Comillas

Welcome to Comillas, Spain

Tucked between the emerald hills of Cantabria and the wild Cantabrian Sea, Comillas Spain is one of the north coast's most surprising small towns. With fewer than 2,500 permanent residents, it punches well above its weight thanks to a remarkable concentration of Modernist and Neo-Gothic architecture, a working fishing harbor, cobblestone plazas that smell of grilled sardines in summer, and one of only three buildings Antoni Gaudí ever designed outside Catalonia. You come for the Gaudí, but you stay for the sea mist rolling over red-tiled roofs, the rabas (fried squid strips) at the harbor, and the feeling that you've stumbled onto a corner of Spain that tourism hasn't yet flattened.

Why Comillas Is Special

In the late 19th century, the first Marquis of Comillas, Antonio López y López, brought Catalan Modernist architects — Gaudí, Domènech i Montaner, and Joan Martorell — to his hometown to build palaces, chapels, and a seminary. The result is a village where you can walk five minutes and pass a Gaudí villa, a Neo-Gothic cemetery guarded by a marble angel, and a hilltop Pontifical University that looks like a Bavarian castle. Add whitewashed fishermen's cottages, three sandy beaches within walking distance, and the green backdrop of the Saja-Nansa valleys, and you have a town that feels curated by someone with excellent taste.

What to See and Do

El Capricho de Gaudí

El Capricho de Gaudi Comillas is the town's headline act. Built between 1883 and 1885 as a summer villa for Máximo Díaz de Quijano, this small palace bursts with sunflower-tiled façades, a minaret-like tower, and playful iron balconies with cast-iron benches that double as musical instruments. Inside, stained-glass windows depict birds and dragonflies, and every doorknob and hinge feels hand-designed.

• Hours: Daily, roughly 10:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m. in summer, shorter hours in winter.
• Tickets: Around €7 general admission; audio guide included. Combined tickets with guided tours are available.
• Insider tip: Book online the day before in July and August. Arrive at opening to have the tower staircase to yourself.

Comillas Pontifical University (Universidad Pontificia)

Perched on a hill above town, the Comillas Pontifical University is a Neo-Gothic-Mudéjar masterpiece designed by Joan Martorell with interior details by Domènech i Montaner. Founded in 1890 as a seminary, its main teaching activity moved to Madrid decades ago, but the Comillas campus is preserved as a cultural monument and hosts summer courses and events.

• Guided tours (about €5) run several times daily and are the only way to see the sumptuous chapel, the great hall, and the tiled cloister.
• Even without a ticket, the exterior and the panoramic terrace out front are worth the uphill walk — the view sweeps from the university spires down to the Oyambre estuary.

Sobrellano Palace and Chapel-Pantheon

Also commissioned by the Marquis, the Palacio de Sobrellano is a Neo-Gothic fantasy of turrets and stained glass, with furniture designed by a young Gaudí still displayed inside. Next door, the Chapel-Pantheon houses tombs sculpted with a startling level of realism. Combined entry runs around €5.

The Old Town

Wander the Plaza del Corro de Campíos, the Plaza de la Constitución, and the narrow streets around the parish church of San Cristóbal. Look for the Fuente de los Tres Caños, a Modernist fountain with three carved spouts, and the striking Cemetery of Comillas, dominated by Llimona's Ángel Exterminador statue standing on the ruins of a Gothic church — one of the most photographed graveyards in Spain.

Beaches

• Playa de Comillas — A wide golden crescent right below town, with a promenade, a couple of chiringuitos, and gentle waves ideal for families.
• Playa de Oyambre — Five minutes west by car, this is a long, wild beach inside the Oyambre Natural Park. Popular with surfers and horseback riders.
• Playa de la Rabia — A quieter estuary beach perfect for a low-tide walk.

Day Trips

• Santillana del Mar (15 min) — A medieval jewel with the nearby Altamira Cave Museum.
• San Vicente de la Barquera (15 min) — Fishing port with a hilltop castle and outstanding seafood.
• Picos de Europa — An hour inland for cable-car rides, cheese tastings, and dramatic gorges.
• Santander (45 min) — The regional capital, worth an afternoon for the Centro Botín and El Sardinero beach.

Where to Eat and Drink

Cantabria is serious food country, and Comillas delivers.

• Gurea — Basque-Cantabrian cooking with excellent grilled fish.
• El Capricho de Gaudí Restaurant — Yes, you can eat inside part of the Gaudí building; reserve well ahead.
• Filoxera — Tapas and vermouth on a lively side street.
• Harbor kiosks — For an evening cañas (small beers) with rabas while the fishing boats come in.

Try local specialties: cocido montañés (bean and cabbage stew), anchoas de Santoña, sobaos and quesada pasiega for dessert, and a glass of dry Cantabrian orujo to finish.

Best Time to Visit

Late June through mid-September is peak season, when the beaches are usable and the town buzzes with concerts, seafood festivals, and the July 16 Virgen del Carmen maritime procession. May, June, and September are the sweet spots: warm enough for beach walks, cool enough that Gaudí's villa isn't packed. Winters are mild but wet — expect the famous orbayu (Cantabrian drizzle), which lends the sandstone façades a moody, cinematic glow.

Getting There

• By car: Comillas sits just off the A-8 motorway, about 50 km west of Santander and 90 km east of Oviedo. Free and paid parking is available on the town outskirts.
• By bus: ALSA runs regular services from Santander (about 1 hour) and from San Vicente de la Barquera (15 minutes).
• By train: The narrow-gauge line (formerly FEVE, now operated under Renfe Cercanías AM) stops at Cabezón de la Sal, 12 km away; taxi or bus onward.
• Nearest airports: Santander Seve Ballesteros (SDR, 55 km) and Asturias (OVD, 130 km).

Practical Tips

• Cash is handy at small bars and the harbor, though cards are widely accepted.
• Wear grippy shoes — the old town cobblestones are slick after rain.
• Sunset spot: Walk up to the university terrace about an hour before dusk.
• Festivals to catch: Fiestas del Cristo in mid-July and the Semana Cultural in August.
• Sustainability note: Oyambre is a protected natural park — stick to marked dune paths.

Comillas rewards slow travel. Give it two full days, and you'll leave planning your return.