Español
English
Français
Deutsch
Italiano
Nederlands
Português
日本語
中文
Cantabria changes its scenery every half-hour by car: open beaches on the Bay of Biscay, stone-built towns, green valleys and, in the distance, the limestone peaks of the Picos de Europa. The coast and mountains are so close that you can stay in the same place throughout your trip or move to a different base halfway through.
Choosing where to stay in Cantabria means deciding which part of the region you want on your doorstep. We’ve reviewed the places to stay in Cantabria featured on our site and chosen them one by one: among the nearly five hundred that make it through our filter, guesthouses and inns outnumber hotels.
How to choose an area
We suggest six bases, each with its own character:
- Santander: the capital, with city beaches, museums and the best transport links.
- Santillana del Mar: the medieval town next to the Altamira Museum.
- Suances: open beaches, surfing and the cliffs of Costa Quebrada.
- Liérganes: grand old houses and a stone bridge in the Miera Valley, a stone’s throw from Cabárceno.
- Comillas: Gaudí and his contemporaries’ Modernist architecture, facing an urban beach.
- Potes and Liébana: a valley at the foot of the Picos de Europa, with Fuente Dé and Santo Toribio.
If you don’t have a car, Santander is the only truly convenient base. With a car, Santillana and Comillas let you combine heritage and the beach in the same day, while Potes deserves at least two nights: the road to Liébana is slow, and there’s plenty to see in the valley.
Santander
Santander looks out over its bay from Pereda Promenade and towards the open sea from El Sardinero, with the Magdalena Peninsula between the two. Since September 2026, there’s a new place to visit: Faro Santander, the bank’s former headquarters, renovated by David Chipperfield as an arts centre beside the Centro Botín.
The city centre is the obvious base if you arrive without a car, with the train and bus stations side by side; El Sardinero is a good choice if you’re here for the beach. We cover the neighbourhoods one by one in our guide to where to stay in Santander, and you can find all the options among the places to stay in Santander. Two central spots and one beside the beach:
Center Suite Acebedos
A practical base for exploring on foot, with Mercado de la Esperanza less than three hundred metres away. The soundproofed, air-conditioned rooms are a welcome feature right in the city centre. There’s no parking, and children under six are not accepted.
Hostal Jardin Secreto
A two-star guesthouse with its own garden and terrace, around two hundred metres from the city’s modern art museum. The double room, with minibar, is for two people only, and the stations are just over half a kilometre away. No parking; latest check-in is at 21:30.
Hotel Rhin Garden
Two hundred metres from Sardinero’s Second Beach, with a seasonal pool, garden and double rooms with a balcony or terrace. A restaurant, bar and buffet breakfast mean you don’t have to look for somewhere to eat after the beach. Adults only; nearby parking is paid and must be reserved.
Santillana del Mar
Santillana del Mar is a medieval ensemble of cobbled streets, noble houses and a Romanesque collegiate church, around two kilometres from the Altamira Museum and its Neocave. It attracts many day-trippers, but regains its quiet in the evening, which is why it’s worth staying in town.
Its Parador reopened in June 2026 after closing for five years for a complete renovation. Find out more in our guide to where to stay in Santillana del Mar, and discover more options among the places to stay in Santillana del Mar. Our three picks:
La Casa del Organista
An 18th-century mountain house with wooden beams and period furniture, seventy metres from Plaza Mayor: the town is yours once the tour groups have left. Free public parking makes arriving by car easy. No lift; Wi-Fi is limited to the common areas, and breakfast isn’t included.
Hotel Cuevas - Adults Only
Designed for couples: rooms have a hot tub, and some also come with a balcony or terrace. The outdoor pool is open in season only, and the Altamira Museum is five minutes away. Children are not accepted, and private parking costs extra.
Hospedaje Maria Jesus
A simple guesthouse around four hundred metres from Plaza Mayor, with a terrace and views of the mountains and town. There’s Wi-Fi in the room and free private parking very close by. Space is limited, at around ten square metres, and the upper floors are accessible by stairs only.
