Welcome to our information page covering the region of Cantabria. Throughout the year we will keep you up to date with the latest events, developments and festivities taking place across the region. Our main focus will be on the local and regional celebrations that take place;these can range from a small village marking its ‘fiesta patronal’ with a market and disco to whole cities such as Santander or Castro Urdiales effectively shutting down for a week with a full programme of converts, street processions and children's activities. There will also be national and international music artists to look out for as well as the occasional surprise.
May
While not exactly a fiesta, it is worth mentioning the ‘10 000 de Soplao’. Starting in Cabezón de la Sal on the weekend of 18 and19 and May, this multi-discipline sporting extravaganza includes challenges for runners, sea swimmers, ultra runners, cyclists, mountain bikers and walkers with a host of gruelling events taking competitors to the coast and into the hills and forests of the Saja-Nansa Valleys.
April
Easter Monday, 1st April, is a Bank Holiday this year and so many supermarkets, banks and civic offices will be closed.
Many towns and villages celebrate the improving weather and longer days with a celebration of spring, often called 'feria de abril'. These often include aspects such as the costumes, dance and music of the feria in Seville. Over the first weekend of the month (5-7 April), you will find examples in Solares, Tanos (near Torrelavega), Noja, Laredo (both on the coast) and Unquera (on the border with Asturias) which is also marking the100th anniversary of its recognition as a town.
From 11-13 motorsport fans can enjoy a Rally Festival at Hoznayo, Trasmiera. Meanwhile, Cabezon de la Sal is hosting a day of events in solidarity with the people of Gaza with talks, a running event, street food, shows and music concerts throughout the day.
With the Easter services taking place in March, the main religious event this year is the closing of the Holy Year at Santo Toribio (see adjoining page) with religious services and music events to mark the event. Pilgrims will have their next opportunity to walk the Camino Lebaniego, venerate the Lignum Crucis and gain a plenary indulgence in 2028.
The start of April will see the major the major rivers in Cantabria - notably the Ason, Saja and Nansa rivers - overtaken by fishermen with the opening of the fishing season; salmon and rainbow trout are the most popular catches with prizes being offered for the first and largest specimens caught. The season finishes once the year's quota has been reached.
On 13th April you can enjoy a performance of Edward Albee's classic, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf at the Principal Theatre, Santander. Throughout the month lovers of wildlife and photography can visit the Birds of Europe exhibition in the Jesus Otero museum, Santillana del Mar.
One of San Vincente de la Barquera's principal event, La Folía, takes place over the weekend 19-21st April with its traditional maritime procession in honour of La Virgen de la Barquera.
While Saint George is usually associated with being the patron saint of England, his feast day (23rd April) is widely celebrated across Cantabria including in the villages Vispieres and Cabrojo.
Santoña is renowned for its relation with anchovies - it was the first place in Spain to develop the business of sealing food in tins - and the humble anchovy enjoys a festival of its own in the town over the weekend of 27-28 April.
March
March has its own special welcome in the form of marzas: traditional songs to greet the start of the month and, hopefully, the arrival of spring. Look out for posters advertising local events.
marzas in the Cantabrian Parliament
This month sees the start of the nature related programme organised by Ecoturismo, in and around Santander. The activities include boat trips, bird watching, plant identification and talks. Their prize exhibit is a family of ospreys that has successfully bred in the Rio Cubas estuary.
A key event to look out for is Santander Nature Watch from 14th-16th March with a full programme of talks and activities in the stunning setting of the Palacio Magdalena. Further details can be found at www.encuentronaturewatch.com Other highlights this month include the 19th March - the feast day of Saint Joseph, the father of Jesus - which is celebrated as Father's Day and, while it is not an official 'festivo', the day is marked across Cantabria.
The main celebrations across Cantabria in the final week of this month are focused on the religious services associated with Easter. Starting on Palm Sunday (24th March), the streets of the capital and other major towns are taken over by lengthy processions, organised by different religious societies. In Santander there are processions throughout the week, culminating with the celebrations on Easter Sunday.
A truly remarkable interpretation of the events around Easter is portrayed in Castro Urdiales with the Pasión Viviente. This real life dramatization involves large numbers of residents of the town playing the parts of the different characters at various locations around the town. The town’s castle makes a splendid backdrop for the display and the performance is broadcast via loudspeakers throughout the town. The Pasión Viviente begins on the evening of Maundy Thursday and continues through Good Friday.
February
The first weekend of the month sees feast of San Blas (Saint Blaise) who is widely regarded as the patron saint of sore throats and ears, nose and throat medical practitioners. This same weekend you can enjoy a performance of the musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Palacio de Festivales, Santander.
