Road.Travel Road.Travel
    15 Activities

    The "Sistine Chapel" of the Cave Art

    The "Sistine Chapel" of the Cave Art
    Starts from

    Bilbao

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Activities

    15

    Duration

    12 hours

    Length

    13 mi

    Guide details

    Starts from

    Bilbao

    Transportation

    By Car

    Guidance

    Self-Guided

    Duration

    12 hours

    Length

    13 mi

    History and CultureUnusual Locations
    Map preview

    Created By:

    Aldana Chiodi

    Aldana Chiodi

    Travel Expert

    Highlights

    • Be amazed by the cave art of the Altamira cave.
    • Visit one of the few works of Gaudí outside of Catalonia.
    • Enjoy walking through the beautiful historic centers of Santillana del Mar and Comillas.
    Can you imagine a cave with a ceiling full of cave paintings in shades of red and black? On this day's route you can visit the Altamira Cave, in Santillana del Mar, and be amazed by its art.
    To continue with the art, you can visit "El Capricho de Gaudí", one of the few buildings of the artist that is located outside of Catalonia.
    In addition, you will visit two of the most beautiful old towns in Cantabria: Santillana del Mar and Comillas.

    Categories

    Can you imagine a cave with a ceiling full of cave paintings in shades of red and black? On this day's route you can visit the Altamira Cave, in Santillana del Mar, and be amazed by its art.
    To continue with the art, you can visit "El Capricho de Gaudí", one of the few buildings of the artist that is located outside of Catalonia.
    In addition, you will visit two of the most beautiful old towns in Cantabria: Santillana del Mar and Comillas.
    Aldana Chiodi

    Aldana Chiodi

    Travel Expert

    • Be amazed by the cave art of the Altamira cave.
    • Visit one of the few works of Gaudí outside of Catalonia.
    • Enjoy walking through the beautiful historic centers of Santillana del Mar and Comillas.

    Day Itinerary

    15 Activities
    Map preview

    Day 1

    13 mi3 mi

    Santillana del Mar and Comillas

    On this one-day route, you will visit two of the most beautiful villages in Cantabria: Santillana del Mar and Comillas. In the first one, you will be amazed by the cave paintings of bison on the ceiling of a cave, which they call the Sistine Chapel of cave art. In the second village, you'll see a Gaudí building outside Cataluña. You'll also visit two beautiful historic centres with stone and wood buildings. Are you ready for a day of sightseeing?
    Cave of Altamira
    09:3045 min

    Cave of Altamira

    Historic Site
    Open Details
    The first destination, less than 3 km from Santillana del Mar, is the Museum and Cave of Altamira to discover the marvel of the cave art with bison painted in red and black on the ceiling of the cave. These paintings date from 35,000 B.C. to 13,000 B.C. and are remarkable for the number of designs and their colours.
    These caves were discovered in 1879 by the naturist Marcelino Saenz de Sautuola.
    As with other caves in northern Spain, the original Altamira cave is closed to the public, but an exact replica (called Neocueva) can be visited at the Altamira Museum. There is also a display of objects found at the site.
    The ticket can be bought on site, but it is always better to have it in advance. You can see the purchase options and more information on the official website.
    After marvelling at the cave paintings, it is time to visit one of the most beautiful villages in Cantabria: Santillana del Mar.
    1.6 mi5 min
    10:205 min

    Car Park

    Parking
    Open Details
    The village of Santillana del Mar has several public car parks. This is one of them, and it is just a few metres from the tourist office, in case you want to stop by before touring the old town.
    0.2 mi5 min
    Santillana del Mar
    10:3045 min

    Santillana del Mar

    City Centre
    Open Details
    The historic centre of Santillana del Mar is very pretty, with stone floors and walls, wooden balconies and flowers in the windows.
    The suggestion is to walk around to see some of the main historical monuments. One of the most beautiful streets is Calle de Juan Infante.
    0.1 mi5 min
    Plaza Mayor
    11:3015 min

    Plaza Mayor

    Plaza
    Open Details
    The Plaza Mayor of Santillana del Mar is the most photographed part of the town. There you will find such historical buildings as the Town Hall, the town's most important medieval towers (Don Borja tower and Merino tower), the Barreda-Bracho house (a Baroque building from the late 17th century) as well as the Águila and Parra houses built between the 16th and 17th centuries, which are currently used as a temporary exhibition centre.
    0.2 mi5 min
    Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana
    12:0045 min

    Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana

    Church
    Open Details
    If you continue along the road through the historic quarter, you will come to the collegiate church of Santa Juliana, the most important Romanesque monument in Cantabria.
    0.2 mi5 min
    Gran Duque
    13:001 hr

