Santander to Santillana info.

[Jennifleur]

Hi there, I m totally new to all this. Am flying into Santander and would like to know how to choose the nicest route towards Santillana... am not a big walker so don't want to walk more than 12 approx kms per day for just first two or three days as have a back issue and want to grow capacity gradually...would like to avoid industrial area or boring roads and opt for beauty and charm or picturesque scenery... am ok to take a bus or train to avoid a bit of shave effort off... thanks would be grateful for tips also where to stay along this section...or anywhere charming you d recommend thanks so much...

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hi there, I m totally new to all this. Am flying into Santander and would like to know how to choose the nicest route towards Santillana... am not a big walker so don't want to walk more than 12 approx kms per day for just first two or three days as have a back issue and want to grow capacity gradually...would like to avoid industrial area or boring roads and opt for beauty and charm or picturesque scenery... am ok to take a bus or train to avoid a bit of shave effort off... thanks would be grateful for tips also where to stay along this section...or anywhere charming you d recommend thanks so much...

If you want scenery, short days and to avoid industrial areas then maybe starting at Bareda would be better. Take the FEVE cercania (half hourly) from Santander to Bareda and walk into Santillana - well worth having time to look round there. Then walk on gradually towards San Vicente de la Barquera. You can check your distaces and accomodation on gronze.com. Return to Santander by bus (Cantabrica?? 3 daily??) or by FEVE if the route passes near enough.
Always have a taxi number handy for the next stopping place. The FEVE is about 3kms out of San Vicente, it would be wise to check FEVE trains and times etc before leaving Santander as there are only 2 daily after Cabezon de las Sal which is before San Vicente and is well off the Camino.
After San Vicente the route comes nearer the FEVE again, eg at Unquera; Pendueles etc but only 2 trains daily back to Santander. There might be ALSA buses too.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Another alternative would be to take the FEVE to Pendueles or Llanes and walk to Ribadasella, or beyond, returning by ALSA or FEVE to Santander. You could even do this after walking to San Vicente if you have time.

 

[Jennifleur]

If you want scenery, short days and to avoid industrial areas then maybe starting at Bareda would be better. Take the FEVE cercania (half hourly) from Santander to Bareda and walk into Santillana - well worth having time to look round there. Then walk on gradually towards San Vicente de la Barquera. You can check your distaces and accomodation on gronze.com. Return to Santander by bus (Cantabrica?? 3 daily??) or by FEVE if the route passes near enough.
Always have a taxi number handy for the next stopping place. The FEVE is about 3kms out of San Vicente, it would be wise to check FEVE trains and times etc before leaving Santander as there are only 2 daily after Cabezon de las Sal which is before San Vicente and is well off the Camino.
After San Vicente the route comes nearer the FEVE again, eg at Unquera; Pendueles etc but only 2 trains daily back to Santander. There might be ALSA buses too.

Thanks so much for this sounds like a good tip...or tips...will take the feve out of Santander.... maybe on the day of my arrival.... and go to Barrera perhaps....what s the walk from Barreda to Santillana....just a few kms?..... can I do that on day of arrival? Thanks... I hope after first day or two to build up to say fifteen kms a day if my back holds out...I have about eight days and will visit a friend in Luarca and he can help me figure out getting back to Santander from there... it s just the first day or two or three I d like to have a notion of what to do...how to do and stay in Pleasant spots as it s a break as well as a Camino...thanks Tia Valeria.... much appreciated...

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thanks so much for this sounds like a good tip...or tips...will take the feve out of Santander.... maybe on the day of my arrival.... and go to Barrera perhaps....what s the walk from Barreda to Santillana....just a few kms?..... can I do that on day of arrival? Thanks... I hope after first day or two to build up to say fifteen kms a day if my back holds out...I have about eight days and will visit a friend in Luarca and he can help me figure out getting back to Santander from there... it s just the first day or two or three I d like to have a notion of what to do...how to do and stay in Pleasant spots as it s a break as well as a Camino...thanks Tia Valeria.... much appreciated...

Barreda to Santillana is given as 7.4kms by Gronze. We found that a good first day with time to look round Santillana in the afternoon.
Buen Camino

 

[Jennifleur]

Barreda to Santillana is given as 7.4kms by Gronze. We found that a good first day with time to look round Santillana in the afternoon.
Buen Camino

That sounds perfect Tia Valeria...thank you..... I was wondering about arriving in the airport of Santander and going directly to Barreda or somewhere nearing like Boo or Bezana for the night might be an option.... taking the feve out of town straight there for the night and then as you suggest walking into Santillana the next day... I arrive in Santander at 4.30 in the afternoon....does that seem like a good idea? Then I ll keep visiting Santander to my last day before going home..... thanks!

 

[Tia Valeria]

That sounds perfect Tia Valeria...thank you..... I was wondering about arriving in the airport of Santander and going directly to Barreda or somewhere nearing like Boo or Bezana for the night might be an option.... taking the feve out of town straight there for the night and then as you suggest walking into Santillana the next day... I arrive in Santander at 4.30 in the afternoon....does that seem like a good idea? Then I ll keep visiting Santander to my last day before going home..... thanks!

