Camping in Cantabria: sea, mountains and heritage in the north of Spain
Cantabria is one of the autonomous communities with the greatest contrast in landscape on the Iberian Peninsula. In barely eighty kilometres from north to south you pass from the beaches of the Bay of Biscay and the estuaries and cliffs of the coast to green inland valleys and the peaks of the Picos de Europa, which rise above two thousand metres. This diversity makes camping in Cantabria an especially versatile experience, suited both to those seeking a rest by the sea and to those who prefer the mountains and the deepest nature.
The coastal strip has some of the most popular destinations in the north. Santander, the capital of the region, combines a spectacular bay with historic districts, the Palacio de la Magdalena and the long beaches of El Sardinero. To the west, Oyambre beach is part of a protected natural park with dunes and salt marshes of great ecological value, while in Santoña, Berria beach offers kilometres of sand at the foot of the Victoria marsh, a refuge for migratory birds. The campsites along this strip let you walk down to the water and combine beach mornings with afternoons of surfing or paddleboarding, sports that are deeply rooted on the Cantabrian coast.
The interior hides a natural and historical heritage that is equally remarkable. Santillana del Mar, declared a historic-artistic site, is one of the best-preserved medieval villages in Spain and the gateway to the Altamira cave, whose Upper Palaeolithic cave paintings are considered among the most important in the world. Comillas, with Gaudí's Capricho and the Sobrellano palace, and San Vicente de la Barquera, with its estuary and castle, complete a coastal axis full of culture and architecture. Further south, the Liébana valley and the monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana, one of the four jubilee sites of the Catholic Church, attract pilgrims and travellers every year. The El Soplao cave, with its spectacular formations of eccentric aragonite, and the Hermida gorge, which opens the way to the Picos de Europa along the River Deva, are essential stops on any route through inland Cantabria.
For those who love physical activity, the choice is very wide. The Picos de Europa massif, declared a National Park, offers hiking routes for all levels, from the riverside walk along the Cares to the cable car at Fuente Dé, which in a few minutes takes visitors up to 1,800 metres in the Cantabrian mountains. The Pasiego valleys (Pas, Pisueña and Miera) invite you to go mountain biking and enjoy rural tourism among meadows and traditional cabins. The Collados del Asón Natural Park is home to the impressive Asón waterfall and networks of caves and sinkholes of great interest to cavers.
Cantabria's Atlantic climate guarantees mild summers, without the extreme heat of the interior of the Peninsula, with average temperatures in July and August of around 20-22 degrees on the coast. The high season runs from June to September, although spring and autumn are ideal for hiking and cultural tourism with fewer visitors. Cantabrian campsites offer pitches for tents, caravans and motorhomes, as well as bungalows and glamping options that let you enjoy the natural surroundings with more comfort. The local cuisine (cocido montañés, sobaos and quesadas, Santoña anchovies, rabas and fresh fish) completes a well-rounded travel offer in a region that surprises first-time visitors and wins the loyalty of those who already know it.
