Surf Lesson at Canallave
2 hAll ages; groups by ageAll year, depending on the sea
Surf · 2 h · Beginner lesson at the Liencres surfers' beach, inside the natural park · From €30 with board and wetsuit
From €30
Book
From Santander15 min by car, estimated
Must-seeLa Arnía at low tide
Best timeApr · May · Jun · Sep · Oct
Minimum timeHalf a day
What to do
What to do in Costa Quebrada and Liencres
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Walk Through the Dunas de Liencres Natural Park
1 h 30All ages; sandAll year
Walk · 1 h 30 · Pine forest over shifting dunes to the mouth of the Pas · Easy · Free
La Arnía Beach and the Costa Quebrada Cliffs
1 h 30All ages; slippery rocksAll year; at low tide
Cove and walk · 1 h 30 · Abrasion platform, fossil-bearing marls and the Costa Quebrada islets · Free · At low tide
Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Costa Quebrada and Liencres, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Costa Quebrada and Liencres
All year for walking: the dunes and coves never close. In summer there are lifeguards and the car parks fill up; in spring and autumn, the light and the afternoon low tide are the best.
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How you travel
Costa Quebrada and Liencres your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
By Car, Ten Minutes from Santander
Liencres is nine kilometres from Santander. The car takes you from the coves, in the village, to the dune car parks, Valdearenas and Canallave, a few minutes away.
65–120 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Calas de Liencres, with…
- Getting aroundA-67, exit 7, and CA-203…
- Where to eatBurdo Restobar, in the centre…
- ServicesTourist office in the barrio…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Calas de Liencres, with free parking
- Posada La Venta del Mar, above Portio, from €77
Getting around
- A-67, exit 7, and CA-203; or exit 9 via Boo and the CA-231
- Valdearenas and Canallave have parking
Where to eat
- Burdo Restobar, in the centre, under €35
- The terrace of the Hotel Calas de Liencres
Services
- Tourist office in the barrio La Iglesia, Thursday to Sunday outside summer
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Costa Quebrada and Liencres for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Dunes, Fossil Coves and a Surf Lesson
Liencres is the beach of families from Santander: dunes to run on, pine forest for shade, and coves with fossils to search for at low tide.
- What works bestWalk through the dunes, flat…
- Where to sleepHotel Calas de Liencres, with…
- Where to eatBurdo Restobar, with gluten-free options
- Bear in mindValdearenas and Canallave have strong…
What works best
- Walk through the dunes, flat and short, with pine forest
- La Arnía at low tide, for looking at rocks and fossils
- Surf lesson at Canallave, €30 with board and wetsuit
- Valdearenas, for walking along the shoreline
Where to sleep
- Hotel Calas de Liencres, with cots for babies
- Posada La Venta del Mar, above the Portio cove
Where to eat
- Burdo Restobar, with gluten-free options
Bear in mind
- Valdearenas and Canallave have strong currents: swim only with a lifeguard
- At La Arnía the rocks are slippery
What to do as a family
Surf, Bunkers and Cliffs
For teenagers, Liencres has three things: real waves at Canallave, a network of Civil War bunkers on Monte Picota and a coast of cliffs to explore.
- What works bestFive-day surf course, €130
- Where to sleepHotel Calas de Liencres, within…
- Where to eatBurdo Restobar, weekday set menu
- Bear in mindThe bunkers are not restored…
What works best
- Five-day surf course, €130
- Monte Picota bunkers, with a torch
- La Arnía and Portio, at low tide
Where to sleep
- Hotel Calas de Liencres, within walking distance of the coves
Where to eat
- Burdo Restobar, weekday set menu
Bear in mind
- The bunkers are not restored: do not go in without light or alone
What to do with teenagers
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Calas de Liencres
Why we like it: 45-room hotel with exterior rooms above the coves of Somocuevas, Portio and Cerrias, 9 km from Santander, with restaurant, terraces and free parking.
Posada La Venta del Mar
Why we like it: Inn above Portio beach with every room facing the sea, from €77 for a double with breakfast booking on its website. Pets not allowed.
