Cantabria is an autonomous community located in the north of Spain. To the east lies the province of Vizcaya, to the west Asturias and in the south the provinces of Burgos, León and Palencia. Its northern part is bathed by the Cantabrian Sea. Cantabria is a mountainous and coastal region that has two climates: the temperate Atlantic climate, which is humid; and in the regions where the Cantabrian Mountains have a barrier effect, a temperate Mediterranean climate. Cantabria has more than 220 km of coastline and more than 90 beaches. Within its mountain ranges in this region of Spain, the western massif of the Picos de Europa stands out, at over 2,000 meters high. In addition, this autonomous community is rich in culture and steeped in history, one of the most important caves containing Paleolithic paintings, the Altamira cave can be found in this region. As for places of interest, the list is endless: the Cabárceno Natural Park, the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana, the Capricho de Gaudí and the palace of Sobrellanos in Comillas, the Collegiate Church of Santillana del Mar, the church of Santa María de la Asunción in Castro Urdiales and the Botín center in Santander, all worth a visit. Cantabria´s beautiful mountain villages deserve a special mention, some of them are recognized as the most beautiful in Spain, such as Potes, Cartes, Ruente and La Fuentona, Carmona, Bárcena Mayor and Liérganes.
Cantabrian gastronomy is rich and varied due to its climate and its environment, its main dishes are mostly based on fish, shellfish and beef. If you travel to Cantabria you cannot miss their anchovies from Santoña, the razor clams from San Vicente de la Barquera, their Tudanca beef and their cheeses. As for desserts, sobaos cake, Unquera pastries and quesadas are everyone's favourites.
