Free walking tours in Santillana del Mar and what to see

Must-sees

Santillana del Mar is an almost intact medieval village, with cobbled streets and stone mansions bearing coats of arms. The main street leads to the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana, the finest Romanesque in Cantabria, with a cloister of richly carved capitals. On the way you pass Calle del Cantón and Calle Juan Infante, with heraldic façades and balconies full of flowers.

On the Plaza Mayor are the Torre de Don Borja and the Torre del Merino, two of the oldest buildings in the village. The Diocesan Museum, in the convent of Regina Coeli, holds religious art from the region. About two kilometres away is the Altamira Museum, with the Neocave, a faithful replica of the original cave and its painted bison.

Free tours and guided visits

Free tours are not frequent in Santillana. The usual options are guided visits of the historic centre, explaining the history of the families who built the mansions, and entry to the Collegiate Church, often with an explanation of the cloister. The Altamira Museum can be visited on your own or with a guide.

The village combines well with other trips. The most common is Comillas, with Gaudí’s El Capricho and the Sobrellano Palace. You can also visit the El Castillo caves in Puente Viesgo, where you see original prehistoric paintings. The beaches of Suances are a few minutes’ drive away.

How long to spend

Two or three hours are enough for the village, plus another two if you visit the Altamira Museum. Ideally spend a whole day here: the morning at the museum and the afternoon in the old town and the Collegiate Church. If you stay in the village, make the most of early morning or dusk, when there is hardly anyone about and the streets look their best.

Where to stay

Sleeping in the historic centre is a lovely experience. There are hotels in old mansions and the village falls silent at night. Bear in mind that traffic is restricted in the centre and the car must be left in the car parks at the entrance. On the outskirts and on the road to Altamira there are more options, with easy parking and a short walk to the centre.