Top Santander Archaeology Tours

A constellation of stars for this fantastic tour that should be a foundational experience for anyone who loves art, history, civilization and/or is interested in climate change: compare and contrast Jeff Koons’ flower Puppy with 12,000 year-old drawings of extinct bison, the abstract expressionists with 40,000 year-old red dots, black lines and reverse hand prints, and Gehry’s Guggenheim with a cave from before time, then walk out into the warm air and look out over the verdant landscape and wonder – there were reindeer here? I took this tour on a hope and a hunch because I couldn’t find any good reviews or write-ups, and I found the tour so profound, I wanted to describe what it is like for others, because it’s a great tour and someone should (my second review ever). This tour should be part of The Bilbao 1-2: the Guggenheim for the newest art in the most modern setting one day, the oldest art in an ancient cave the next. That said, while many will find this tour spectacular, there is also a modest quality to the actual cave art, the site visits are short relative to the time travelled, and there’s no rebuttal to a philistine’s dismissal that Alta Mira is a reproduction and the actual caves just show a bunch of stick figures – to each their own. But if it’s for you, then note everything is strictly limited to a designated number of small groups and precisely timed – BOOK EARLY. Museum of Alta Mira / Neocave: The Alta Mira neocave is a precise, exact reproduction of the Alta Mira cave (now effectively closed to the public for preservation) and it is amazing: a paleolithic Sistine Chapel of ocher and charcoal-drawn and etched bison and other animals. As Picasso is reported to have said when he saw it, “we have learned nothing in 12,000 years.” The precision, the perspective, the sheer artistic ability is just stunning. (I thought we had enough time there.) Interpretation Centre of Cave Art of Puente Viesgo: The museum has a tremendous exhibit of prehistoric artifacts very well presented and I could have spent an afternoon there, and will if I go back. I would have liked to have had more time but the cave tours are not run in the afternoon in order to keep the heat out, so we had to keep moving. Castillo Cave and Monedas Cave: calibrate your expectations. You will not see polychromatic bison similar to Alta Mira – and the ceiling couldn’t be illuminated in a similar fashion nowadays anyway. What you will see are basic ocher and charcoal drawings and etchings of fauna from 12,000 years ago that show the same degree of precision and perspective and artistic brilliance as Alta Mira (there are some similar polychrome drawings at Castillo but they are currently closed off) as well as 40,000 year-old markings and reverse hand prints. The drawings are illuminated by the guide’s flashlight (torch) only and frequently you will need to look closely. Guide: the cave guide is mandated to give the tours in Spanish, and Gabriela provided a quiet, simultaneous translation. Our cave guide was extremely informative, and Gabriela provided excellent commentary as well. Tour: Gabriela is an excellent, very knowledgeable guide and her tour is well organised and precise: it has to be because of the rigid time sequencing for cave preservation. Gabriela’s husband, Rafa, who picked us up at our hotel in Bilbao (additional fee), is as charming as he is knowledgeable about Cantabria, its people, history and culture – I learned a lot from him (a big mucho gracias). Difficulty: the stairs and steps are hewn into the rock and can be uneven and wet with the footing at times difficult; in addition, you’re not supposed to touch the walls and there was some ducking (not crouching), but I’m 68 and my wife is 66, we’re in good shape, and we thought it was fine and well worth it. You are given a half-torch stick to light the floor, but they can’t be used to see the art on the walls. Claustrophobia: my wife and another woman from the Spanish tour both had worried about claustrophobia (my wife was expecting possibly to bail) but they both said they had no problem whatsoever - just awe. The caves: I’m no spelunker so I’m not sure what to compare these caves to, but the caves themselves are gorgeous with white calcium carbonate stalactites and stalagmites. The geology itself made for a marvelous experience. Context: Gabriela and the museum can help put the drawings and etchings into various perspectives – I found Patrick Wyman’s recent book Lost Worlds to be a great primer on the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene and Paleolithic life and evolution (a good read and he’s also a podcaster). We did not go for lunch – it was just the two of us, so we went to Santander to dine and explore, then took the bus back to Bilbao (get your tickets ahead of time). I hope this helps: I’ve been a lot of places, seen a lot of things and took a lot of tours, and this one is truly exceptional.

First, El Castillo has around 300 steps. There are decent breaks in between each set of stairs as the guides explain each painting, etc, but you'll also have to walk all the way back up. Las Monedas is easier, but my mom was winded by the end, so I think I was correct to advise her not to go in the first one.Catalina was amazing in explaining everything from geology to discovery to scientific understanding. I wish we had more time at the interpretation center, I could spend a while there, but I know everyone isn't as much into reading signposts, and the official cave tours are done by museum employees & on strict timetables. As we left the next group was ready to start.Because of late cancelations, we had 4 instead of 7 for the tour, so in a way we got slightly more time I think.Get this off your bucket list as much as possible. Catalina explained that just three years ago they allowed 3 groups of 13 people each per hour, but global warming is leading to fast deterioration in the caves. Soon these could go the way of Altamira which I'm happy to have skipped due to lack of time, where the caves are totally shut down.I feel so privileged to have been able to see the oldest cave art in Europe, by just about the first homo sapiens to reach Europe. And I could be one of the last few in general public to see them.I see museum staff will use English but you'll miss most of the contexts unless you understand Spanish well. If not, get a guide who can do the whole tour in your language. You're making this journey. Might as well get to know all of it.

