century. At the time it was a great transformation for the people.

Church of San Pantaleón: From the Church of San Pantaleón you can enjoy incredible views of all Liérganes, a place that is worth visiting. It is located in a high area to the south of the town. The church is from the late 18th century and is Gothic, although it retains Romanesque features.

Cartes

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Cartes is one of those beautiful Cantabrian towns that do not enjoy the popularity of others mentioned above, but it is well worth visiting. It belongs to the Besaya region, located 40 meters above sea level, very close to Torrelavega.

What to see in Cartes: This charming historical town will take you to the noble and glorious past that this town lived, appreciating at all times the beauty of the large houses with shield that occupy its cobbled streets. It is located just 30 minutes from Santander and was an inspiration for Benito Pérez Galdós to write his work "Marianela".

Torreón de Cartes: The Torreón de Cartes is the most emblematic building in this town, one of the most beautiful towns in Cantabria to visit. Its famous towers are located in the center of town, being built by the Counts of Castañeda Garci Fernández Manrique and Aldonza Téllez, as a defence of the de la Vega family, lords of what is now Torrelavega. In 1432 the towers were the seat of justice for the Valley of Toranza and it had a jail.

Calle Del Camino Real de Cartes: The Camino Real de Cartes street is one of the most popular in all of Cantabria, which is not surprising because of how beautiful it is. It is adorned with plants and flowers on mountain houses that will transfer you to times gone by and that will not leave you indifferent at all. This street communicated the interior of the kingdom to the Port of Santander, favoring trade.

Church of Santa María de Yermo: Cartes is full of beautiful buildings, but very close, just four kilometres away, is the Church of Santa María de Yermo, a building worth visiting. It was part of an old monastery linked to the town and its architecture is dominated by Romanesque among its mixture of styles.

Carmona

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Carmona closes the list of beautiful towns in Cantabria. Located in the Cabuérniga valley, it is a small town that is located 238 meters above sea level. It is a town full of charm that stands out especially for its market crafts, as well as for its gastronomy. In addition, it is located in a natural environment surrounded by high peaks.

What to see in Carmona: The town is a scene of great beauty that is picturesque, being declared a Historic Site and especially highlighting its beautiful mountain houses. In Carmona it is possible to enjoy endless activities, many of them linked to nature.

Palace of the Díaz Cossio and Mier: It is wonderful to get carried away by the cobblestone soil of the town along the walks accompanied by the tranquility of this inland town, which will allow you to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of other more crowded places. Among its buildings of greatest interest is the Palacio de los Dízas Cossio y Mier, from the 17th century and which is currently El Parador de Turismo.

Mirador de la Asomada Del Rivero: If you like to enjoy the viewpoints that offer wide panoramic views, in Carmona you can enjoy the Mirador de la Asomada Del Rivero. From it you can have great visibility of the natural environment that surrounds it, especially the Picos de Ozalba and the Sierra Del Escudo de Cabuérniga.

Rural environment: If Carmona should be part of any route through the most beautiful towns in Cantabria, it is because of all that it is capable of contributing to those who seek to enjoy "the rural". In this town you can find small, cobbled streets within a natural environment surrounded by mountains, with large houses and the traditional atmosphere of crafts and livestock that give it a very special character.