Spain - Treasures of Charming Cantabria

Day 1

An early morning departure - this will be in the early hours of your departure day, we travel to Plymouth for the afternoon Brittany Ferries mini-cruise to Santander in Northern Spain. Relax and enjoy a night on board, with the benefits from the many on-board facilities of this superb cruise ferry. A self-service 3 course evening meal is included (overnight bag recommended).

Day 2

Enjoy a full English Breakfast on board this morning, we arrive in Santander around lunchtime. We then continue by coach to the Gran Hotel, Suances.

Day 3

We spend our first day in Suances at leisure, relaxing in our resort and exploring our home for the next week. We could relax at our wonderful hotel or perhaps sun ourselves on the lovely golden beaches that Suances is famous for.

Day 4

This morning we explore the glorious Cantabrian coastline and visit the picturesque seaside town of San Vicente de la Barquera. Set against a stunning backdrop of the Picos de Europa mountain range, we have time to relax on the long sandy beaches or explore the charming shops, local fish markets and tasty eateries. We can also admire the pretty Old Town and its beautiful, historic sights, including the Church of Santa MarÍa de los Angeles, the 13th century Castillo del Rey castle and the 32-arch Maza Bridge in the bay.

Day 5

Today we visit the wonderful Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno for a step-on guided tour. Our guide will breathe extra life into the beautiful and primitive landscape of the park, all from the comfort of our coach. The Natural Park is home to various species from 5 continents that are free to roam wild, including bears, elephants, zebras & giraffes!

Day 6

Today we travel to the capital city of Cantabria, for a half-day guided tour of Santander. Full of fine beaches, shops, cafés and some intriguing cultural attractions, there is plenty to take in here. The Palacio de la Magdalena, once the royal summer residence, lies at the mouth of the Bay of Santander on the rocky La Magdalena Peninsula, whilst the city centre is home to Santander Cathedral, with its octagonal cupola and Gothic cloister. In the afternoon we can enjoy shopping or exploring and strolling along the nearby Paseo de Pereda promenade, which runs along one side of the Jardines de Pereda gardens.

Day 7

Today we make our way through the Spanish countryside to the Picos de Europa National Park’s Sotama Visitor Centre, close to the village of Potes. We spend some time here before travelling on to Fuente Dé, where we have free time before travelling on the Fuenta Dé cable car up the sheer mountain slope. We enjoy spectacular views from the top, at a height of 1,800m!

Day 8

We spend our final day in Spain heading west along the coast to the pretty village of Santillana del Mar, where we spend time at leisure exploring its cobbled streets and admiring the honey-coloured churches. We enjoy a lunch stop at the visitor centre at the Cave of Altamira, which boasts a spectacular reconstruction of its remarkable prehistoric cave paintings. In the afternoon we continue to Comillas, home to many types of neo classical buildings and a beautiful cemetery declared a Site of Cultural Interest.

Day 9

A morning departure we travel to Santander for the return Brittany Ferries mini-cruise to Plymouth. Relax and enjoy a night on board, benefit from the many onboard facilities of this superb cruise ferry. A self-service 3 course evening meal is included.

Day 10

Enjoy a full English Breakfast on board this morning. We then continue our journey home.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner