Wine tourism in Cantabria

1. 1

   Book in advance

   Especially at weekends and during the harvest, spots fly. Secure your visit by booking online.

2. 2

   Choose the right season

   Spring and autumn show off the vineyard; the harvest, around September, is the most special, with tastings and activities among the vines.

3. 3

   Check each listing

   Check opening hours, languages and whether the visit includes a tasting before setting off.

4. 4

   Make a full plan

   Combine the winery with the food and the villages of Cantabria to round off the day.

5. 5

   Drink in moderation

   If you drive after the tasting, do so in moderation or designate a driver.

The Cantabrian table comforts with the cocido montañés of white beans and cabbage and the cocido lebaniego of chickpeas, ideal after a day in the mountains. The rabas, the Santoña anchovies and the Cantabrian shellfish call for a fresh coastal white.

For dessert, sobaos pasiegos and quesada, with the quesucos of Liébana and a shot of Liébana orujo to finish. Produce of sea and valley that pairs well with the wines of the Cantabrian coast.

Cantabrian heritage is dazzling: Altamira and its rock art, a peak of European prehistory, the Romanesque collegiate church of Santillana del Mar and the modernism of Comillas, with Gaudí's Capricho and the Palace of Sobrellano.

Santander contributes the Palace of the Magdalena and the modern Centro Botín, while the seafaring and cattle-rearing tradition permeates festivals and markets. The coastal vineyards are reviving a wine culture linked to the Cantabrian Sea.

Thanks to the influence of the Gulf Stream, which brings warm waters to the Cantabrian Sea, Cantabria enjoys much milder temperatures than its latitude would suggest. The region has a temperate Atlantic climate, with moderate rainfall and mild temperatures all year round.

Average (maximum) temperatures at sea level (ºC):

• Media febrero: 13,8º
• Media mayo: 18,5º
• Media agosto: 23,7º
• Media octubre: 19,6º

In summer the sea water stays above 20 ºC, a very pleasant temperature for swimming.

Temperate Atlantic and Mediterranean climate

Cantabria has two clearly distinct climates: the temperate Atlantic climate and the Mediterranean climate.

The temperate Atlantic climate is humid, influenced by the prevailing westerly winds that bring humid air masses, whether polar or tropical. The barrier effect of the Cantabrian Range gives the climate a strong gradient between north and south. Beyond the ridgeline, towards the Ebro valley, the Foehn effect makes the climate drier and with greater temperature contrasts; the region then comes under the influence of the Mediterranean climate.

It should be noted that the Liébana region, enclosed between the Picos de Europa and Peña Sagra, is a climatic exception: although within the oceanic domain, it shows clearly Mediterranean features.

Snow is frequent in the highlands of Cantabria between October and March.