Top 5 Santander Car Tours: A Traveler’s Guide

Santander, up in northern Spain, well, that tends to be quite the charming city, one that just might be calling your name, very likely if you enjoy gazing out at the Bay of Biscay, and certainly, if you love experiencing a blend of urban life with really captivating coastal scenery, so that, too, it’s almost the perfect place to start your exploration of the Cantabria region; a car tour allows for you to uncover places a little less touched by travelers, those hidden places that are a little harder to get to if you’re sticking to the standard trains and buses.

1. The Coastal Corniche: Santander to Santillana del Mar

Oh, beginning your seaside exploration right from Santander, just to get things started, anyway, is that, really, almost the iconic coastal route over to Santillana del Mar; it presents the beautiful meeting point of the sea and country, where the views just might extend for what seems like forever.

Leaving Santander, just head west, you see, hugging the coast; along the way, you will find inviting stops at beaches such as Playa de la Magdalena or maybe even Playa de la Concha for some quick seaside wandering, very briefly so you do not go off track; that’s before setting off toward more dramatic vistas near Mogro.

Oh, as you proceed towards Santillana, then there are some of those sweeping views, just a bit, perhaps of the Cantabrian Sea, possibly as far as the eye can see; you are sure to feel a certain peacefulness settling upon you, just right for you to take in the gorgeous rural area of Cantabria as well.

Santillana del Mar itself, actually, it is an incredibly picturesque town, a very, very well-preserved window to the past, one that many think of as nearly, almost the prettiest village in Spain, and in this regard, very few places compare; wander among the medieval houses, you know, pausing for sights such as the Collegiate Church, and letting that charming atmosphere sink deep into your memories. Check more on this driving tour: Santander to Santillana del Mar Full Review and Details

This drive, though, it is not just scenery; it gives anyone a good view of what makes the region special—nature, architecture, and the peaceful allure of towns by the sea, kind of charming little seaside locations; all blend into one experience.

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Drive the Corniche)

2. Through the Pas Valleys: A Taste of Rural Cantabria

Very much unlike those famous coasts is, well, rural Cantabria; so the tour via the Pas Valleys presents a very different kind of appeal, you see, a window onto green, a slightly more slow-paced aspect of life, rather remote too.

To explore the Pas Valleys, just travel inland toward the south from Santander; as you make your way, watch as coastal things begin to transform gradually into lush meadows, eventually with dairy cows out grazing so you can enjoy seeing their natural behavior; just really bask in everything.

Very soon the rolling green opens up into the valleys of the Pas; the drive runs along rivers and it winds close by such communities like Puente Viesgo, renowned for the caves of El Castillo, which do contain ancient Paleolithic cave paintings, some art dating way, way back; clearly that location is extremely cool for culture devotees.

Continuing on, it is clear that you could encounter those villagers, like your herders of Pasiego; a traditionally nomadic herding community, one almost finds that these families live in step, well, as much as possible anyway, with the older lifestyles tied firmly to seasonal pasture shifting.

The Pas Valleys drive isn’t merely a physical transition; that tends to be really immersing, slightly in Cantabria’s traditional, agricultural backbone, often providing peaceful spots for quiet contemplation as a little reminder of life away from busy zones. More on this scenic tour can be seen here: Pas Valleys Cantabria Full Review and Details

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Explore Rural Valleys)

3. The Liebana Loop: Peaks and Potes

Very far beyond the coastal regions and, well, the undulating pastures that, well, define much of Cantabria, clearly exist peaks; and the Liebana Loop delivers a satisfying experience; it goes high into those mountains to deliver views and charming little towns, and some glimpses into that isolated culture.

Setting off southward toward the Liebana area of Cantabria begins with a trip climbing steadily through narrow roads up the mountain faces; just a little twisty at times and occasionally very high.

A highlight, I would argue, or even, you could, actually, be the drive via the Hermida Gorge (Desfiladero de la Hermida), which runs deep and winds dramatically through imposing rock formations; stopping just long enough here lets one admire the magnificence that that place does indeed provide. A quiet sense washes over everyone.

The main highlight may, you know, seemingly be the historic town, or maybe that’s more village really, that is Potes, basically the capital within the Liebana comarca; you, like your cobblestone paths, find their charm increased through those historic houses, offering ideal spots just for pause along a really regional tapas or taking something from the nearby artisanal shops; anyway you wish to just recharge.

And nearby you’ll find the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liebana, regarded, definitely, as one of the sacred locations in Catholicism, the location preserving some big fragment that is of The True Cross; of course, if you wish you can see the spiritual component of the site or only appreciate those peaceful mountain background settings, maybe simply only appreciating the isolation and, arguably, you could contemplate. Deeper perspectives about the Liebana Loop await: Liebana Loop Peaks and Potes Full Review and Details

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (See Mountain Charm)

4. The Saja Besaya Natural Park Circuit

In terms of a deep encounter along Cantabria’s abundant environment, still, basically, nobody compares, and that location offers an unparalleled beauty in its nature, the Saja Besaya Natural Park is just that: really unspoiled expanses just invite getting lost inside deep foliage; that area just sings in your head.

Driving on those circuits that get around the Saja Besaya natural haven is, to a certain extent, best considered as leisurely activity: really the objective may not be necessarily only zooming in to a target but enjoying being wrapped up during that really verdant wonderland and forest of the reserve; slow just the slightest for every gorgeous panorama point.

While meandering across that zone, a person should try stopping in Barcena Mayor – among those earliest settlements present in Cantabria that comes boasting standard building, one thing that enables a small look to exactly what day-to-day routine may had seemed a ways during history.

As one traverses high up across elevated lands a bit, and if weather circumstances are favorable, there is, typically, sweeping horizon over that park; these provide those amazing images with rolling hills coming to rest among clear heavens. Details of this tour can be explored in great detail at Saja Besaya Natural Park Full Review and Details

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (Be in Natural Park)

5. Cabarceno Natural Park and the Bay of Santander Viewpoint

You understand, one combines normal pet life experiences along wide angle horizon checks, possibly, just maybe getting one ultimate experience along Santander, in that case traveling for a look above Park nature region Cabarceno after reaching multiple stunning perspectives ignoring Santander region gives one diversified – but interesting method among Cantabria region to view and savor a variety of delights inside reach during car.

Park nature region Cabarceno definitely may differ against the additional ‘common kind‘ along national reserves for pets usually turn unconfined inside large spots, providing natural atmosphere however very close range from driving pathways: that offers chances to observe pets along ease. Get additional thoughts when seeing at the location:Cabarceno Natural Park Full Review and Details

See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now (To the Natural Habitat)

Embed ” ” at the end of the article