Car hire in Cantabria
3 offices in Cantabria · airport pick-up · Spain
Cantabria packs an astonishing variety into a small space: the bay of Santander, seafaring towns such as Santillana del Mar and Comillas, caves of prehistoric art and, inland, the Picos de Europa. In a single day you can breakfast beside the Cantabrian Sea and lunch at the foot of mountains topping two thousand metres.
A car is the key to that versatility. You can collect it at Santander's Seve Ballesteros Airport the moment you land, at the railway station or in Torrelavega, and reach any corner of the region in under an hour and a half. Regional public transport exists, but rural timetables make it hard to chain several destinations in one day.
Car hire at Santander airport →Search cars in CantabriaWhy hire a car in Cantabria
- Pick up directly at Seve Ballesteros Airport: land and within minutes you're on the motorway towards the coast or the Picos de Europa.
- The most charming villages — Santillana, Comillas, Bárcena Mayor, Potes — link into circular routes that only a car lets you improvise.
- The north's changeable weather rewards flexibility: if it's raining on the coast, within an hour you're in Liébana, the driest district in the region.
Day trips near Cantabria
- Santillana del Mar and Comillas — A cobbled medieval town and a whimsical Gaudí building on the same coastal outing, around 30-40 min from Santander.
- Potes and Fuente Dé — The heart of Liébana, with a cable car up into the Picos de Europa, around 1 h 40 min via the Hermida gorge.
- San Vicente de la Barquera — A fishing port with a castle, a centuries-old bridge and snow-capped peaks in the background, around 50 min via the Cantabrian coastal motorway.
- El Soplao and Altamira caves — Spectacular underground geology and the recreated cave of Europe's most famous prehistoric art, around 45-60 min from the capital.
Where to pick up your car
- Santander Aeropuerto Seve Ballesteros
- Santander Estacion de Tren
- Torrelavega
Final prices in euros · book without paying · free cancellation up to 72 h before.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I collect my car if I fly into Santander?
We have a pick-up point at Seve Ballesteros Airport itself, around 15 minutes from the centre. You can also collect at Santander railway station or in Torrelavega if that suits your itinerary better.
Do I need a special car to drive up to the Picos de Europa?
No: the access roads to Potes and Fuente Dé are surfaced and well maintained. In winter it's wise to check the state of the passes and carry snow chains if needed, but the rest of the year an ordinary car is perfectly adequate.
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