I am not sure that there s any accommodation in Barreda so you would have to walk to Santillana
I think that I would stay overnight in Santander and take an early train next morning. That means starting fresh and also not worrying about any delays. We took a train at around 9.00am but there are others both earlier and later, about every 30 minutes.
If you go to Boo then you still have to take a train across the bridge at Mogro at least (no foot passage) or take a long walk round and also through the industrial area. If you stay the night in Santander you could visit the Cathedral maybe and get a sello that evening. Also if you are over Spanish pension age you should be able to get a tarjeta dorada for cut price FEVE travel. Best to go to the RENFE/FEVE ticket office (next to the bus station) that afternoon to check if it is worth it and also it takes time to sort out. You might need a photocopy of your ID/passport photo page.

 

[Jennifleur]

Barreda to Santillana is given as 7.4kms by Gronze. We found that a good first day with time to look round Santillana in the afternoon.
Buen Camino

Hi there! Yes going to stay in Santillana.... any stops you liked after that....maybe near beaches? Or nice villages..... ? Thanks that distance is grand for me for the first day....will grow the distances gradually...... I ve booked the Convento albergue as sounds kind of interesting....

 

[Jennifleur]

I am not sure that there s any accommodation in Barreda so you would have to walk to Santillana
I think that I would stay overnight in Santander and take an early train next morning. That means starting fresh and also not worrying about any delays. We took a train at around 9.00am but there are others both earlier and later, about every 30 minutes.
If you go to Boo then you still have to take a train across the bridge at Mogro at least (no foot passage) or take a long walk round and also through the industrial area. If you stay the night in Santander you could visit the Cathedral maybe and get a sello that evening. Also if you are over Spanish pension age you should be able to get a tarjeta dorada for cut price FEVE travel. Best to go to the RENFE/FEVE ticket office (next to the bus station) that afternoon to check if it is worth it and also it takes time to sort out. You might need a photocopy of your ID/passport photo page.

Hi

 

[Jennifleur]

Hi again Tia V. Thanks for all this.... I won't qualify for cheaper trains but s that s ok.... couldn't find any decent accommodation in Santander so going to take the feve to Boo and sleep there in nice sounding Piedad.... seems to be lots of trains...then will take train to Barreda in the morning and walk from there to Santillana.... so I ve just booked two accommodations....don't know if I shoul book more now or wing it.... am a bit fussy about accommodation but also on a budget..... and not keen on dorms... traveling with a pal.... ta for tips! I ll go back to Santander and stay there before going home.....

 

[Tia Valeria]

If staying in Santander on your way home you could try the Hotel Carlos 111, out on the Sardineros and near the Casino. Buses go there from town. Reasonable price and per room so you could op to share a twin room (true of other places too) as tprices are usually quoted per room not per person for pensiones etc. Albergues are usually per person, but if they have private rooms then it might be priced either way.
Buen Camino.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hi there! Yes going to stay in Santillana.... any stops you liked after that....maybe near beaches? Or nice villages..... ? Thanks that distance is grand for me for the first day....will grow the distances gradually...... I ve booked the Convento albergue as sounds kind of interesting....

We stayed at the Posada Las Mañanitas (see Gronze - stage Santillana to Comillas) Ate at the cafe at the bottom of the road.
In San Vicente we stayed at the Miramar which is a long way out of town towards the headland, best to check Gronze for places, prices etc. Many of the places we stayed don't show anymore on Gronze but places might show on google maps.
In Unquera we stayed at Hostal Rio Deva 11 on a mini industrial estate with a cafe and cake shop and supermarket.
Pendueles at the Castiellu (now an albergue) has single/double rooms - bookable
In LLanes we stayed at the Gran Paraiso both when walking and when passing through. This was because the owners, who have now retired, helped Terry when he walked alone by giving him an attic bedroom when everywhere was full over the May holiday weekend.
We have also stayed at Poo - Villa Miramar; Naves - Hotel Villa Marón; Ribadasella - both Pension Arbidel (noisy) and Hotel Covadonga. So plenty of choice........
Most of these are listed on Gronze, just use the arrow-buttons to go to the adjacent stages.

 

[Jennifleur]

We stayed at the Posada Las Mañanitas (see Gronze - stage Santillana to Comillas) Ate at the cafe at the bottom of the road.
In San Vicente we stayed at the Miramar which is a long way out of town towards the headland, best to check Gronze for places, prices etc. Many of the places we stayed don't show anymore on Gronze but places might show on google maps.
In Unquera we stayed at Hostal Rio Deva 11 on a mini industrial estate with a cafe and cake shop and supermarket.
Pendueles at the Castiellu (now an albergue) has single/double rooms - bookable
In LLanes we stayed at the Gran Paraiso both when walking and when passing through. This was because the owners, who have now retired, helped Terry when he walked alone by giving him an attic bedroom when everywhere was full over the May holiday weekend.
We have also stayed at Poo - Villa Miramar; Naves - Hotel Villa Marón; Ribadasella - both Pension Arbidel (noisy) and Hotel Covadonga. So plenty of choice........
Most of these are listed on Gronze, just use the arrow-buttons to go to the adjacent stages.

Valeria I just wanted to say thanks for your help and advice.... I took a fair bit of it onboard and am now back and really enjoyed the experience and learnt a few things and hence will have a better idea for the next time...! All the best and thank you!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Valeria I just wanted to say thanks for your help and advice.... I took a fair bit of it onboard and am now back and really enjoyed the experience and learnt a few things and hence will have a better idea for the next time...! All the best and thank you!

Very pleased you found it helpful. Buen Camino for next time.