Kampaoh La Franca

Sandy Playa de la Franca is right by the site, so you may well end up spending a fair amount of time there, paddling in the stream and clambering over the rocks as well as taking swims and playing in the sand. Take a walk along the coastline (about 20 minutes from the site) to see the Bufones de Santiuste blowhole – but don’t get too close, because seawater can shoot up about 30 metres through the gaps in the rock here. There are lots of hiking trails and mountain bike routes in the Picos de Europa National Park (40 minutes’ drive) – and it's also one of the few places in Europe where you can track native brown bears. If you don’t want to go all the way into the heart of the park, there are great mountain views from Mirador Pimiango (10 minutes), or you can try whitewater rafting through the foothills (10 minutes). For more days out nearby, visit Cave Pindal (15 minutes), to see the grotto’s prehistoric paintings, or spend the day in Santander (50 minutes), checking out Centro Botin and Palacio de la Magdalena and picking at tapas along the way.