Cantabria, the green paradise next to Barcelona

Traveling excites us, gives us vitality and opens the door to new worlds. Discovering unknown places is synonymous with adventure, shared moments and sensations that break with the daily routine. Because traveling is, above all, a way to disconnect, change pace and return with renewed energy. But, do you have to go to the other end of the world to find surprising landscapes and have memorable experiences? Often, paradise is much closer than we imagine.

Exuberant nature, endless beaches, rivers, green valleys, caves, cliffs, charming villages, historical heritage and outdoor activities. With the arrival of good weather, the desire to escape and reconnect with nature also grows. And, sometimes, all it takes is a short flight to make this need to breathe differently a reality. With ten weekly frequencies and just over an hour's journey, Vueling connects Barcelona with Cantabria, a destination that concentrates sea, mountains, culture, nature, gastronomy and spectacular landscapes in the same territory.

An evocative flight

The arrival with Vueling, flying over one of the most beautiful bays in Spanish geography, is just a taste of all that Cantabria hides. Santander, elegant and open to the sea, with El Sardinero, where Mouro Island and the access through a narrow passage to the Magdalena Peninsula are located, with the islets of La Torre and La Horadada, and the Puntal sandbank nearby, draw a unique landscape with a long strip of beaches and dunes that protects the calm internal waters of the bay.

Culture in the Cantabrian capital is omnipresent. The Botín Centre is a benchmark. In full transformation in 2026, the much-anticipated opening of Faro Santander, the new project of the Banco Santander Foundation, is added. Designed by architect David Chipperfield, it is a 10,000 square meter space dedicated to art, technology, education, and the environment, with an auditorium with a terrace-viewpoint overlooking the bay.

Santander also coexists with small fishing villages, medieval towns, and natural spaces that invite you to stop and enjoy without haste. All this makes this autonomous community an accessible, close escape full of contrasts gathered in just over 5,000 square kilometers. From Barcelona, Vueling brings it closer to anyone who wants to discover it.

Calm, adventure and culture

From the wild beaches of the Cantabrian coast to the trails of the Picos de Europa, the community offers a wide range of experiences for those seeking calm, adventure, or culture. Liérganes, Santillana del Mar, Bárcena Mayor, Potes, Carmona, Mogrovejo, and Comillas are must-see stops. Considered the most beautiful villages in Cantabria, their historical legacy and picturesque cobbled streets make it essential to stop and enjoy their gastronomy.

The Camino Lebaniego and the Camino del Norte are part of the Unesco World Heritage. Since the Middle Ages, these pilgrimage routes are another way to get to know the Cantabrian landscapes. In medieval times, pilgrims came to worship the Lignum Crucis, to which curative and miraculous properties were attributed, and the relics of Sant Toribio.

Rock art and unique caves

The caves, Cantabria's other heritage, are the jewel of a unique and unrepeatable journey. Thanks to excellent connections with Vueling, it is possible to visit these natural delights in low season and avoid the summer queues and crowds due to the great interest and attraction they awaken among visitors. Inside Cantabria lies the greatest density of caves with rock art in the world. There are more than seventy caves with paintings on the walls, ten of which have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Covalanas, Cullalvera, Chufín, El Castillo, and Las Monedas are the best known.

The coastal area between Santander and Camargo is another geological spectacle. Along 20 kilometers of coastline, cliffs, arches, islets, beaches, tombolos, dunes, coastal spits, and estuaries display a landscape of extraordinary richness: the UNESCO World Geopark Costa Quebrada, with an area that also covers inland zones. In total, 345 km², of which 270 correspond to terrestrial areas and the remaining 75 to the surrounding marine areas.

Gaudí's Capricho

But if there is a must-visit spot on the map of Cantabria for travelers, it is Gaudí's El Capricho. The work is the cherry on top of a destination that, thanks to Vueling's direct flights from Barcelona, is within easy reach.

This unique modernist house was designed by Antoni Gaudí at the request of Máximo Díaz de Quijano, brother-in-law of the Marquis of Comillas, as a summer residence in the late 19th century. Its colorful facade, covered in ceramics with sunflower motifs, and its tower inspired by a Persian minaret make it one of the most surprising works of modernism. It is also one of the few creations by Gaudí found outside of Catalonia.

The reasons to visit Cantabria are infinite. Furthermore, with the ten weekly flights Vueling operates from Barcelona, discovering this corner of the north is easier than ever. Prepare your next getaway to Cantabria and book your flight at Vueling.com.