Santillana del Mar

The Altamira Museum has exhibitions of Paleolithic tools and cave painting utensils and the highlight: is the Neocueva, an exact replica of the original cave of Altamira, a World Heritage Site that, due to its deterioration and to ensure its preservation, was forced to close to visitors. Likewise, this museum is a must-see and a marvel. It depicts Altamira as it was 36,000 and 13,000 years ago when different groups of people inhabited it. These groups were hunters and gatherers whose daily activity revolved around several bonfires near the entrance. Inside the cave, the space was used to express ideas and beliefs that were accompanied by figures and signs. Engraving, drawing and painting were used individually or together. Among the colors used in this cave art was charcoal from bonfires and the red and brown tones of the mineral ochre. The ceiling of the cave is an authentic work of figurative art where the famous images that have gone around the world are clearly represented: the reclining bison, the bison head, the doe, the bison, the sign, the wild goat, the hand and the rampant horse. Some of these paintings are preserved after 36,000 years, something that was only made possible thanks to the natural conditions of the cave and the fact that it was not discovered until 1868, by the local Modesto Cubillas. However, the great discovery of the cave paintings would not be made until 1879 by the daughter of the scientist and historian, Sautuola.The relevance of the Altamira caves lies not only in their conservation and beauty but also in the fact that it was the first place in the world where the existence of Paleolithic Rock Art was identified. Moreover, this art is not isolated but is part of a whole cultural group of 17 caves distributed in Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country.Visiting hoursFrom May to October: Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 8 pm. Sundays and holidays from 9:30 am to 3 pm.From November to April: Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 6 pm. Sundays and holidays from 9:30 am to 3 pm.Holidays open April 14 and 15; July 28, September 15 and 16; October 12; November 1; December 6 and 8.Days closed: every Monday of the year; January 1 and 6; May 1; June 28; December 24, 25 and 31.*Disabled accessibility. There are no architectural barriers, there are reserved parking spaces, adapted toilets, ramps and ramps. 

The Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana was built in Santillana del Mar in the twelfth century, over an ancient monastery of the ninth century. It was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1889 and is considered the first and most important Romanesque architectural work in Cantabria. Inside is the tomb of the saint who gave it its name, who was cruelly murdered for her Christian faith. It is notable for its beautiful cloister of columns and for the silver cross that contains the relic of the Lignum Crucis, a piece of the cross of Christ that was donated by the abbot of the Monastery of Santo Toribio in the 15th century so that pilgrims would not have to travel to Santo Toribio along the Camino Lebaniego.