Santoña

Santoña is a municipality in Cantabria, situated on a rocky peninsula in the Asón estuary bay, accessible by road around the estuary or by ferry from Laredo. The town is nationally famous for its anchovy industry: the local salted and canned anchovies, prepared using traditional methods, are considered among the finest in Spain and have been produced here since the late nineteenth century.

The peninsula is dominated by the Peña de Santoña, a large rocky massif at its southern end on which stands the fortress of La Maza, part of a military fortification complex expanded in the Napoleonic period. The church of Santa María del Puerto, a Romanesque structure with later modifications, is one of the more significant medieval buildings on the Cantabrian coast.

For pilgrims arriving by ferry from Laredo, Santoña provides a distinct arrival experience, approaching the town by water across the estuary bay.