    Gran Duque

    Restaurant
    Open Details
    After all that walking it is time for lunch. On weekends you can find more options of open places to eat.
    This is one of the most recommended restaurants. You can order Spanish food and they have menu options.
    0.2 mi5 min
    Museo del Barquillero
    14:1530 min

    Museo del Barquillero

    Museum
    Open Details
    After lunch, you can visit one of the town's museums (depending on your interests and the day of your visit). One of them is the Museum of the Wafer, ideal to go with children because there are old toys on display and there is a very nice sweet shop. You will also be able to see the utensils that were used to make the wafers.
    If you wish, you can also visit the Torture/Inquisition Museum, which is within a 5-minute walk.
    If you decide not to visit any museum, you can walk around the town or return to pick up the car to reach the next destination.
    12 mi25 min
    15:155 min

    Car Park

    Parking
    Open Details
    The second town to visit on this day is Comillas, another beautiful town in Cantabria. You can leave your car in the car park near the main buildings to be visited.
    From the car park, walk to the Sobrellano Palace, the Pantheon Chapel and Gaudí's Capricho. You can choose to visit one, two, or all three. Keep in mind the opening times, depending on the time of year.
    0.4 mi10 min
    Sobrellano Palace
    15:3045 min

    Sobrellano Palace

    Palace
    Open Details
    The Sobrellano Palace is one of the most striking buildings in Comillas. It is the Palace of the Marquis of Comillas built in a Gothic-Neomodernist style. It was built as a summer residence for the Marquis and the royal family.
    It can be visited from the outside, through the Sobrellano garden, or you can visit the interior on a guided tour. If you are travelling in the low season, and you want to see the interior of this palace, you will have to get to Comillas earlier, that is to say, you will have to avoid visiting the museums in Santillana de Mar.
    Please note that opening times change according to the seasons, you can check them on the official website beforehand.
    Next to the palace is the Pantheon Chapel, which can also be visited from the inside. Its opening hours are the same as those of the palace.
    If you can't visit both, it's worth looking at them from the outside.
    0.1 mi5 min
    El Capricho de Gaudí
    16:3045 min

    El Capricho de Gaudí

    Other Great Outdoors
    Open Details
    This work by Gaudí is one of the few that can be seen outside Cataluña. In this building, Gaudí proposes what he considered to be the ideal house.
    You can tour the gardens and the interior. You can do it on your own or on a guided tour. And it has the Gaudí touch everywhere. You won't stop taking pictures!
    Timetables change depending on the time of year. You can check them on the official website. You can buy tickets on the same website, and it is advisable to do so in advance, especially in high season.
    0.3 mi10 min
    Panadería Hermanos Zubiaga
    17:3030 min

    Panadería Hermanos Zubiaga

    Bakery
    Open Details
    After visiting one of the proposed buildings, you can walk to the old town to find a café. One option is to go to the Zubiaga bakery, located pretty close to the Plaza de la Constitución (the town's central square).
    There, as well as coffee, you can enjoy a delicious pastry.
    In the area around the square you will see the old Town Hall, the church of San Cristóbal de Comillas and several stone buildings in the mountain style.
    0.3 mi10 min
    House of the Duke of Almodóvar del Río
    18:1515 min

    House of the Duke of Almodóvar del Río

    Other Great Outdoors
    Open Details
    In Comillas, in addition to the buildings and houses in the mountain style, you will see some English-influenced mansions. One of these mansions is that of the Duke Almodovar del Río. You can't visit it, but you can see it from the outside.
    0.3 mi10 min
    Mirador de Santa Lucía
    18:4515 min

    Mirador de Santa Lucía

    Scenic Lookout
    Open Details
    The Santa Lucía viewpoint is located next to the hermitage of the same name and has very nice views of both the village and the beach.
    After the viewpoint, weather permitting, you can go down to the beach and enjoy the sand for a while.
    0.9 mi20 min
    Puerta de las Virtudes (Comillas Pontifical University)
    19:3030 min

    Puerta de las Virtudes (Comillas Pontifical University)

    Other Great Outdoors
    Open Details
    If you prefer to continue admiring some of Comillas' striking buildings, you can continue your walk to the facade of the University to see it from the outside.
    0.5 mi10 min
    Quo-Vadis
    20:301 hr

    Quo-Vadis

    Italian Restaurant
    Open Details
    How about Italian food to end the day? This restaurant serves delicious pastas and pizzas. Be sure to try their desserts, such as tiramissu!
    After dinner, you can return to Bilbao or spend the night in Comillas and continue the trip along the coast of Cantabria and Asturias.
    Map preview
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