Spain has some of the most beautifully diverse regions to explore in Europe. The south offers warm, sunny weather and incredible architecture while the north offers mountainous scenery perfect for an epic road trip. Discover Cantabria, an underrated region of Spain that you don’t hear too much about but is well worth discovering on a trip to the north.
The beautiful region of Cantabria sits between two other stunning regions, Basque country, and Asturias on the northern coast of Spain. Its capital and its largest city is Santander, which is known for the Botin modern art museum, the royal palace of Magdalena, and its beautiful beaches.
Cantabria has numerous attractions, especially for outdoor lovers. Sardinero beach is one popular destination, located on the coast of the capital of Santander. History and architecture buffs will find pleasure in visiting the Botin Center where modern meets classic. Let’s visit some more incredible places to see and fun activities that you must do when you visit Cantabria:
Faro del Caballo
Pictured above, this stunning 19th-century lighthouse and hiking pathway offers its visitors incredible views! To head down the path and to the lighthouse, you have to walk down about 750 steep steps, so take your time and extra caution! Depending on the time of year, once you arrive at the lighthouse, you can continue to walk down another pathway around the corner toward the water and jump in, swinging off of a rope!
If the tide is high this is possible to do and so much fun! A swing rope is available to use at the bottom platform for an easy jump into the crisp Bay of Biscay. The water is very chilly, even in the summer, so be prepared!
Exploring the coast of Santoña, Noja and Langre
Along the coast, you’ll discover several beautiful small beach towns that are perfect for a stopover and to enjoy great seafood. This coastline is excellent for surfing and there is also a small hike you can do between Playa de Berria and Playa de Noja.
Discover Cantabria: Picos de Europa Mountains
Split between the regions of Cantabria, Asturias, and Castilla Leon, the Picos de Europa national park is an icon of the north of Spain. Its seemingly endless mountain ranges are ideal for hiking in the summer and autumn. Visit the National Park’s website here for more detailed information on the best time to visit and how to arrive.
Cabarceno Nature Park
Cabarceno is not a conventional zoo or a natural park, but a man-made naturalized large space for 120 species of an ideal simulation of their real habitat. You can explore on foot, but it is recommended to go by car, as the park it’s very large. For a bird’s eye view, hop on the cable car to see many species from above, including the baby elephants!
You can’t miss this underrated region when visiting Spain! Whether you’re looking for adventure in nature or to experience city life, you’ll have an incredible time exploring this beautiful region of the north. Discover everything Cantabria, Spain has to offer on their official tourism site
Visit other northern regions of Spain by reading about my road trip from summer 2019 Campervanning the North of Spain
