Santillana del Mar Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Colegiata Santillana del Mar (Cantabria - Spain). Romanesque art of the twelfth century.
Colegiata Santillana del Mar (Cantabria - Spain). Romanesque art of the twelfth century.
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Breathe in more than 22,000 years of history by exploring the beautiful cobbled streets of Santillana del Mar.

Discover one of Cantabria's best kept secrets with a pleasant holiday in Santillana del Mar. In the surrounding area, you'll find the cave of Altamira, declared a World Heritage Site and home of one of the most famous cave paintings in the world.

The cave of Altamira has made this municipality an essential destination, especially for ardent history lovers. Be captivated by this historical landmark, which tells the history of Humanity from 22,000 years ago thanks to the paintings and etchings that decorate the cold rock of the cave.

Known as the “town of the three lies” in Spanish, as it isn't sacred (santa), it isn't flat (llana) and it doesn't have any sea (mar), Santillana del Mar offers a great many other places of interest, such as its old town, which is well worth a visit. Choose one of our cheap trips to Santillana del Mar, and discover its famous buildings: admire Torre del Merino or Torre de Don Borja, two of the town's oldest towers find other hidden treasures in its charming streets, such as Palacio Valdivieso or Palacio de Velarde, and check out the collegiate church of Santa Juliana, an old monastery that houses a famous chartulary and dates back to the 12th century.

Thanks to package holidays to Santillana del Mar, you can enjoy the region's specialities, such as tableta con leche and sobao sponge cakes or quesada puddings What's more, you can go on day-trips outside the municipality, as Santander is only 18 miles away and it is only 40 miles to get to the Picos de Europe mountain range.

Santillana del Mar's climate is rather damp, so don't rule out showers, but you needn't worry about the weather: the temperature is usually pleasant, with an average annual temperature of 14°C.

What are you waiting for? Book your flight + hotel to Santillana del Mar to discover one of the towns with the greatest historical value in Spain.

Posada San Marcos

Posada San Marcos

3 out of 5
Avda Antonio Sandi 27 Santillana del Mar Cantabria
Stay at this spa hotel in Santillana del Mar. Enjoy an outdoor pool, a full-service spa and breakfast (surcharge). Popular attractions Calle de Santo Domingo ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (106 reviews)
Close to Old Town
Nice hotel very close to the old town area. We felt safe walking back and forth even at night. The breakfast was very nice. Cute hotel.

Reviewed on 21 Nov 2022

Posada San Marcos
Hotel Bestprice Santillana

Hotel Bestprice Santillana

3 out of 5
Calle Revolgo 16 Santillana del Mar
The price is £43 per night from 10 Feb to 11 Feb
£43
10 Feb - 11 Feb
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this hotel in Santillana del Mar. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and daily housekeeping. Popular attractions Calle de Santo Domingo and Regina ...
9/10 Wonderful! (51 reviews)
Nice room

Reviewed on 21 Jul 2025

Hotel Bestprice Santillana
Parador De Santillana De Gil Blas

Parador De Santillana De Gil Blas

4 out of 5
Plaza Ramon Pelayo 11 Santillana del Mar Cantabria
Stay at this historic hotel in Santillana del Mar. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, breakfast (surcharge) and room service. Popular attractions Torre de Don Borja and Calle ...
9/10 Wonderful! (150 reviews)
Parking was not on site but easy

Reviewed on 9 Nov 2025

Parador De Santillana De Gil Blas
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
House with pool and games room in Santillana del Mar

House with pool and games room in Santillana del Mar

Santillana del Mar, Viveda Cantabria
Stay at this family-friendly villa in Santillana del Mar. Enjoy private pools, a water park and a garden. Popular attractions Área Natural de Especial Interés ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (51 reviews)
Quality House
Ernesto and his wife were excellent hosts. Quality house with great pool and games room.

Reviewed on 27 Aug 2024

House with pool and games room in Santillana del Mar
Akla Hotel Suites Santillana

Akla Hotel Suites Santillana

3 out of 5
Plaza de las Arenas 3 Santillana del Mar CB
Stay at this apartment in Santillana del Mar. Enjoy free breakfast and Wi-Fi (surcharge). Popular attractions Museum of the Inquisition and Torre de Don Borja ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (25 reviews)
Difficult to locate, parking is a long walk away up and down cobble-stone streets, check-in is complicated, the apartment name is not as advertised, the nearby church bells sound on the hour. Given the cost and problems it is not good value for money - better to stay at the nearby Parador. Can fully ...

Reviewed on 18 Aug 2024

Akla Hotel Suites Santillana
Apartamentos Estela de Altamira

Apartamentos Estela de Altamira

3 out of 5
Avda del Zoo s/n Santillana del Mar
Stay at this aparthotel in Santillana del Mar. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool and a fitness centre. Popular attractions Santillana del Mar Zoo and Calle de ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (26 reviews)
Everything was great! Location, Spaces, the rooms where perfect!

Reviewed on 5 Nov 2025

Apartamentos Estela de Altamira
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Santillana del Mar

4.7
Top destination
5 - Excellent
6
5 - Excellent 67%
4 - Good
3
4 - Good 33%
3 - Okay
0
3 - Okay 0%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Quaint, small place. Stay there and use as a base for a couple of nights to see the surrounding area

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Nice place to spend an afternoon and overnight on your way to Asturias.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

We joined the excellent free tour of the village offered through the hotel - great guide, really enjoyable and interesting.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Beautiful historic town with plenty of restaurants and bars. You can access hotels and hotel car parks in your car but only with great care as the streets are cobbled, some corners tight and the town can be busy with lots of pedestrians.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Lovely traditional town with plenty to do and great places to eat

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Visit the Altamira cave museum

Cities near Santillana del Mar

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