As winter takes hold, February can be a relatively quiet month for celebrations. However, this soon changes as Cantabria dons its best fancy dress and gears up for Carnaval. What originated as a final feast of merriment prior to the rigours and fasting associated with Lent, has developed into a huge street party with processions, dance groups, displays and music. It is quite common for the spectators to also wear fancy dress and for the partying to go on long into the night. Most Carnaval events take place over the weekend of 10-11th February. While many towns and villages will host a procession or concert, among the best processions, fancy dress competitions and events are those at Santoña, Laredo, Castro Urdiales and Santander
A key feature of Carnaval are the murgas in which troupes deck themselves out in outrageous costumes and perform raucous poems or songs often relating to current events or local celebrities. Good examples can be enjoyed at Santoña. Another local celebration involves zamarrones: singers and dancers decked out in traditional masks, aprons and cowbells. Head to Polaciones, Valdeprado and Lanchares to join in the fun.
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The Murgas in Santoña
The second weekend of Carnaval activities (17-18th February) sees yet more street processions and rowdy celebrations in different venues, most notably Unquera, Ramales de la Victoria and Cabezón de la Sal.
We bid farewell to winter and herald the arrival of spring with marzas which normally take place over the last few days of February. The singers are decked out in traditional Cantabrian dress and perform classic songs from the region's folklore, many of which celebrate an end to winter and the beginning of spring.
January
Happy New Year! You can expect celebrations to continue through Monday 1st January as Cantabria welcomes the New Year with partying carrying on from the previous night.
This event is swiftly followed by the festivities of Los Reyes Magos on 5th/6th January with the Wise Men of the bible story making their dramatic appearance in towns and villages across the region, often greeted with fireworks and parades. Many of the attractions such as Nativity scenes, ice rinks and street markets will remain open until this weekend. Traditionally it has been the 'Reyes' (Kings) who bring children their gifts although they face increasing competition from 'Papa Noel'. Another charming custom is for children to leave out shoes where the Reyes will deposit any presents.
What is often claimed to be Europe’s first fiesta of the calendar year takes place in Silió on Sunday 7th January. La Vijanera is a colourful and raucous event involving a series of dramatic episodes designed to represent the renewal of activity in nature after the winter. The drama begins before dawn with children running through the streets of the village ringing bells and continues through the day with all the proceedings taking place against a background of noisy cow-bells, drums and the occasional bagpipe. You can find out more details here http://www.vijanera.com/
The Palacio de Festivales in Santander maintains a full programme pf cultural events throughout January and among the highlights, you can enjoy performances of Puccini's Madame Butterfly on 11th and 12th as well as orchestral concerts on the 19th and 26th.
Friday 19th January sees the opening of the Centre for Cave Art in Puente Viesgo for a private viewing. The centre will open to the public on 1st March. This important museum will bring together much of the history and archaeology associated with the widespread caves and bountiful examples of primitive artwork to be found across Cantabria. Puente Viesgo itself is home to four caves, two of which are open to the public and make for an intriguing and informative visit.
The early Christian martyr, San Vicente, is associated with several place names in Cantabria and his feast day is marked widely across the region on 22nd January. Look out for local holidays, religious services and other events, especially in San Vicente de la Barquera and Potes.
December
Advent starts on the weekend, 1-3rd December and most towns and villages in Cantabria will be marking the beginning of the Christmas season. This usually involves the ceremonial lighting of Christmas illuminations, setting up Christmas trees and, in the larger towns, the opening of Christmas markets, ice-skating rinks and Christmas fairs. Also, many shops and supermarkets will be open this weekend to encourage shoppers into the Christmas spirit.
Something worth seeing: what is said to be largest artificial tree in the whole of Spain will be lit in Cartes, near Torrelavega on 5th December.
It is worth looking out for local feast days and celebrations such as the feast of Santa Barbara in Puente San Miguel from the 2nd to the 6th of December or Santa Lucía on 13th December which is celebrated in Santander, Carrejo (south of Cabezón de la Sal) and elsewhere across the region.
With Christmas Day falling on a Monday this year, the 26th is an ordinary day, i.e. not a Bank Holiday while New Year’s Eve – with its traditional grape eating to accompany the chimes of midnight - tends to be celebrated within families.
November
Our month begins with a Bank Holiday for All Saints Day. Although essentially a religious occasion, the holiday also provides an opportunity to recover from the excitement and excesses of Halllowe’en.
The weekend of the 10-12 November sees the orujo fiesta in Potes. This lively mountain resort fills with visitors and local people intent on sampling the different varieties of orujo. The area around Potes, Liébana, is said to enjoy a micro climate, similar to that of the Mediterranean, which allows for the cultivation of wine-producing grapes which form the basis of the drink, orujo.
