Boat trip to the Caballo lighthouse

An hour around Santoña and Laredo bay, skirting Monte Buciero as far as the cliffs of the Caballo lighthouse, which from land requires going down 763 steps. You see La Salvé from the sea and the entrance to the marshes. It is the way to see the lighthouse with small children or when access on foot is closed, as it is now: Santoña town council is keeping the lighthouse temporarily closed because of rockfalls.

The route

The boat leaves from Santoña's seafront promenade, from the Excursiones Marítimas landing stage next to the Juan de la Cosa monument, and crosses the bay towards the open sea hugging the north face of the Buciero. Along the way a guide explains what you can see: the mountain's caves, the old forts and batteries that defended the bay, Laredo's La Salvé beach opposite and the entrance to the Santoña Marshes Natural Park. The highlight is the Caballo lighthouse, wedged into the cliff: the operator points out that it was built in 1862 and that the 763-step staircase was made by prisoners from the old El Presidio penal colony. From the water you can see it whole, with the cliff, something you cannot get from the trail.

The trip lasts about an hour; tides, currents and sea conditions may lengthen or shorten it a little.

Prices, booking and times

• Adults: €16.
• Ages 4 to 12: €8.
• Under 3s: free, but they must be included in the booking because of capacity.

There are no group rates. Book on the operator's website and pay when you board, in cash or by card. It does not publish fixed times: you need to look at the booking calendar; if a day does not let you choose a time, it is full or there is no sailing. This season the sailings to the lighthouse leave only from Santoña, not from Laredo. For questions, 637 584 164 or 633 620 088.

Arrive ten minutes early; in summer, allow more time, because parking near the promenade is difficult.

With children and if it rains

Rain does not cancel the trip: the boat has a covered cabin with more than 60 seats, large windows, toilets and a small bar with drinks and snacks. It is only cancelled under an official coastal alert. Baby pushchairs and pets can come aboard, and older people or those with reduced mobility can travel. Children are given a captain's certificate at the end.

What to combine it with

If you have the energy to walk, the Monte Buciero lighthouse trail starts at the Fort of San Martín, at the end of the same promenade; check first whether the stretch to the Caballo lighthouse is still closed. The same operator runs the Puntal ferry to Laredo, which returns in March 2027. And in the centre of Santoña you have the Anchovy Art Gallery for the afternoon.