Parque de la Naturaleza Cabárceno

This open-air zoo 18km south of Santander is a curious but successful experiment: a free-range home on the site of former open-cut mines for everything from rhinos, wallabies, gorillas and lions to endangered Cantabrian brown bears. You’ll need a car and about three hours to tour its 20km of roadways. Alternatively, enjoy 6km (50 minutes') worth of aerial perspectives from the park's two telecabinas (cable cars).