Cantabria Travel Guide

Cantabria is an autonomous community in Spain, which means from the people to the government, it functions much like a separate country. This area is located between the Cantabrian Mountains and the Cantabrian Sea, belonging to an area entitled 'Green Spain', meaning that it has an oceanic climate which makes the weather vary only subtly, with warm summers and mild winters. There are over 10 rivers in this area that are tributaries of either the Cantabrian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, or the Atlantic Ocean.

Though Cantabria is smaller than the U.S. state of Connecticut, there are 7 national parks to explore in the area. There are also many caves in Cantabria, including Altamira Cave, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is famous for the cave paintings and artifacts, the oldest of which being from around 18,500 years ago. Cueva de La Pasiega is also a cave known for important Paleolithic art findings. The paintings in these caves include images of horses, deer, cattle, and symbols called ideomorphs.

Most accommodation will be found in the capital, Santander. Once again, though it may be a small area, you will be able to find hotels of most every price range. The Hotel del Oso, located just outside Santander in a small town called Camaleño, has relatively cheap prices, a single room starting at only $75 per night, the most expensive being a double room during high season, priced at $110 per night. If you'd like a big more fancy of an accommodation, try Hotel Hoyuela in Santander, prices starting at just under $200 per night. Hotel Hoyuela is centrally located and is 4-star, the highest rating by European standards.

Make sure to check out the great food the city offers. Cocido Montañés is a typical Cantabrian stew made with beans and collared greens. All types of seafood are popular in this area, as are meats of beef, ox, deer, and boar. Some popular desserts are frisuelos, which are much like crêpes, or polkas, almost exactly like puff pastry. Orujo is a typical liquor made of pomace, which is the solid remains from fruit after extracting the juice and/or oil, mostly that of grapes or olives. Zacarias in Santander is a restaurant that prides itself in regional specialities, so if you'd like a real taste of Cantabria, try this eatery. Bodeja de Riojano is a nice restaurant that is well know for it's tapas, small appetizer-type dishes that you order a few of instead of a large entree. For something sweet, just take a stroll down one of the main roads of any town, and you are bound to find a local bakery with affordable prices.