Celina Bonita
What to order: something to share from the nibbles section, such as the potatoes a la importancia with baby squid, and whatever the kitchen suggests off the menu; the sobao torrija for dessert
geocalia
Day itinerary · 43.39° N · 4.11° W
Sunday in Santillana del Mar: bison in the morning and Gaudí in the afternoon.
The Altamira Neocave, free on Sundays, the stone village and its collegiate church, a market-cooking lunch and, in the afternoon, Gaudí's El Capricho in Comillas. Half an hour from Santander.
Leaving from
Part of Santillana del Mar and AltamiraCantabrian Coast
Add to my trip
Total time9 h
By car30 min each way
Walking1 h 30 round the village
DifficultyEasy
Cost€35–55 pp
Best timeAll year
With childrenYes; under-18s free at Altamira
With a dogThe village and the Capricho gardens
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Santander 30 min by car
via the A-67 and the CA-131; at Altamira you park free inside the site
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1
Altamira Museum and the Neocave
free on Sunday, box office only and first come first served; Neocueva in groups of 30 min
- 5 min by car2 km
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2
A walk through the town of Santillana del Mar
park at the entrance to the town and continue on foot
- 4 min on foot
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3
Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana and its cloister
confirm the hours by phone
- 5 min on foot
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4
Celina Bonita
market cooking · €€ · on Sunday, 13:30 to 16:00; booking
Calle de la Carrera, 6, 39330 Santillana del Mar · +34 942 840 106
Restaurant €€€Book - 15 min by car16 km
- 5
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Back home
in Santander around 18:30
Approximate cost
About €45–70 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Altamira Museum and the Neocave
Santillana del Mar is half an hour from Santander and on Sunday it has a gift: the Altamira Museum does not charge admission. You start at the Neocave, the exact copy of the cave of the bison, walk through the village of manor houses to the Romanesque collegiate church, eat on calle de la Carrera and leave the afternoon for Gaudí's El Capricho, in Comillas, twenty minutes away.
The day, hour by hour
9:00 · Set off. A-67 towards Torrelavega, exit for Suances and Santillana, and at Barreda the CA-131. The museum is signposted; park inside, free.
9:30 · Altamira Neocave. On Sundays admission is free and only given out at the ticket office, in order of arrival, from 9:30: arrive at opening. The Neocave is visited in groups of about 30 minutes; then the museum exhibition. The original cave is not visited.
11:45 · The village. Leave the car in one of the car parks at the entrance and walk in through Plaza de Ramón Pelayo, with the town hall, the Merino tower and the parador, and continue along calle del Cantón and calle del Río.
12:45 · Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana. 12th-century Romanesque and its cloister of capitals. The hours change according to the season: call beforehand on 942 818 812.
13:45 · Lunch at Celina Bonita. Market cooking on calle de la Carrera, open on Sunday from 13:30 to 16:00. Book.
16:15 · Gaudí's El Capricho. In Comillas, twenty minutes along the coast. A 45-minute guided visit for €10, or self-guided for €7. Park in a public car park in the village: the Capricho has none.
17:30 · Head home. In Santander around half past six.
Time2 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Hotel Altamira restaurant
What to order: the set menu, and if the weather is good, a table on the terrace
Sidrería Casa Miguel
What to order: baby squid or black rice to share, and a cured meat board
© ParadoresRestaurant at the Parador de Santillana Gil Blas
What to order: cocido montañés in winter; otherwise fried squid, Santoña anchovies and quesada pasiega for dessert
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Santillana del Mar and Altamira
Any Sunday: the Altamira Museum is free and opens from 9:30 to 15:00. In July and August the village fills up mid-morning; better the rest of the year.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Arrive at museum opening
The free Sunday tickets are given out at the ticket office until they run out.
- 2Book lunch and the Capricho
They are the two things that fill up at weekends.
We'd skip it
A Sunday in August mid-morning on calle del Cantón: do the village before 11:00.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is the Altamira Museum free on Sundays?
Yes, all day (it opens from 9:30 to 15:00), with a ticket collected at the ticket office.
Can you enter the original cave?
No: the waiting list is closed.
Can you go with a dog?
In the village and in the Capricho gardens, yes, on a lead. In the museum and inside the Capricho, no.
How long does it take from Santander?
Half an hour.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/cantabria/santillana-del-mar/itineraries/neocave-free-collegiate-church-and-comillas
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.