Suances
Suances is the beach destination of central Cantabria: exposed stretches of sand such as Los Locos, a favourite with surfers, and more sheltered beaches by the estuary, such as La Concha. The town is spread between the port and the higher ground by the lighthouse.
Its coastline is part of Costa Quebrada, a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2025, encompassing cliffs, islets and beaches in eight municipalities between Santander and Suances, with the dunes of Liencres halfway along. Find more options among the places to stay in Suances. Two guesthouses with free parking:
La Casita de Melón
A guesthouse with a garden, just over a kilometre from La Concha Beach, making it a handy base for exploring the municipality’s different stretches of sand. Double and triple rooms have private bathrooms and air conditioning. Rooms accommodate no more than three people, and the entrance closes at 23:30.
Posada Marina
A rustic-style inn where the double room looks out over the estuary and town; the basic triple room works for a small family or three friends. Free parking is available without a reservation. Continental breakfast costs extra, and free Wi-Fi is available only in the common areas.
Liérganes
Liérganes, on the banks of the Miera and around half an hour from Santander, is a cluster of 17th- and 18th-century manor houses, with a stone bridge at its heart. It’s the birthplace of the Fish-Man legend: a local who disappeared in the river and, according to tradition, reappeared years later in the Bay of Cádiz.
It’s the most convenient base for Cabárceno Nature Park, Cabárceno, a few minutes away by car. Find more options among the places to stay in Liérganes. Two different ways to stay:
Posada Villa Esperanza
An inn with rooms of up to 35 square metres, a garden, terrace and picnic area, with walking routes nearby and free private parking. No lift; Wi-Fi is available only in the common areas. Check-in is between 16:00 and 22:00; let them know in advance what time you’ll arrive.
Apartamentos la casa de los ríos
Apartments with a kitchen, river and mountain views, and a garden with children’s play equipment: a comfortable base for families, with Cabárceno 4,3 kilometres away and free parking. Check-in ends at 20:00, quiet is requested at night, and cleaning is done only before arrival.
Comillas
Comillas is the most distinctive town on the western coast. In the late 19th century, the first Marquis of Comillas brought in Catalan architects such as Gaudí, Domènech i Montaner and Martorell. Their work includes El Capricho, Sobrellano Palace and the former seminary of the Pontifical University.
Below are the town beach and port; a few kilometres away lie Oyambre Beach and San Vicente de la Barquera, where the Camino Lebaniego begins. Find more options among the places to stay in Comillas. One hotel in the centre and another for families:
Marina de Campios
A three-star hotel in a 19th-century Cantabrian house, a hundred metres from the centre, with El Capricho a short walk away, plus a terrace and piano bar. The beach is half a kilometre away. There’s no parking, and check-in is available only between 13:00 and 17:00, a narrow window.
La Solana Montañesa
A garden, family rooms and a play area make this a comfortable hotel if you’re travelling with children and by car, as private parking is free. The buffet breakfast, featuring local produce, costs extra. The beach is around 650 metres away, and check-in closes at 21:00.
Potes and Liébana
Potes is the capital of Liébana, a valley nestled among the Picos de Europa. From the coast, the route follows the Hermida Gorge: just over twenty kilometres of bends along the N-621, tracing the Deva River. From town, you can take the cable car up to Fuente Dé and visit the monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana.
Santo Toribio holds the Lignum Crucis, considered the largest surviving fragment of Christ’s cross, and celebrates a Jubilee Year whenever 16 April falls on a Sunday. The next one will be in 2028, and the Government of Cantabria and the Bishopric are already preparing for it. Every second weekend in November, the Orujo Festival, a National Festival of Tourist Interest, brings the copper stills to life in the streets.
Many country houses are in the valley’s villages, such as Camaleño or Espinama; in town, browse the places to stay in Potes. Two places with free parking and mountain views:
Villa Elena
A guesthouse with a garden, terrace and table tennis for anyone coming to hike in Liébana and wanting their car right outside. Two rooms have balconies facing the mountains, and all have private bathrooms. A minimum stay of two nights is required; breakfast isn’t included, and parties aren’t allowed.
