Are you into architecture and history? On this day trip to Cantabria from Bilbao, you'll visit Gaudí's El Capricho in Comillas and explore the centers of Santillana del Mar and Santander.
Cantabria Day Trip from Bilbao: Comillas, Santillana, and Santander
We'll meet at the designated time under the Puppy sculpture, next to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and from there, we'll head west toward Cantabria.
After about 1.5 hours on the road, we'll arrive in Comillas, one of Cantabria's most beautiful coastal towns. Once there, we'll take a 30-minute guided walk to discover the town's charm, passing by landmarks like the Puerta de los Pájaros, the Sobrellano Palace, and the Casa del Duque de Almodóvar del Río.
Next, we'll head to Comillas' most famous monument for a guided visit to El Capricho de Gaudí, a stunning Modernist residence officially named Villa Quijano. It's a truly unique building, as it's one of the few works the architect behind the Sagrada Família completed outside of Catalonia.
We'll spend about 40 minutes exploring El Capricho, uncovering the secrets held within both the house and its charming gardens. From there, we'll leave Comillas behind and head to a nearby lookout point for beautiful views of the Cantabrian coast.
Continuing along the coast, after about 30 minutes, we'll arrive in the picturesque town of Santillana del Mar. Despite its name, this charming town isn't actually on the coast. Here, we'll take a 40-minute walk to see landmarks such as the Santa Juliana Collegiate Church and the Velarde and Peredo Barreda palaces from the outside. Afterward, you'll have 1 hour of free time to grab lunch in Santillana.
After lunch, we'll head off on a 30-minute drive to Santander, where we'll enjoy a guided tour. Over the course of about 1 hour, we'll see Cantabria's capital's landmarks from the outside, including the cathedral, the Centro Botín, the Pereda Monument, Alfonso XIII Park, and the Church of Cristo.
Finally, we'll head back from Santander to the meeting point in Bilbao, wrapping up this 9-hour day trip.
