Gaudi's El Capricho in Comillas
After Santander we left the suburbs and car dealerships and cycled into a much prettier landscape of rolling hills and little towns filled with stone houses. I do prefer them to houses sided with bathroom tile. Every country has its own version of this. I shouldn't be so critical, our house has asbestos shingles. Tiles can be used to great effect, however, in the hands of a master such as Antonio Gaudi. Gaudi's El Capricho is covered in sunflower tiles to reflect the design of the house, which is intended to capture the turning sun and light throughout the day. 
During the day we stopped at the town of Santillana del Mar, described by Sartre as the most beautiful town in Spain. And it is lovely, with cobbled streets, a cozy triangular plaza mayor, and an amazing 12th century cloister. The reknowned Altamira caves, with their Paleolithic paintings, are also located nearby. As with Lascaux in France, the actual caves are not open to the public, but tourists may visit a mockup that has been constructed.
In Comillas we have a lovely pension steps away from the old town. After 60 kms of riding I am not much of a walker so this is perfect. Comillas has several other buildings connected to Gaudi, as well as a lovely beach, so it would be a nice place to remain for several days. Hopefully we will be back someday.
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