Santillana del Mar is a beautiful medieval village which is quite busy during the day and quietens down in the evenings. We stayed in a really good hotel called Casa del Marques which was right in the centre of the village and we needed special permission to drive through the historical centre to our private parking area behind the hotel.
We had arrived the previous evening and had time for a quick walk and then a plate of very good local ham, and mixed pinchos (tapas) and local wine. After a good night's sleep, we wandered around the village in the morning before many tourists arrived; it is really delightful and reminded us in many ways of San Gimignano in Tuscany.
After seeing the sights of Santillana we drove down to the coast at Comillas another famous village but this time definitely by the sea! After an orange juice at a local bar the clouds began to lift, the sun came out and we enjoyed a lovely walk along the beautiful sandy beach where the water was incredibly clear.
Next we decided to experience some of the mountainous areas south of Comillas and Santillana and we drove over a fairly tortuous pass in the FFFFF to the town of Reinosa and then back via a different route. All very spectacular and wild but sadly the visibility was not that great so the photos do not do it justice.
In the evening we indulged in some local cider (quite strong) and Pinchos in the Playa Major which was very lively until the heavens opened with a lengthy thunderstorm and everyone, including us, retreated indoors.
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