At Casar de Periedo on the weekend of 18-19 November, you can visit the Alubias festival. While this is primarily a celebration of the locally produced white beans, you can also try a wide variety of local Cantabrian produce, see traditional crafts and ornaments and enjoy Cantabrian music and dancing.
A really interesting local Cantabrian custom is la magosta – an opportunity to harvest and roast the edible chestnuts that grow abundantly in the woods and forests of the region. Each town or village in rural areas will have its own event, often accompanied by live music and dance.
The month ends with the feast of Saint Andrew (30th November) which is marked in many communities across Cantabria, including Castro Urdiales which hosts a maritime procession, Comillas and nearby Trasvía, where you will be treated to a local delicacy – hard boiled eggs!
October
Although not strictly a fiesta, one of the real treats at this time of the year in Cantabria is to venture into the woods and forests to listen and, if you're lucky, observe the berrea. This is the mating season for deer and the sonorous baying of stags, the occasional duel, small herds of females and the splendid antlers make for a wonderful spectacle. A number of organisations organise trips which usually take place early morning or at dusk, and details can often be found on the web page of Cantabria Infinita.
Cantabria’s vineyards are steadily developing a notable reputation for producing good quality wine; white wines in particular. While the climate doesn’t lend itself to the depth or variety of wines from regions such as La Rioja, recent years have seen an increase in the number of bodegas operating across Cantabria. The villages associated with the bodega will often hold a fiesta in October to celebrate the wine harvest. A good example can be enjoyed in Potes over the first weekend of the month.
12th October is a national Bank Holiday and several different names are attached to the day: it is variously known as ‘La Virgen del Pilar’ – referring to a reported apparition by the Virgin Mary in Zaragoza in AD 40; Día de la Hispanidad - commemorating Columbus’ arrival on American soil in 1492 and Spain’s historical links with wider Spanish speaking world; and Day of the Armed Forces. The holiday is marked with military parades, religious processions and local fiestas across the region.
Starting on 12th October and continuing through the weekend you can visit Liérganes where there is a celebration of produce and crafts associated with the Valles Pasiegos. With over a hundred stalls located around the town's old quarter, there is plenty for you to sample and enjoy.
Oktoberfest is usually thought of as a German autumnal celebration but you can find good examples in Cantabria, for example at Laredo (9-12th) and Castro Urdiales (26-29) with plenty of national and international beers for you to sample.
Hallowe’en, on 31st October, provides an opportunity for people of all ages to indulge in lurid and scary dressing up. The streets are filled with zombies, vampires, witches and a wide range of characters from films, TV shows, comics and books.
September
Although many international and Spanish visitors to Cantabria will be heading home as summer draws towards its close, there is very little let up in the celebrations and festivities across the region.
The first weekend in September sees the second part of the Guerras Cántabras in Corrales de Buelna, culminating with the final march past of Roman Legions and Cantabrian tribes on Sunday evening.
Santander's Fesival de Naciones draws to a close over the 1-3 September. Located close to the Racing football stadium, you can enjoy handcrafts, food and drink and music from a wide variety of countries and cultures.
San Vicente de la Barquera celebrates its Mozucu over the weekend of 8-10 September. Look out for the local dish, sorropotún, which is shared communally on the beach.
Spain's principle cycling event, La Vuelta, visits Cantabria on Tuesday 12th with a stage that follows the coast from Liencres to San Vicente de la Barquera before heading up the beautiful Hermida Gorge and then an uphill finish in the Picos de Europa at Bejes.
Cantabria’s patron saint – La Bien Aparecida – is marked with a Bank Holiday on 15th September. The feast day is celebrated widely across the region and is preceded by a week long fiesta in Ampuero which includes bull running through the streets and a spectacular torch light procession.
In 1556, the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, renounced his titles – handing the Kingdom of Spain to his son, Philip II – and set out on a journey to his final retirement home at Yuste, near Cáceres. He arrived in Spain at Laredo – at that time the country’s principal port – and commenced his long journey southwards. These events are celebrated at Laredo from 22 to 25th September with the entire town decked out in Renaissance finery.
The entire town of Potes seems to spill onto the streets over weekend of 16-18 as the mountain area known as Liébena celebrates the Fiestas de la Cruz with the cross above the town serving as a focal point for the weekend’s festivities.
The southernmost part of Cantabria, Campoo, marks its culture with the Día de Campoo in Reinosa on Sunday 24th. Among the key events is a procession of floats decorated in typical styles of the area.
August
The month of August is essentially one long fiesta in Cantabria. Here are just some of the highlights.
