Fuerte del Rastrillar

Cantabria


The dwindling remains of this 16th-century fortress crown La Atalaya hill above the Puebla Vieja, accessed by a steep but quick 500m track. From the Mirador de la Caracola here, you’ll enjoy sensational views of Laredo’s beach, the green-cloaked mountains behind and across the waves to Santoña.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Cantabria attractions

1. Túnel de Laredo

0.17 MILES

Built in 1885, this cavernous 220m tunnel at the eastern end of town leads under La Atalaya hill to a rugged seafront lookout point. It was originally…

2. Iglesia de Santa María

0.27 MILES

A Spanish national monument since 1931, the impressive 13th-century Iglesia de Santa María sits at the top of the Puebla Vieja, housing a beautiful 15th…

3. Fuerte de San Martín

2.3 MILES

Santoña is dominated by two fortresses, the most accessible of which is the imposing, horseshoe-shaped Fuerte de San Martín, built in the early 17th…

4. Playa de Sonabia

3.93 MILES

About 14km east of Laredo, small, wild Playa de Sonabia is tucked into a rock-lined inlet beneath high crags, above which rare griffon vultures circle the…

5. Playa de Berria

4.29 MILES

Playa de Berria is a magnificent sweep of blonde sand and crashing surf on the open sea, 2.5km north of Santoña and linked to it by frequent buses (€1.55,…

6. Playa de Oriñón

4.75 MILES

This broad sandy strip, just off the A8 16km west of Castro Urdiales, is set deep behind protective headlands, making the water calm and comparatively…

7. Playa de Ostende

9.61 MILES

Of Castro’s two beaches, the northern Playa de Ostende is the more attractive: a soft golden arc sprinkled with a few outcrops.

8. Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción

10.19 MILES

The haughty Gothic jumble that is the Iglesia de Santa María de la Asunción stands out spectacularly above Castro Urdiales’ harbour. It was built in the…