Travel Weekly Blog

The resorts of Laredo and Noja, in Spain's Cantabria region, are on the news agenda after ETA bombs exploded on beaches and golf courses - thankfully causing no serious injuries.

Here's where the towns lie in relation to Bilbao and Cantabria capital Santander (distances given as-the-crow-flies):

• Laredo is 26m northwest of Bilbao, 20m east of Santander
• Noja is 36m northwest of Bilbao, Noja 15m east of Santander

Broadly, they're family-friendly coastal resorts that offer something less hectic than the east coast, with lower temperatures. The big beaches are Noja's Ris and Laredo's La Salve.

The map includes the towns and some of the attractions that draw tourists to the wider region:

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• Altamira Museum: Altamira caves are famous for their prehistoric paintings
• Parque de Cabo Mayor: park in Santander, with a lighthouse on a dramatic cliff face
• Guggenheim Museum: a bit of a drive, but justly celebrated - an astonishing modern art museum
• Playa Joyel: a popular camping park close to Noja (see Keycamp, Eurocamp etc)

Laredo is also famous for Batalla de Flores (Spanish language site), a festival which sees flower-covered floats fill the streets on the last Friday in August.

Tripadvisor forum member Wellerman says of the area arund Noja:

Admittedly the weather is not as reliable as the south or the islands but if you want somewhere with fantastic beaches, and wonderful scenery away from the boring over populated costas then it's a great place... You would probably be best to hire a car as there are some brilliant places within driving distance