As part of the Holy Year celebrations, the singer Luis Fonsi - best known for the hit, Despacito - is performing on the beach at Laredo on Saturday 5th August. Entrance is free.
Torrelavega celebrates its main summer festival La Virgen Grande from 13th to 22nd with live music events and street markets in and around the town.
Sunday 13th August sees a major celebration of Cantabrian traditional life and culture in Cabezón de la Sal. The all day event includes folk dancing, traditional music and a parade of Tudanca cattle.
15th August is a Bank Holiday in honour of The Assumption and there are religious processions and other events across the region.
The following day -16th – is the lesser known feast of San Roque which is celebrated widely (and often noisily) in different villages and barrios throughout Cantabria.
Two of Cantabria’s principal events take place over the weekend 25-27 August: At Laredo you can witness a truly spectacular procession and magnificent floral displays as the town celebrates its Batalla de las Flores.
Batalla de las flores, Laredo
Meanwhile, the same weekend sees the first instalment of the re-enactment of the final battles in the Roman conquest of Cantabria. Sites for Las Guerras Cántabras are located in and around Corrales de la Buelna, with the second part taking place the following weekend. Find out more here Guerras cantabras
You can don your white clothes and join in the Día del Indiano in Comillas 25-27 August. This event recognises the large numbers of local people who went to make their fortune in Cuba in the nineteenth century as well their eventual return.
The last weekend in August also provides an opportunity to enjoy a medieval market in a medieval setting! The cobbled streets of San Vicente de la Barquera play host to this event in the shadow of the town's impressive church and castle
July
With summer in full flow, it sometimes seems that the start of nearly every day is heralded by the ringing of bells or the boom of rockets as fiesta after fiesta is announced. It is worth looking out for local posters which will often have useful information. Here are some of the principal events to look out for.
Saturday 1st July is the final day of the Torrelavega music festival featuring British rockers, Suede. That same day is the culmination of the annual fiesta in Castro Urdiales; a week long celebration that includes processions, street markets and a full programme of musical events.
The main rock music event related to the Holy Year sees the internally famous band Muse, supported by Royal Blood, play at the Sardinero Stadium on Tuesday 4th July.
While it may not be as famous as the bull running at Pamplona, you will find 'San Fermines' celebrations in the Tetuán district of Santander, starting on Friday 7th July.
The feast of La Virgen del Carmen is celebrated widely across Cantabria on 16th July. There is a major procession in Santander as well as a maritime procession organised by the ferry company, Los Reginas. There are also major events in the Barrio Pesquero of the capital, as well as in Suances, Camargo and San Vicente de la Barquera.
Santander’s main summer event – Semana Grande – takes place from the 21st to the 30th of July. Throughout the week you can enjoy live music, street food, local cuisine from of the many ‘casetas’ and join the crowds as they mill around the streets and open spaces of the capital. The polo field on the Magdalena Peninsula is converted into a concert venue where you can see top local, national and international performers. This year, the guest international artist is UB40 who will be performing on Wednesday 26th while the headline performer is the celebrated Spanish singer, Alejandro Sanz (29th).
The Feast Day of Spain's national patron saint, Santiago, falls on Tuesday 25th. The day will be marked across Cantabria. While it is not a Bank Holiday this year, it is a local 'festivo' in Santander.
The 28th July is a Bank Holiday to recognise the importance of Cantabria’s institutions such as local democracy, police and education. That same day sees the start of the Santander Jazz Festival while the annual Reggaeton Beach event takes place over the weekend 29-30th July.
June
With longer days and warmer weather, Cantabria certainly has a summer feel to it this month. While many small villages will be celebrating their own patron saint, here are some of the most significant events taking place across the region this month.
Over the weekend of 10 and 11 June you can enjoy the bagpipe fiesta in Unquera, close to the border with Asturias. Participants and competitors will entertain you with displays of traditional music from Cantabria and other parts of Spain.
Tuesday 13th sees the feast of Saint Anthony which is celebrated in several towns and villages including Caviedes, Gibaja and Asón.
Join in marking the summer solstice on the appropriately named Calle Sol in Santander on 21st June and then the start of summer is declared with bonfires on the beaches of Cantabria on the night of the eve of the feast of St John (23rd- 24th June).
All along the coast, people gather to welcome the holiday season with many seaside resorts combining the bonfires with live music and other events.
From 28th June, Torrelavega hosts the first of the summer's main music events with acts including British rock band Suede and local favourite Melendi.
The final feast day of this month takes place on 29th June, Saints Peter and Paul (although most celebrations are focused on San Pedro) which often carry over into the weekend and lead us into July...
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