From €77
View details
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Liencres village | Coves, hotel and inn | |
| Dunes and Valdearenas | Pine wood, long beach, surfing | |
| Monte Picota | Bunkers and views |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Costa Quebrada and Liencres
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Burdo Restobar
What to order: on weekdays, the set menu; the rest of the time, the market cooking on the menu, which they publish online
Hotel Calas de Liencres Restaurant and Café
What to order: a coffee or a portion on the terrace on the way back from La Arnía; see the day's menu on its website
Map
Everything on the map
The places to stay and services on the map are the ones for the way you travel. Turn on the layers you want and tap a point to see its details.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Nearby
Near Costa Quebrada and Liencres
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
43.36° N · 3.84° W
Cabárceno Nature Park
By car
43.39° N · 4.11° W
Santillana del Mar and Altamira
By carCar-free
43.39° N · 4.29° W
Comillas
By car
43.44° N · 3.46° W
Santoña and Laredo
By car
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Go at low tide
La Arnía and Portio make sense at low water: check the tide table before setting out.
- 2Arrive early in summer
The car parks at the coves are small.
- 3Wear shoes with grip
The rock at the coves is slippery, especially with seaweed.
- 4Stay on the dune paths
The pine wood and dunes are a fragile natural park.
Between the Magdalena peninsula, in Santander, and the sands of Liencres there are some twenty kilometres of broken coast: cliffs, islets, tucked-away coves and rock platforms that the tide leaves bare. This is Costa Quebrada, a UNESCO Global Geopark, and its western end is Liencres: a village in Piélagos with small coves beneath its houses and, on the way out, the Dunes Natural Park, a pine wood on shifting dunes that ends at the Pas estuary. It is so close to Santander that you can go to spend the afternoon.
How to get there from Santander
Take the A-67 towards Torrelavega, exit 7, and then 4 km along the CA-203; or exit 9, towards Boo, and the CA-231. Allow about fifteen minutes to the village. From Torrelavega it is another fifteen, and from Bilbao, an hour and a quarter on the A-8. From Burgos or Palencia, on the A-67 to Santander, about two hours. The Hotel Calas de Liencres advertises itself as seven minutes from the capital.
Where to park
The coves, La Arnía, Portio and Somocuevas, have small car parks at the end of the village road; in summer and on sunny weekends they fill up by mid-morning. For the dunes, Valdearenas beach and Canallave have parking in the park itself, with showers in summer. If you are going to both areas, move the car: it is about five minutes from one to the other.
How long do you need?
Half a day is enough for La Arnía at low tide and a walk through the dunes to Valdearenas. With a whole day, add a surf lesson at Canallave in the morning or the climb to the bunkers on Monte Picota, with views over the whole coast. Check the tides before going: La Arnía and Portio change completely between high and low tide, and at low water the abrasion platform and the fossils appear.
When to go
All year: the coast and the park never close. In July and August there are lifeguards and lots of people from Santander; Valdearenas and Canallave face the open sea, with strong currents and rip tides, so swim only where there is a flag and supervision. April, May, June, September and October are the best months for walking around the coves. In winter, with a groundswell, the spectacle is the waves against the cliffs. The tourist office opens daily from April to September and from Thursday to Sunday the rest of the year, except at Christmas.
What to do
The walk through the Dunes Natural Park crosses the pine wood to Valdearenas beach, 2.8 km of sand to the Pas estuary. Next door, at Canallave, the local school's surf lesson costs €30 with board and wetsuit. In the village, go down to La Arnía, the cove that sums up Costa Quebrada, and climb up to the bunkers of Monte Picota, 21 Civil War structures above the coast. In summer, the town council and the Geopark organise guided walks up the Picota.
Where to eat
In the centre, Burdo Restobar serves Cantabrian market cooking and a weekday set menu for under €35. The Hotel Calas de Liencres has a restaurant, cafeteria and a terrace over the coves. Neither publishes opening hours: call beforehand, especially on Sundays. Santander is fifteen minutes away if you want more tables.
Where to sleep
The Hotel Calas de Liencres has 45 outward-facing rooms with views of Somocuevas, Portio and Cerrias, and free parking. Above Portio cove, the Posada La Venta del Mar has all its rooms facing the sea, from €77 for a double with breakfast when booking on its website; it does not accept pets.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How do you get to the Liencres dunes from Santander?
By the A-67 towards Torrelavega, exit 7 or 9; about fifteen minutes.
Can you swim at Valdearenas?
With caution: open sea, strong currents and rip tides. Only with a green flag and a lifeguard.
What is Costa Quebrada?
The twenty kilometres of broken coast between Liencres and La Magdalena, now a UNESCO Global Geopark.
Where can you learn to surf at Liencres?
At Canallave, with the Escuela de Surf Liencres: €30 for a two-hour group lesson.
Can you go with a dog?
On Monte Picota, on a lead. For the natural park and the beaches, the town council does not publish the rule: ask at the tourist office. La Venta del Mar does not accept pets.