# An anchovy day in Santoña: factory, museum, lunch at the harbour and a boat to Laredo

You see how anchovy is made at a Santoña factory, taste another's at its museum, eat at the harbour and cross by boat to Laredo. 40 minutes from Santander and 45 from Bilbao.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/cantabria/santona-and-laredo/itineraries/anchovies-museum-and-boat-to-laredo · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 10:15 · Salida: 45 min by car (via the A-8, Gama exit; park in the Las Marismas industrial estate)
- 11:00 · Visit to the Conservas Emilia factory (free and no booking; on Saturday, 11:00 slot) · Conservas Emilia, From €0 per person
  - 5 min on foot
- 12:00 · Anchovy Art Gallery (Conservas Ana María · €9 · sobado (anchovy fillet-making) and tasting) · Conservas Ana María, From €9 adult; ages 5 to 12, €7
  - 8 min on foot
- 13:30 · El Restaurante de Pilar (seafood cooking · €€€ · 13:00 to 16:00; book two days ahead) · El Restaurante de Pilar, €€€
  - 10 min on foot
- 16:00 · Puntal ferry, from Laredo to Santoña (Excursiones Marítimas · €3.50 return · every 10–15 min) · Laredo-Santoña Boat Trips, From €2.50 one way; €3.50 return
  - 10 min on foot
- 16:20 · La Salvé beach (walk around El Puntal and La Salvé)
  - 10 min by boat
- 17:45 · Conservas Emilia Shop (back in Santoña, anchovies to take home; open until 19:30) · Conservas Emilia Shop, €€
- 18:30 · Vuelta (in Santander around 19:15; in Bilbao, around 19:20)

Santoña smells of salting. In the Marismas industrial estate, at the entrance to the town, the canneries clean and pack Cantabrian anchovy by hand, and two of them open their doors. This day combines a factory in full production, the anchovy museum, a produce lunch above the harbour and the boat that crosses to Laredo in ten minutes. Do it on a Saturday or on a weekday: on Sundays you do not see anyone working.

## The day, hour by hour

11:00 · Conservas Emilia. A free visit to the factory, no booking: you arrive on the hour and go in. On Saturdays there is a session at 11:00; on weekdays, every hour from 10:00 to 13:00.

12:00 · Anchovy Art Gallery. The museum of Conservas Ana María, €9: history of salting, a live sobado demonstration and a tasting. On weekdays, the 12:30 session goes into their factory.

13:30 · Lunch at El Restaurante de Pilar. In the Mirador de las Marismas building, above the fishing harbour: seafood and the day's fish. Book two days ahead; closed Monday and Tuesday.

16:00 · Puntal boat. From the Pasaje, opposite the Juan de la Cosa monument: €3.50 return, every ten or fifteen minutes.

16:20 · La Salvé. A stroll round El Puntal and the great shell of Laredo, with the Buciero opposite.

17:45 · Anchovies to take home. Back in Santoña, Emilia's shop is open until 19:30.

## Cómo llegar

### By car
A-8 from Santander, about 40 minutes; from Bilbao, about 45. Park once in Santoña and cross by boat.

## Consejos

### Choose the day carefully
From Wednesday to Saturday factories, museum and restaurant all coincide.

### Bring cash or a card for the boat
It is paid on board.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Can it be done on a Sunday?
Partly: the gallery and the shop open, Pilar too at midday, but the factories do not show production.

### How much does it cost to see an anchovy factory?
Conservas Emilia, free; the Anchovy Art Gallery, €9 for adults.

### Does the boat run in winter?
No: from March to October.