Catedral de Santander, Santander

Enter the heavy wooden doors of Catedral de Santander, and feast your eyes on intricate stained glass and stately Gothic arches soaring skyward. The first church built on this site, in the eighth century, safeguarded the skulls of saints martyred in Calahorra in the third century. The remains were brought here by Catholics escaping the Muslim invasion. The church as it stands today was constructed in the 12th century and extended over the years leading up to the 18th century. You can visit for a Mass or just for the history and architecture. Don't forget to stop by the 14th-century cloisters just inside the building, where you'll find stained glass work, ribbed vaulting, and other intricate architectural details. Just outside you can relax in the sun by the fountain, or grab tapas at one of the nearby cafes. Use our Santander day trip tool to visit Catedral de Santander on your trip to Santander, and learn what else travelers and our writers recommend seeing nearby.