Soba Valley · Cantabria
Where to stay in Cantabria: coast, Picos de Europa or the valleys
By Casa Calma, from the Soba Valley · Updated
The best area to stay in Cantabria depends on your trip: the coast for beaches, Liébana for the Picos de Europa, and the inland valleys — such as Soba or the Pas valleys — for peace, hiking and uncrowded countryside.
We run Casa Calma, a house in the Soba Valley, so we have our favourite. We have still tried to make this comparison useful whichever area suits you.
Santander and the central coast
Best if you want a city, urban beaches and plenty of restaurants. Santillana del Mar and the Cabárceno nature park are easy day trips. Downsides: higher prices and summer crowds. Santander also has a ferry port with sailings to the UK.
Western coast: Comillas and San Vicente de la Barquera
Charming fishing towns and wide beaches with the Picos de Europa behind them. One of the most beautiful parts of Cantabria — and one of the busiest in high season.
Eastern coast: Castro Urdiales, Laredo and Santoña
Good beaches, famous anchovies and the shortest drive from Bilbao. Lively in summer, with many holiday apartments.
Liébana and the Picos de Europa
The place for high mountains: Potes, the Fuente Dé cable car and the monastery of Santo Toribio. Access is through the La Hermida gorge, which makes it feel remote from the rest of the region.
The Pas valleys
Green meadows dotted with stone huts, and the home of sobaos and quesadas, Cantabria’s best-known sweets. Authentic, quiet and under an hour from Santander.
The Soba Valley
The easternmost and one of the least-known valleys in Cantabria, with the Collados del Asón Natural Park, the region’s highest waterfall and caves such as Cullalvera and Pozalagua. Ideal for nature and silence, and a little over an hour from Bilbao airport. Downsides: you need a car, and the nearest beach is about an hour away.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the quietest part of Cantabria?
The inland valleys — Soba, the Pas valleys and Saja-Nansa — are far quieter than the coast, especially in summer.
Do I need a car in Cantabria?
For the inland valleys, yes. Public transport is limited and the best walks, waterfalls and caves are spread out.
Your base in the Soba Valley
Casa Calma is a whole villa with a private pool in San Martín de Soba, for up to 4 guests. €300 per night, minimum 2 nights.
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