beach
Playa de Oyambre
A wild golden arc of dune-backed sand within a protected natural park, framed by green meadows and the distant Picos de Europa.
4 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeSpainCantabria
Comillas
Cantabria, Spain · Europe
About Comillas
Comillas works well as a base: 15 minutes from San Vicente de la Barquera, 13km from El Soplao Cave.
Comillas is in Cantabria, Spain, with about 2,200 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is San Vicente de la Barquera, about 9 km away.
Comillas is a small township and municipality in the northern reaches of Spain, in the autonomous community of Cantabria. The Marquessate of Comillas, a fiefdom of Spanish nobility, holds ceremonial office in the seat of power at a small castle which overlooks the town. The Comillas Pontifical University was housedRead more
here before it moved to Madrid, and the old university buildings are among the finest examples of architecture in the town. Besides this, there are many notable medieval and baroque buildings.
From the second half of the 19th century, the Spanish royal family started spending their summers in Comillas, and so did a large part of the Spanish nobility, whose many descendants still frequent the town every summer. As a result, Comillas left an imprint of architectural relics such as palaces and monuments designed by renowned Catalan artists in particular, i.e. Gaudí or Doménech i Montaner. From the second half of the 20th century however, southern Spain and the islands became more popular due to an increasing inclination towards sunnier destinations, and so places like Marbella, Sotogrande or Mallorca became attractive prospects for the rich and famous. Although the town has seen an upsurge in the last years, it still maintains its character as "the haven for the decadent and discreet aristocracy".
Comillas was the capital of Spain for one day, on 6 August 1881, following an agreement between king Alfonso XII and the Minister's Council to gather at a formal meeting in town. It also became the first place in Spain to use Edison's electric light bulbs, in 1880.
Where to Stay in Comillas
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Comillas?
Within an hour or so of Comillas: Playa de Oyambre (4 km), El Soplao Cave (13 km), Cave of Altamira (14 km), Santillana del Mar (15 km).
Are there any good drives near Comillas?
The nearest famous roads are Desfiladero de la Hermida, Garganta del Cares Road (Poncebos) and Puerto de San Glorio.
Where is Comillas?
Comillas is in Cantabria, Spain, about 9 km from San Vicente de la Barquera.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 2,156
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Spain
- Region
- Cantabria
- Timezone
- Europe/Madrid
- Coordinates
- 43.3860, -4.2916
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Spain
Guardia Civil (traffic police): 062. Two warning triangles required in vehicles.
Full driving guide for SpainTags
Worth the detour from Comillas
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
El Soplao Cave
An old mining cave turned underground wonderland of rare eccentric stalactites that defy gravity, reached by a little mine train.
13 km · about 25 min drive
ancient ruins
Cave of Altamira
The 'Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic Art,' containing stunning 36,000-year-old polychrome bison paintings on cave ceilings.
14 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Santillana del Mar
A flawlessly preserved medieval town of cobbled lanes and golden-stone manor houses, dubbed 'the town of three lies' by Sartre.
15 km · about 30 min drive
famous road
Desfiladero de la Hermida
Spain's longest gorge carves a dramatic 21km road between towering limestone walls along the Deva river into the Picos.
34 km · about 40 min drive
beach
Santander & El Sardinero
An elegant coastal city with a spectacular crescent bay, grand belle epoque beach promenades, and the striking Botin Centre.
42 km · about 50 min drive
landmark
Palacio de la Magdalena
An eclectic royal summer palace on a sea-girt peninsula in Santander, ringed by beaches and a small free-roaming zoo of seals and penguins.
43 km · about 50 min drive
natural wonder
Ruta del Cares
The 'Divine Gorge' trail clings to cliffs hundreds of metres above the Cares river, one of Spain's most spectacular and popular hikes.
46 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Comillas
- 34 kmDesfiladero de la HermidaSpain's longest gorge carves a dramatic 21km road between towering limestone walls along the Deva river into the Picos.
- 46 kmGarganta del Cares Road (Poncebos)The narrow road up to Poncebos through the Cares gorge, where the walls close to a slot and the Ruta del Cares path begins.
- 50 kmFuente De Cable CarA vertiginous cable car rockets 750m up a sheer cliff into the heart of the Picos de Europa, opening onto a high alpine plateau of trails.
- 52 kmPuerto de San GlorioA 1,609 m pass on the N-621 between Potes and Riaño, famed for the nearby Mirador de Llesba brown-bear monument and grandstand views of the Picos de Europa massifs.
- 58 kmLagos de Covadonga RoadA steep, narrow climb from Covadonga to two glacial lakes at 1,100 m, restricted to shuttle buses at peak times.
- 58 kmLagos de Covadonga road (CO-4)A steep, narrow Vuelta climb to twin glacial lakes at 1,100m in the Picos de Europa; access is bus-only in peak season.
Driving in Spain
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.55/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€4.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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