Comillas: Culture, Coast and Nature

Comillas combines historic architecture with natural areas and a coast suited to water sports such as diving, sailing, traineras racing and windsurfing. The Palacio de Sobrellano and its Pantheon Chapel form a monumental ensemble in the Neo-Gothic style with Modernist aesthetics, designed by Joan Martorell. El Capricho de Gaudí, also known as Villa Quijano, was the architect’s first work outside Barcelona and was built between 1883 and 1885. Those wishing to combine different interests during a trip can consider these topics as separate focuses and allocate their planning accordingly.

Culture

The Pantheon Chapel of Sobrellano was designed as a small cathedral with an ambulatory and also serves as a family mausoleum. The Palacio de Sobrellano can be visited as part of a guided tour; it takes you through the most important rooms, including the billiard room, dining room, throne room, library and the museum of the 2nd Marquis. The tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.

Since its historic-artistic classification in 1969, El Capricho de Gaudí has been protected as an asset of special cultural interest. In 2010, El Capricho de Gaudí was opened to the public as a museum. The Villa of Comillas was protected as a historic-artistic ensemble on 29 March 1985. An impressive building representative of Comillas dominates the town from the west. The sculpture “El Ángel exterminador” by Joseph Llimona crowns the ruins of an old Gothic monastery and is one of Comillas’ most distinctive landscape features.

Nature

Around half of the municipality of Comillas belongs to Oyambre Nature Park, together with San Vicente de la Barquera and Valdáliga. The Ría de la Rabia is an ecologically valuable habitat for waterbirds that overwinter there or stop during their migrations. There are walking areas on Monte Corona. Stands of native beech, birch, chestnut and oak trees have been preserved there, contributing to the recreational use of this landscape.

For planning your day, you can choose between different focuses such as culture, nature, water sports and festival traditions.

Dates and arrival

The San Pedro festival is celebrated in Comillas on 29 June with the dances “San Pedruco”. Those driving from Santander to El Capricho de Gaudí can take the A-8 and use exit 249 towards Comillas.

On 14 July 2026, the cemetery of Comillas was closed to the public for safety reasons.

When searching for a holiday apartment in Comillas, you can compare travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions on the offers page. These three details structure the booking decision, while the local facts open up different focuses: historic spaces, natural areas, the coast or a date in the festival calendar.

Other place names at a glance: Ruiseñada, Castanedo, Cartes, Villar, Casamaría, Cabuérniga, La Maza, Riotuerto

For the broader travel overview: Cantabria.