Spain and Portugal for Visitors

To call Santillana del Mar, as one of Sartre's characters does, "le plus jolie village d'Espagne" may be a slight exaggeration, but its charm is really impacting. Unfortunately, during the day its cobbled streets tend to be full of coachloads of excursionists, but they disappear around about teatime and it is worth staying the night to be able to take in the place in their absence.

They say that Santillana del Mar is three times a lie, not being santo (holy), llana (flat), or del Mar (next to the sea). But it is one of the most beautiful places in Spain. In addition, it has an important zoo and is next to the Altamira cave, with its famous prehistoric drawings, and the new replica. Here is a page of photos by one Jorge Tutor.