Restaurant at the Parador de Santillana Gil Blas

On the main square

The Parador Gil Blas restaurant occupies part of the Barreda-Bracho house, a 17th-century Baroque manor house built in the style of the homes of the Cantabrian mountain gentry, on Plaza de Ramón Pelayo, next to the Merino tower and opposite the town hall. The parador takes its name from Gil Blas, the rogue of Lesage's novel. The dining room is bright and looks onto the parador's terrace. You eat on the town's civic square, at the point where the walk through Santillana begins.

What to order

The menu is Cantabrian cooking, with the region's traditional dishes. The most recognisable is the cocido montañés with its accompaniments, Cantabria's spoon dish. Also fried squid, Santoña anchovies and a tasting of regional cheeses, which works as a starter to share between two.

From the sea, there is also lobster rice stew, Cantabrian fish soup and fishermen's caldereta. For dessert, quesada pasiega, the sweet of the Pasiego valleys.

The Paradores website shows the menu, but prices and the set menu may change with the season: check them when you book.

When to go and booking

The restaurant is open to the public, with no need to stay at the parador. Book on long weekends and in August, when Santillana fills up, on 942 028 028. We have not been able to confirm lunch and dinner hours on the official website: ask by phone before going.

Getting there

The old town is pedestrianised. If you are not staying at the parador, leave the car in one of the car parks at the entrance and walk up the main street to the square. If you are staying, the parador has outdoor paid parking. From Santander, Santillana is 24 km away; there are also La Cantábrica buses.

What to combine

Plaza de Ramón Pelayo is the natural starting point for a visit: from here you go down calle del Cantón and calle del Río to the collegiate church, five minutes on foot. With lunch here and the collegiate church in the morning, leave the afternoon for the Altamira Museum and the Neocave. If you want something more informal, the Sidrería Casa Miguel serves portions with cider on calle del Río. And if you want to stay, the Parador Gil Blas has rooms with wooden floors and, in some, a fireplace.