Hotel Juan de la Cosa
Why we like it: Hotel on the front line of Berria beach, 2 km from the centre of Santoña, with a heated pool, garage, apartments and a restaurant with its own shellfish tank.
Duration1–2 nights
From Bilbao45 min, estimated
From Santander40 min, estimated
Best timeMarch – October
Budget€130–220 pp
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed to arrive first thing on Saturday, sleep in Laredo and head back on Sunday afternoon, between March and October, when the boat and the lighthouse boat sail. If you can, start on a Friday: the factories show their production on weekdays.
Saturday
- 110:00Arrival in Santoña
Park in the Marismas industrial estate. At 11:00, a free visit to the Conservas Emilia factory.
- 212:00Anchovy Art Gallery
The Conservas Ana María museum, with live salting and a tasting, five minutes on foot.
- 313:30Lunch at El Restaurante de Pilar
In the fishing harbour, from 13:00 to 16:00. Book two days ahead.
- 416:30Boat to Laredo
From the Pasaje de Santoña to El Puntal in ten minutes; a walk along La Salvé to the hotel.
- 519:00Laredo's Puebla Vieja
The six medieval streets and the doorway of Santa María de la Asunción before dinner. Night at Hotel El Ancla.
Sunday
- 110:30Boat to the Caballo lighthouse
Take the boat back to Santoña and join the one-hour boat trip to the Buciero cliffs.
- 212:30Lighthouse trail or seafront walk
If access to the lighthouse is open, the 12 km trail takes the whole afternoon; if not, walk to the Fuerte de San Martín.
- 313:30Lunch and anchovies to take home
Pilar also opens on Sunday at midday. Before you leave, Emilia's shop is open until 19:30.
Santoña and Laredo face each other across the mouth of the Asón, and in a weekend you can do both without moving the car: one has the canneries and Monte Buciero; the other, the Puebla Vieja and La Salvé beach. In between, from March to October, a boat crosses every ten minutes. From Bilbao it is three quarters of an hour along the A-8; from Santander, forty minutes.
What does it cost?
| What | How much | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Visit to Conservas Emilia | Free | No booking; Monday to Saturday mornings |
| Anchovy Art Gallery | €9 | €7 for ages 5 to 12; factory on weekdays at 12:30 |
| Puntal boat | €3.50 return | March to October |
| Boat to the Caballo lighthouse | €16 | €8 for under-18s; 1 h |
| Hotel El Ancla | Check its website | 100 m from La Salvé |
Where to sleep
In Laredo, Hotel El Ancla, a classic house with a garden a hundred metres from La Salvé, with breakfast at any hour and pets on request. In Santoña, Hotel Juan de la Cosa, on the front line of Berria beach, with a heated pool and garage: better if you come by car and want to do the Buciero trail.
With children
The boat, the lighthouse boat with its captain's diploma and the anchovy museum, free up to age five, all work very well. La Salvé has calm water. The Buciero trail, with the lighthouse's 763 steps, is best left for teenagers.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Santoña and Laredo, 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 Santoña and Laredo
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
By car, between two towns and a bay
Santoña and Laredo face each other, separated by the mouth of the estuary: by ferry it is ten minutes; by car, about 25 going round the bay. Leave the car in one of the two towns and, from March to October, cross on the Puntal ferry.
65–120 €per person per day, approximate
- SleepHotel Juan de la Cosa…
- Getting aroundA-8, exits for Laredo and…
- EatEl Restaurante de Pilar, in…
- ServicesTourist offices in Santoña (Calle…
Sleep
- Hotel Juan de la Cosa, on Berria beach, with garage and pool
- Hotel El Ancla, in Laredo, 100 m from La Salvé
Getting around
- A-8, exits for Laredo and for Santoña via Gama
- Puntal ferry, March to October, €2.50 single
Eat
- El Restaurante de Pilar, in Santoña harbour, Wednesday to Sunday at midday
- Conservas Emilia shop, for taking anchovies home, open daily
Services
- Tourist offices in Santoña (Calle Santander) and Laredo (Alameda Miramar)
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're driving
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel El Ancla
Why we like it: Classic hotel with a garden 100 m from La Salvé and 500 m from the centre of Laredo, with breakfast at any hour and pets on request.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Santoña | Canneries, port, Buciero | |
| Laredo | Puebla Vieja, La Salvé, hotels | |
| Berria | Open beach and hotel |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Santoña and Laredo
El Restaurante de Pilar
What to order: Pilar's croquettes and Santoña anchovies to start; then longline fish by weight or the tuna casserole
Asador El Tiburón
What to order: ask what they have on the grill that day; it is next to the ferry, so it fits in with the return from Santoña
Takeaway and markets
Conservas Emilia Shop, Santoña
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Book lunch at Pilar before you set off: it asks for two days' notice.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Bilbao?
About 45 minutes along the A-8 to Laredo.
Can I do it in winter?
Yes, but without the boat or the lighthouse boat, which sail from March to October. The factories and the museum stay open.
Where is it better to sleep, Santoña or Laredo?
In Laredo if you want the beach and old town on foot; in Berria, in Santoña, if you are doing the Buciero trail.
Can I walk down to the Caballo lighthouse?
The town council has temporarily closed access because of landslides: check santona.es; the boat sees it from the sea.