Castro Urdiales

Castro Urdiales is a fishing harbour and beach resort on the coast of Cantabria in northern Spain, with a population of 33,400 in 2025. == Understand == Castro indicates a Roman camp, and it was iron ore that led the Romans to establish the settlement of Flaviobriga here. But its heyday was the 19th / 20th century industrial era, along with other ports and mining villages of northern Spain. A couple of gantries for loading ore onto ships are all that remain of those days, and Flaviobriga is buried under modern streets, but there’s a little medieval quarter by the harbour and the anchovy-canning factory is still in business. No-one knows what Urdiales indicates, as good a reason as any why the town is usually just called "Castro". == Get in == Castro Urdiales is on the coast highway A8, 35 km west of Bilbao and 70 km east of Santander. IRB buses run from Bilbao nonstop via A8, every 30 min M-F and roughly hourly Sa Su. A slower route via the intervening villages runs twice daily. Alsa buses run from Santander hourly, taking 70 min via Laredo. 1 La Parada is the bus turn-around and café on Leonardo Rucabado west side of town. == Get around == The town is small enough to walk around: from Playa Brazomar to Playa Ostende is about 3 km. Taxis wait on the plaza by the marina. == See == A total solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 Aug 2026, starting at 20.27 and lasting 37 sec. The chances of a clear sky are only 45%, and you need to find a spot with a clear view to the northwest horizon, where the sun will be setting. 1 Santa María de la Asunción, Santa María, ☏ +34 942 862658. Basilica church in Gothic style, built 13th to 15th century. Within are the images of the White Virgin and the Reclining Christ, and Gothic carvings of the Magi. (updated May 2026) San Pedro on the south flank of Santa María is the ruin of the 12th century previous church. Castillo de Santa Ana east side of Santa María is probably 12th century. A lighthouse was added to one turret in 1863. It’s open daily 11:00-13:30, 18:00-20:00. Medieval port is the inlet south side of Castillo, spanned by an ancient footbridge. Ermita de Santa Ana south of the bridge was a chapel perched on a rock now fused to the mainland, but the present building is from 1941. The breakwater beyond has views of the marina and town. Casa de los Chelines is a striking neogothic building of 1902, nowadays commercial premises. It’s 100 m west of Santa María at Torre de Vitoria 21. Ayuntamiento – Town Hall – is across the plaza from Casa de los Chelines. 2 Ocharan Palace, Leonardo Rucabado. This mansion was built in 1901 for the businessman Luis de Ocharan; it’s an eclectic design with Grecian trimmings. In 1914 he added a mock-castle 100 m west to use as an observatory, and the ensemble was surrounded by exotic gardens. Visit by guided tour once a week, book through the city website. Free. (updated May 2026) 3 Cueva de la Virgen de Mioño is a small grotto and shrine by Dicido beach. Only if you’re passing this way. 4 Castillo de San Antón is a viewpoint reached by hiking up the track from the campsite west of town. A few crumbly walls are all that remain. Torre Medieval de los Templarios 500 m north of the Castillo towards Allendelagua is even more crumbly. It belonged to the Knights Templar. == Do == Beaches: Playa Brazomar is south of the marina. Playa Ostende to the north is longer. El Camino is the collective name for the plexus of pilgrimage trails towards Santiago. The classic route from France is much further inland via León, but when that region was under Moorish occupation pilgrims switched to a route along the coast. The local section of this Camino del Norte is from Bilbao to Portugalete, Castro Urdiales, Laredo, Noja and Santander. Fiestas: the main event is the Fiestas de la Asunción & San Roque over 3 days in mid-August. == Buy == A dozen small supermarkets in town, typically open M-Sa 09:00-21:00. == Eat == Eating places are mostly a short block back from the seafront. They include Asador El Puerto, Marisquería Alfredo, La Vinería, Sidrería Marcelo, La Buena Vida, Brasserie Turcanu, La Txalupa, Bajamar, Bar Achanda and All Iron Factory. == Drink == Cider is the main drink in Cantabria and Asturias, and a sidrería specialises in food-cider pairings. == Sleep == 1 Pension La Mar, La Mar 27, ☏ +34 942 870524. Clean simple place, poor sound-proofing. B&B double €100. (updated May 2026) Pensión Ardigales is at Ardigales 11. Pension Jade is midtown at La Ronda 16. Hosteria Villa de Castro is near Playa del Matadero at Los Huertas 2. 2 Hotel Las Rocas, Flaviobriga 1, ☏ +34 942 860400. Clean friendly place by Brazomar beach. B&B double €160. (updated May 2026) 3 B&B Hotel Castro-Urdiales, Finca El Ciprés, ☏ +34 842 828806. Efficient chain hotel by A8 coast highway. B&B double €90. (updated May 2026) == Connect == As of May 2026, Castro and the coast highways have 5G from all Spanish carriers. == Go next == Bilbao is a former steel town, revived by the Guggenheim Museum. Santander is mostly modern (the old centre burned down) but with lots to see and do. The archaeology museum displays artefacts and townscapes that in Castro are buried beneath modern streets.