2Santillana del Mar, Cantabria

Despite its name, Santillana del Mar isn’t directly by the sea, but it’s certainly close to perfection. Known as “the town of three lies” (since it is neither holy—santa, flat—llana, nor by the sea—mar), Santillana del Mar more than makes up for it with storybook charm.

Its beautifully preserved medieval streets are lined with nobleman’s houses, stone churches, and flower-bedecked balconies. Walking through the town feels like stepping onto the set of a historical drama, especially when you reach the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana, one of northern Spain’s Romanesque masterpieces.