Santander is the capital of Northern Spain’s La Montana Province, situated along the scenic Cantabrian Coast. The modern town you see today was built after a tornado and fire destroyed the original buildings in 1941. The centre of this charming town is marked by small buildings and squares with flowering gardens. It is pleasant to stroll along the avenues and shop at the boutiques or relax at a small café. The town’s fortress-like cathedral is a modern building, which retains its original 12th century crypt. Roman ruins were discovered beneath the church in 1983. Other highlights include the Fine Arts Museum, with works by Goya and other masters and the Altamira Caves, Paleolithic caves famous for primitive drawings on the interior walls dating to between 18,000 and 13,000 BC. You can see a replica of the painted caves and visit the Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology with exhibits of prehistoric cave dwellers.