Essential Spain
+44 118 971 4700
Search for a Hotel Anywhere
Search This Site
Cantabria
Make the most of your time in Cantabria, use the information provided on this web site by clicking on the links to plan your visit.
The tiny autonomous community of Cantabrian falls in the region of Green Spain and quite rightly; it is home to the stunning Picos de Europa Mountains and several natural parks made lush by the frequent rainfall. To the north is the Cantabrian Sea which rests against a 10 kilometre strip of coast before the land scales into the heights of this particularly mountainous area. As well as the natural setting, there are also numerous old archaeological sites and even some ancient cave wall-paintings which have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Cantabria covers just a small portion of Spain and of the country’s mainland communities is second smallest only to La Rioja. Further, it is small in terms of population with approximately 570,000 inhabitants, making it Spain’s second least populated community. Cantabrians tend to live in the coastal areas, mainly in capital city Santander and Torrelavega. To its west is Asturias, while to its south is the colossal Castile and Leon; the Picos de Europa spill over into both of these neighbouring regions. Meanwhile, to the east is the Basque Country.
Among some, Cantabria is seen as something of a hidden jewel which has been overlooked by mass tourism. However, in recent years, tourism has seen an upturn as visitors discover some of the impressive sights and attractions the region has to offer. Aside from the tourism industry, the economy is mainly focused around the manufacturing sector, while inevitably the service sector is on an upturn.
Like each of Spain’s autonomous communities, Cantabria has its own flag, coat of arms and National Anthem. It was issued with a Statute of Autonomy in 1982 in accordance with the Spanish Constitution of 1978 and so exhibits elements of self-rule. Its official language is Spanish, although in some parts a Cantabrian, or Mountain, language is spoken.
When the Romans moved into the Iberian Peninsula they took hold of Cantabria in their sweeping colonisation attempts. However, in the aftermath of the Roman Empire collapse the Moors were unable to assert any form of authority on the region and so Cantabria remained independent with the help of the favourably positioned mountains. Attempts were made in 1727 to unify and establish some self-rule in the area, however this was unsuccessful until a General Assembly came into existence in 1777. By the 20th century a regionalist movement was gathering pace once more and a Statute of Autonomy was issued in 1936, but this was postponed with the advent of the Civil War and General Franco’s march through the country. The desire for self-rule was re-constituted after Franco’s death though, as the period of autonomous communities ensued.
Typically, Cantabria has an array of festivities it celebrates throughout the year from town to town and village to village. For example, in Santoña in the month of February the Sailor Carnival is celebrated. This has been celebrated since 1934 and involves people dressing up as fish! In Cabezon de la Sal on the second Sunday of August the locals celebrate Cantabria Day. There is traditional music, ceramics, food, bowling and ox-dragging. Skittles is a particularly popular sport in Cantabria, with four different types played. In terms of cuisine, fish, seafood and cheesecakes are all customarily eaten, while highlander stew, railway pot and Liebanan stew are also popular main courses.