I’m From Llanes we took a bus to Santander, then hopped on a ferry to the laid-back surf town of Somo.

Somo is considered the birthplace of surfing in Spain, and surf culture is woven into everyday life there.

We really enjoyed the vibe in Somo. There are no giant hotel towers or mega-resorts — mostly surf houses, apartments, restaurants, and beach bars. It feels relaxed and authentic.

I even walked a ways out of town on the Camino before we moved on.

From there we headed to Laredo.

Laredo has one of the longest beaches in northern Spain. Playa La Salvé stretches more than three miles along the coast.

The old part of town, Puebla Vieja, still has narrow stone streets, old defensive walls, Gothic churches, and centuries-old houses.

We also climbed up to La Atalaya, a viewpoint overlooking the city. The walk up was foggy, but the sun made an appearance just as we reached the top.

Our biggest challenge in Laredo was siesta.

In Llanes and Somo we had managed to find a couple restaurants where the kitchens stayed open during the dreaded 4 PM to 8 PM dead zone. Not so in Laredo.

Our first night, we ended up buying sliced meats, olives, cheese, a loaf of bread, and a bottle of wine and turning our hotel’s patio into our own little tapas bar. Honestly, it turned out to be a pretty fun evening.

Next stop… Zarautz.

Enjoy.

Pete