The cave tours were exceptional; an experience to be sought out if possible. Our driver was fine, the cave guide amazing.

This is a must for anyone who loves prehistoric art. Limited to 7 people only for Monedes and Castillo caves, you get close up introduction to arts dating back over 40,000 years ago. You end being wow'ed at Altimira. You really appreciate this UNESCO sites. Our guide Pepe was wonderful in showing the highlights at Altimira.

This tour was a great example of why guided visits to some places make all the difference. Santillana del Mar is lovely, and the Altamira Museum is a must for those interested in paleo-history and art, but we would have gained much less appreciation and knowledge of both places without Pepe's interpretation. We were picked up right on time at our designated meeting hotel and after gathering other members of our group of eight made our way first to Santillano del Mar, roughly 30 kilometers from Santander. The medieval structures and cloister are not as grand as the major cathedrals of Spain, but they have a wonderful charm and provide insight into what towns (as distinct from fortified cities and rural villages) were like. After making the short walk to the main square and visiting the cloister, we had about an hour on our own to enjoy some local treats (quesada and sabaos) and visit some small shops. The Altamira Museum is only about 2 kilometers from Santillana. It is located at the site of the cave with its art (paintings and wall carvings) produced between 35,000 to 13,000 years ago. Visits to the cave itself were ended about 25 years ago, and so the major attraction is now the reproduction of the cave ceiling within the museum. A replica of the ceiling surface was created, and then an artist reproduced the art using the same materials and techniques as were used by paleolithic artists. There are interpretative videos and signs within the "neocueva," but Pepe pointed out specific elements on the ceiling and provided additional information about them. Entrance to the exhibit is by timed entry. It appeared that fewer than 25 people were admitted on about 15 minutes spacing. We had about 15 minutes before our assigned entry and about 15 minutes after we left the "neocueva" to review the other exhibits at the museum and its gift shop. The collection is small, but worth taking some time to see. The experience is admittedly not the same as it would be to visit the cave itself, but the need to protect the original cave art that was deteriorating from the impacts of thousands of visitors each year is well understood.

It is a sensory journey to medieval and Renaissance times. Known for its incredible conservation, this villa wraps you in an atmosphere of nobility and tranquility that makes it one of the most magical stops in northern Spain. I am Angeles-Travel Advisor Chord

Well organised. We were picked up from out hotel, the guide was friendly and informative and the cave art is fascinating and beautiful, and unbelievably old. Highly recommend.

To visit these beautiful caves and see genuine Palaeolithic art from 40,000 years ago was a truly unique experience and something I have wanted to do since childhood. It was incredible! The small tour group (only 7 people are allowed in the cave at any one time) made it even more special. The caves are thought to have been occupied simultaneously by Neanderthals and Homo sapiens and some of the older cave paintings might even be Neanderthal in origin- the only such examples known, so to see them in situ was awe inspiring. Combined with a visit to Santander museum of Prehistory and Archeology the day before made it even more interesting.We were collected from our hotel in Sardinero which made it very stress free and in the caves our tour guide was knowledgeable and made for a wonderful and unforgettable experience. Highly recommended but book well in advance otherwise you will miss out.

Our tour guide was Jairo. He was extremely knowledgeable about all things locally in addition to the caves. He handeled everthing expertly. Yes, the personal tour was expensive, but in my book it was absolutely worth it! I give him/them my highest recommendation!!!

The caves were incredible and Maria was a wonderful guide. A once in a lifetime trip. Highly recommended!

The tour was well organized, authentic, a must if you are interested in the history of the country and prehistoric times. Our guide Jairo was very nice, well organized and knowledgeable . The Altamira caves and museum are definitely worthwhile seeing.

Very good experience & driver. He also gave good restaurant recommendations. Highly recommended for all.

Tour in Spanish and English. Our guide Pepe did a good job of balancing this. Informative tour while also providing a little bit of free time to explore.

Very educational experience. Thanks

Spectacular small group tour of both the caves and the museum! We had an up close look at the fascinating drawings made thousands of years ago, and thoughtful conversation about the people who drew them. We also learned about the striking geology of the caves themselves. Even if you have seen Paleolithic drawings before, this tour will show you things that you haven’t seen.

Excellent communication from booking through the tour! Gabriella was knowledgeable, engaging, and delightful!