cantabria
things to do

Dust off your bikini or pull on your board shorts and sun yourself on Santander's glamorous beaches. El Sardinero is the largest and most popular. The Playa de Somo across the bay is a peaceful haven with a surfing school, while the Playa de la Magdalena has a water sports centre.

The Monte Castillo caves at Puente Viesgo have sheltered men, women and children for the last 150,000 years. Prehistoric wall paintings in black, red and yellow depict horses, bison, goats and deer alongside human figures.

Take the cable car from Fuente Dé up into the hills of the Picos de Europa. You'll be hauled to 1850 metres, and the view from the top is sensational.