Hotel Cuevas
Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, Spain[1.5 miles]
Arty, adults-only boutique hotel with a pool, restaurant and parking in a peaceful rural setting outside Santillana del Mar.
Official star rating:
Bucket list experience:
Cave of Altamira
Last updated: 02 February, 2022
This impressive 270m cave is etched with spectacular, 14,000-year-old paintings of horses, deer and bison – some of the world’s greatest Paleolithic cave art. Unfortunately, the actual cave is now closed to visitors due to the risk of damage to the paintings; but there is a near-perfect replica in the fascinating Altamira Museum beside the site.
While you're there
Pair it with a visit to the lovely, historic town of Santillana del Mar – known as one of the prettiest villages in Spain – which is close by.
Price from: £2
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 4+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
The caves of Altamira are located off the CA-134 and are signposted from Santillana del Mar. There’s plenty of free parking onsite. Alternatively, the cave is just a 20-minute walk through pretty countryside from the centre of Santillana del Mar.
When to do it
The museum is closed Mondays and on certain dates of the year – check the website before you go.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Hotel Casa del Marques
Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, Spain[2 miles]
Charm and atmosphere galore await in this little five-star boutique hotel, in the famous Marques’s 15th-century abode.
Official star rating:
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Santillana del Mar
Santillana del Mar, Cantabria, Spain[1.6 miles]
An enchanting medieval time capsule near Cantabria’s beach-rimmed coast – reputed to be ‘the most beautiful village in Spain’. Pair with a visit to the extraordinary Palaeolithic art-filled Altamira Cave.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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