San Vicente de la Barquera

The fishing port of San Vicente de la Barquera, the final town on the western Cantabrian coast before you enter Asturias, sits handsomely on a point of land between two long inlets, backed by dramatic Picos de Europa mountainscapes. Together with Santander, Laredo and Castro Urdiales, it was one of the Cuatro Villas de la Costa, a federation of four dominant medieval ports that was converted into the province of Cantabria in 1779. The long sandy beaches east of town make it a busy summer spot.