Santillana del MarFrench philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre called Santillana del Mar
"the prettiest village in Spain" - and to this day, it remains one
of the undisputed highlights of Spain's northern coastline.
Santillana del Mar is tiny - only six blocks long, and home to just
4,000 permanent inhabitants - and makes a wonderful base for
exploring the alluring Cantabrian coastline. In the village, which
is full of gorgeous Romanesque architecture lining ironstone
streets, locals still sell fresh milk from open stable doors, and
well-heeled visitors have the chance to spend the night in one of
Spain's grandest
(the Parador de Santillana), a converted 17th
century mansion offering luxurious and unforgettable accommodation.
Santillana del Mar is also the closest urban area to the
(Altamira Caves), featuring amazing
Upper Paleolithic cave paintings, and often dubbed 'the Sistine
Chapel of prehistoric art'. Because Spain's northern coastline
doesn't see nearly as much annual tourist activity as its souther |
