Cantabria – On the Camino del Norte Pilgrimage Way

Cantabria – one of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities – is located in the north of the country. In addition to traditional tourists admiring its natural attractions and historical monuments, there are also visitors carrying one or two sticks in their hands and a large rucksack on their backs. There is usually at least one scallop shell on their backpack. These are pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela. That is why the “Atención peregrinos (Attention, pilgrims!) sign” is often seen along the roads.

Every year thousands of pilgrims make a pilgrimage to Santiago, each with a different reason, each looking for answers to different questions through their journey, some testing the strength of their faith or wanting to ask for forgiveness of their sins, to change their attitude towards material things while others try to find peace in contact with God or with nature.

Two pilgrimage routes pass through the territory of Cantabria: the Northern Way – Camino del Norte runs along the coast and Camino Lebaniego which continues further inland. That is the reason why you will meet here not only the traditional markings of the Way of St. James – a yellow arrow and a yellow scallop shell – but also a red sign in the shape of a cross.

Both ways were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015. Both are characterized by their particular beauty, history and spirituality. On these routes, you will discover picturesque villages, interesting cities and delicious gastronomy. Although I did not undertake a traditional pilgrimage, I visited several of the places on these routes, met with the spirited organizers and also looked at some of the accommodation facilities. I would now like to share my impressions in two articles – these articles are not specifically intended for pilgrims, but for anyone who decides to visit this part of Spain.

CAMINO DEL NORTE

The Northern Way (approx. 820 km long) runs from the town of Irún near the border with France along the Spanish northern coast to Ribadeo, where it turns southwest and continues to Santiago. It is actually an alternative to the overcrowded French Way, but it is greener, with a more colourful relief and cooler weather, but passable all year round. Pilgrims can not only meditate during their journey but also enjoy the views of the sea.

This route had already been popular in the past, you could be transported by boat to some ports and then continue on foot. Chapels and magnificent temples, hospitals and hostels for pilgrims (called albergues in Spain) were built along the path. The route starts in the Basque Country and continues after Bilbao through Cantabria (213.95 km). During my visit to Cantabria, I visited the following interesting places:

Santander

– located at one of the most beautiful bays in the world – is the capital of Cantabria. For pilgrims, the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is certainly the most interesting; the symbol of the city right at its heart. Its history dates back to 1187 when Santander received city status.

However, Santander has much more to offer. A visit to the fish market is unforgettable. When the weather is nice you can swim or sunbathe at the local beaches, also, you will definitely not miss the new avant-garde symbol of the city – the museum and cultural center Botín.

If you are interested in getting to know this city more, read the article: 9 tips for a perfect day in Santander

Santillana del Mar

A small town (30 km from Santander) with cobbled streets and stone houses, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Cantabria. These houses were built by residents who became rich in the New World. They demonstrated their acquired wealth not only with a beautiful house but also with a spectacular stone shield on the facade.

Pilgrims will definitely not miss a visit to the majestic Collegiate Church of St. Juliana, which belongs to the most important Romanesque sacral buildings in the country. It used to be just a simple hermitage where they kept the relics of St. Juliana. The church’s construction began in the 12th century, and even then pilgrims to Santiago stopped here.

More about this charming place in the article: Santillana del Mar

Caves

If you don’t go on a traditional vacation to Cantabria, but on a pilgrimage, I still recommend you to visit at least one of the caves – there are up to 6,500 of them in Cantabria! It can be, for example, Altamira (a faithful copy of the original cave), also called the Sistine Chapel of prehistoric man, as its ceiling is covered with amazing paintings of bison, bulls and other animals and symbols. More in the article: Altamira

Comillas

– a small coastal town (50 km west of Santander) – once a village with a small port from where fishermen used to go whaling. It later became a resort for the royal family – thanks to the Marquis of Comillas, Antonio López y López. He was one of the wealthiest men in Spain at that time and he also invested a lot in his hometown. Even today, you can admire his palace as well as the Pontifical University, founded by the Marquis.

Here you will find interesting architectural gems, including El Capricho – one of the first buildings of the famous architect Antoni Gaudí. This colourful house is proof of the amazing imagination and creativity of this architect.

Read the full article about this city: Comillas

San Vicente de la Barquera

I had already been familiar with the pictures of the picturesque port town before. Its symbols are always visible on them – the Castle of the King, the remains of fortifications and the monumental Church of Santa María de Los Ángeles and in the background (often even covered with snow), the peaks of a massive mountain range. When the emigrants who once sought their fortunes across the ocean in the New World returned home to this port in ships from America, the first land they saw in the distance were these majestic mountain peaks. Then they usually started shouting enthusiastically: “Europe! Europe!” That’s how the mountain range got the name Picos de Europa.

I don’t know in which season exactly those kinds of perfect photos are taken where the Picos look so close. When I came to the town, the mountains were far away. And there was also a super low tide and most of the boats were stuck in the sand and mud.

Even another symbol of the city – the 600 m long bridge with 28 arches looked a bit sad. But when the sun peeked out from behind the clouds, the colours spread all over the town and everyone was infected by the inert atmosphere of a September morning. Freshly caught fish began to be prepared in restaurants…

In San Vicente de la Barquera, pilgrims have two options – to continue along the Northern Way or to divert near the town (12 km) to the Camino Lebaniego route – you can read more about it in the next article: Camino Lebaniego

As part of my trip to Santander, I also visited the hostel for (not only) pilgrims Albergue la Cabana del Abuelo Peuto in the village of Güemes. The original house was built in 1910. Ernesto was born in it – an 85-year-old man with white hair and a kind look.

Ernesto manages the entire area which originally served only locals, but when interest in the Way of St. James grew about 20 years ago, pilgrims from all over the world began to come here. Since then, a hundred thousand of them have taken their turns here. Ernesto keeps accurate records – notes and also graphs showing the successful year 2019, but also the total decrease in guests during the pandemic years.

Everyone who arrives immediately receives a cookie and a glass of water. A voluntary fee is given anonymously for an overnight stay, while various types of accommodation are available. More information on the website: alberguedeguemes.es

The area is a bit of a museum. In the showcases, there are various soils, sands and small stones in glasses or other souvenirs from pilgrims or those that Ernesto brought from his travels. In one room, there is even a jeep on display, on which he once undertook expeditions to Africa and Latin America (Ernesto calls them the University of Life), as evidenced by the photos on the walls. However, what fascinated me the most was his archive of slides in meticulously stored and labelled boxes.

In the common room, you can learn more about the Way of St. James in different countries (Japanese, Egyptian way…). You are not alone on the pilgrimage, the pilgrims welcome each other and become a travelling community. Here, they also meet in a special chapel. It is a place for joint debates, reflection, prayer and meditation, open to everyone – believers and atheists alike. The walls of the chapel were painted by the Spanish painter and Claretian Maximino Cerezo Barredo (see also the title foto). However, they are not scenes from the lives of saints, but depictions of a pilgrim’s journey to personal liberation. In one painting, pilgrims enjoy the sun because “the sun always rises for those who walk” – as one of the many quotes in this unconventional accommodation complex says.

You can find more information about the Northern Way and other accommodation options on the website (in Spanish with automatic translation into other languages): Hostels on the Northern Way from where there is also the map at the beginning of the article.