Casa de Campo
An entire house with a fully equipped kitchen, courtyard, garden and terrace facing the mountains: a place to settle into village life between excursions. For four guests or fewer, two bedrooms are available; the upstairs floor is opened only for groups of five or more. Check-in is between 20:00 and 22:00.
Beyond the six bases
East of Santander, Noja and Isla are family-friendly beach destinations, Santoña is known for its marshes and anchovies, Laredo has one of the Bay of Biscay’s longest beaches, and Castro Urdiales is half an hour from Bilbao.
Inland, Puente Viesgo has a spa and the El Castillo cave, while Reinosa is the gateway to Campoo. For surfing near the capital, Somo is across the bay.
When to go
The climate is oceanic: mild summers, gentle winters on the coast and rain throughout the year, which explains all the greenery. July and August are the busiest months for beaches, festivals and accommodation, so it’s worth booking ahead then and during long weekends. Spring and autumn are ideal for walking; in winter, check that the Fuente Dé cable car is running before you set off.
Getting there and getting around
Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport, around five kilometres from the capital, has domestic flights and some European routes, with more options in summer. Alvia trains run from Madrid, and Brittany Ferries connects the port with Portsmouth and Plymouth. By road, the A-8 follows the coast and the A-67 heads south towards the Meseta.
Outside Santander, a car is almost essential: there are buses to Santillana, Comillas, Suances and Potes, but services are limited. Local trains connect the capital with Torrelavega, Reinosa and Cabezón de la Sal. As a guide, Santillana is half an hour from Santander, while Potes is around 115 kilometres away.
This is our general guide to the region. For more detail, continue with where to stay in Santander, with its neighbourhoods and more places to stay, and where to stay in Santillana del Mar, between the medieval centre and the route to Altamira.
Frequently asked questions
Here are the questions we’re most often asked by people planning a trip around Cantabria who haven’t decided where to stay yet.
What’s the best area to stay in Cantabria?
It depends on your trip. Santander is the most well-rounded base if you arrive without a car, with an airport, train and ferry connections, city beaches and museums. Santillana del Mar and Comillas combine heritage and the sea; Suances is the choice for beaches and surfing; Liérganes is handy for Cabárceno, and Potes is the base for the Picos de Europa. With a car, a week works well split between two bases: one on the coast and another in Liébana.
Where should I stay in Cantabria if I don’t have a car?
In Santander. The train and bus stations are next to each other in the centre, the airport is around five kilometres away, and buses run to Santillana del Mar, Comillas, Suances and Potes, although services are limited. Local trains reach Torrelavega, Reinosa and Cabezón de la Sal. For Liébana or the inland valleys, it’s worth hiring a car, even if only for a couple of days.
Where should I stay to visit the Picos de Europa from Cantabria?
In Potes or in villages in the Liébana Valley, such as Camaleño or Espinama, on the way to Fuente Dé. From there, the cable car, the monastery of Santo Toribio and plenty of walking routes are close by. Allow at least two nights: from the coast, the route follows the Hermida Gorge, a winding road best taken slowly, and some country houses in the valley require a minimum stay.
What’s new in Cantabria?
Faro Santander opened in September 2026 in Santander, an arts centre in the bank’s former headquarters, renovated by David Chipperfield. In Santillana del Mar, the Parador reopened in June 2026 after five years of renovations. Since 2025, the coast between Santander and Suances has been a UNESCO Global Geopark known as Costa Quebrada. And the next Liébana Jubilee Year is in 2028.
Where should I stay in Cantabria with children?
Comillas and Liérganes are two good family bases. In Comillas, La Solana Montañesa has family rooms, a play area and free parking; in Liérganes, Apartamentos la casa de los ríos offers a kitchen and a garden with play equipment near Cabárceno. Always check the conditions: Hotel Rhin Garden and Hotel Cuevas are adults only, and Center Suite Acebedos doesn’t accept children under six.
