Many of the region's
towns and villages such as Santillana del Mar, have seen their old
quarters declared artistic sites, not only for the historical buildings
adorned with coats of arms, but for the beauty and authenticity of
their rural architecture. Barcena Mayor, Tudanca, Potes, Cartes, San
Vicente de la Barquera, to mention a few, are also places to be enjoyed
without any kind of picturesque justification. Other towns and villages,
beginning with Santander itself and continuing with others on the
Cantabrian coast, have an air of elegance all their own with no need
to boast of the nearby mountains or the impressive sea. The whole
history of Spain, including the influence of Arab culture (if the
Mozarab church of Santa Marfa de Lebeiia and its history are considered),
is incomplete without the ports, the caves and the valleys of Cantabria.
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