Santillana del Mar and the Camino de Santiago de Compostela
Santillana del Mar is a very historic town situated in Cantabria, Spain. Its many historic buildings attract thousands of vacationers every year as well as hundreds of people that are faithfully embarking on their extraordinary pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela, on the northeastern part of Spain for their own very special reasons, whether it be religious or personal.
Cobblestone Streets of Santillana del Mar With its Pelegrinos
While there during a revisit of the town in 2018, I had the chance to talk to a number of pilgrims to see what motivated them to do the arduous trip with nothing but a backpack, a walking stick, a really good pair of hiking boots, and, not to mention, the multitudes of blisters on their feet!
Most simply stated that the trip was a very personal thing for them, connecting with nature and their personal god, others indicating that they were looking for a challenge and thought that the 500 miles from St Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago the Compostela proved such a challenge, others just have some personal demons that they are trying to excise and feel that the solitude of a long walk was just the right thing for them.
Santillana del Mar straddles the northern route of the Pilgrim's Road to Santiago de Compostela, and is itself a prime example of a medieval town which was established around the collegiate church of Santa María.
It was constructed with various defense towers and Renaissance palaces which make Santillana one of the most important historical areas of Cantabria. Its cobble stone streets have been well preserved and offer a challenging stroll through the town.
Many of the older homes that existed there have been carefully and lovingly restored to their older glory. It feels like you are walking straight into an old Spanish romance novel.
As a child visiting Santillana in the 1960’s, we were thrilled to see the old town and the myriad of shops where we could buy trinkets to take home with us. Everything from key chains to small prints and maps of the area.
The one memory that sticks in my mind was when we walked through the town, we saw a farmer milking one of his cows in one of the old houses, we stopped to watch and my father translated for the old man that we were from America and visiting his beautiful town. He smiled a minimally toothy grin and waved for me to get closer to the cow. He then took my hands and showed me how to milk her. He then took a small glass and dipped it into the bucket and motioned for me to drink it. The best, sweetest milk I have ever tasted and I remember that day fondly.
Collegiate Church of Santillana del Mar
There is an old saying that Santillana del Mar is The Town of Three Lies, since it is neither a Saint (Santo), nor flat (llana), nor is it by the sea (Mar) as implied by its name. However, the name actually derives from Santa Juliana (or Santa Illana) whose remains are kept in the Collegiate, a Romanesque church and former Benedictine monastery.
The entire town of Santillana is a UNESCO World Heritage site, as is the nearby Cave of Altamira, but that’s for another blog.
Scallop Shell Indicating the Road to Santiago
The scallop shell, often found on the shores in Galicia, has long been the symbol of the Camino de Santiago. Over the centuries the scallop shell has taken on a variety of meanings, metaphorical, practical, and mythical, even if its relevance may have actually derived from the desire of pilgrims to take home a souvenir.
And, by the way, if you haven’t seen it yet, please do yourself a favor and watch “The Way”. This movie is an original film directed, written and produced by American actor Emilio Estevez, and starring his real-life father, Martin Sheen. Can’t recommend it enough!
