Plaza Mayor

The Plaza Mayor of Santillana del Mar, formally named after Ramón Pelayo, is the main square of a village that looks as if the Middle Ages never ended. It is a gently sloping open space paved with cobbles and framed by stone buildings with coats of arms, wooden balconies and tiled roofs. Santillana is in Cantabria, a few kilometres from the coast, and a famous joke says the name is a lie in three parts: it is not holy (santa), not flat (llana) and not on the sea (mar). The name really comes from Santa Juliana, whose relics are the origin of the village.

The square is dominated by civic buildings and noble houses. The town hall sits on one side, flanked by two towers, the Torre de Merino and the Torre de Don Borja, which add a defensive look. The Don Borja tower is used today as a cultural centre with exhibitions. A parador, the state hotel, occupies an old mansion nearby. The buildings reflect the importance of local families in the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries, who built manor houses along the streets leading out from the square.

Beside the plaza, a short walk takes you to the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana, a fine Romanesque church from the twelfth century with a carved cloister. The Palacio de los Velázquez de Medrano, also called the Casa de las Cadenas, is also close, and the village is a stop on the northern route of the Camino de Santiago. Many visitors also come to see the Museo de Altamira, which holds a replica of the cave with prehistoric paintings, a short distance outside the village, and the nature park of Cabárceno is also within reach by car.

The plaza is free and open at all times. In daytime it is busy with day visitors, craft shops and restaurants serving Cantabrian specialities such as cheeses, anchovies and cocido montañés, and in the evening it becomes calmer once the tour groups leave. Early morning or late evening is the best time for quiet photographs and for hearing your footsteps on the stone.

It suits couples, families and anyone looking for a quiet northern village with history. The cobbles can be uneven, so wear sturdy shoes. Driving is restricted within the village, so plan to park outside the centre and walk in.