The journey along the Coast of Cantabria begins on the west coast, fundamentally represented by Santillana del Mar, one of the best preserved historic-artistic sites in Spain and an 11th century medieval hamlet in which medieval, renaissance and baroque buildings mix together. Very close to Santillana are the Altamira Caves, discovered in 1879 and declared World Mankind by UNESCO. They contain coloured wall carvings of bison made by Palaeolithic man. Heading towards Comillas, Cóbreces offers visitors its pretty Cistercian abbey. Once in Comillas, the combination of traditional local architecture stands out, with notable buildings such as the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas. Next on the itinerary is San Vicente de la Barquera, a fishing town par excellence with several pretty beaches.
The eastern coast of Cantabria spreads between the bay of Santander and the town of Castro Urdiales. This stretch of coastline is a succession of cliffs and wonderful beaches. Particularly noteworthy are Pedreña, Isla and Noja, tourist centres par excellence, and Santoña and Laredo. Finally, Castro Urdiales, an ancient Roman port, has many monuments of different styles and from various periods, of great decorative wealth.