This is a great activity for families, it is dual language and the staff are very helpful and nice. The main museum is built around the cave, the tickets are free and they give you an entry time to control the amount of people in the cave at any one time, which is a good idea. There are a few other bits to see on site to kill time, plus a cafe and gift shop. Certainly worth a visit.

Well worth the effort, we had an excellent experience...it was busy so our tickets for the recreation cave was 1.45pm so we had an hour & a half to 'kill' but surprisingly it whizzed by there was so much to see & do. We walked to the 1928 house, had a look at the temporary exhibition, had a cup of coffee in the cafe (they do a two course lunch from 1.30pm) & having looked in the gift shop we did the general museum. Lots to see, signs in Spanish & English. We were impressed. Then we checked in for the new cave experience...five minute film then follow the arrows & you end up in a recreation of the original cave... it's a wow...

Fascinating museum with well-presented exhibits and a pleasant cafe serving local dishes. There is normally a short wait for entry to the Neocueva but it is unmissable. A painstakingly accurate facsimile of the actual cave, which is no longer open to the public. Good facilities for those with limited mobility, including ramps and lifts. Wheelchairs available.

Visiting the National Museum & Research Center of Altamira was an unforgettable experience! The museum beautifully showcases prehistoric art, including the famous Altamira cave paintings. The replicated caves offer a fascinating glimpse into ancient human creativity, and the exhibits on human evolution are both educational and captivating. The highlight was seeing the iconic handprints and ancient animal drawings, which truly transport you back in time. The displays are well-organized, and the information panels are clear and insightful, making it an ideal place for history enthusiasts and families alike. Highly recommended for anyone interested in archaeology and ancient art. The atmosphere is immersive and well worth the visit!

If you want to enter expect an affordable entry fee (3€ pP) good quality online guide nice replicas and unfriendly staff. It's better to get an online reservation for entry otherwise you may have to wait several hours. Very disrespectful towards indigenous groups and absolutely NOT children friendly. No animals/dogs allowed. We came to visit explicitly for the replica of the cave (neocave). Immediately after entering the replica building we were told to be quiet (baby saying 'dadada') and shortly after I was guided out of there with my 1yo because he was simply trying to talk. We had waited 1,5hours to be able to enter and have only seen about 10% - but none of the paintings. The same time of our visit there were at least three different groups with tour guides and many others talking as loudly as they were in a tavern. We are very disappointed and will not recommend going there with children. In the additional exhibition it is stated that there are videos of indigenous people shown. Some do not want to have their deceased relatives displayed in such videos. So it is stated 'those have been warned'. In full: 'To many aboriginal communities it is disrespectful and offensive to depict people who have died. Communities who may be offended are warned that the following documentaries may contain such scenes.' This is absolutely disrespectful towards indigenous groups. If the museum KNOWS that some indigenous groups do NOT want those people displayed and even puts up a warning it is still NOT OKAY to show those videos to the public. End of story. No consent means NO. Do not show it. Additionally I found many of the information panels provided a very euro-centric and white supremacist view. For example at the part 'human evolution' - Why are all of the depicted people white? Information about La Dama Roja de El Mirón says 'The woman was robust, 35-40 years old, dark skinned and in apparent good health' and it's briefly mentioned next to one picture. But the drawings of the other information panels only show white people which might mislead into thinking only white people existed back then. I would not recommend the visit.

Really unprofessional for a UNESCO world heritage site. The tour of the cage is fully in Spanish, no signs in the important areas. The audio guide requires a buggy app, and doesn’t match the speed of the tour at all. Missing all the interesting facts about the cave drawings. Really disappointing, and embarrassing for such an institution…

A stunning and beautiful museum about a fascinating and important site. The museum itself is broken up into several parts - The Neocave (the star of the show for me) recreates parts of the original cave, including the occupation areas at the front of the cave and a cavern recreating some of the prehistoric artwork. Other parts of the museum are dedicated to the prehistory of the area before Altamira, a part dedicated to looking at some of the other Ave and rock art from the area which really help put the site in context. There are some liveky external walks, including a walk up to the original cave entrance. My partner is disabled and uses a scooter to get around. He found it very accessible and easy to navigate. My only major criticism is that they say they have a cafe, but in reality, these are a few vending machines and tables (they do have a separate picnic area). As this museum requires at least 3-4 hours to visit, I would recommend brining a picnic. For the price of 3 euros a visit this is definitely worth the money and visit.

Beautiful old village, I love places like this very much. However, a lot of people know about this place, so the number of tourists overrides this beautiful atmosphere..... Tried to enjoy it no matter what, we came on a Sunday. Very many hotels and stores for such a small place, which explains the number of visitors. I recommend a visit, but I think it would be better on a weekday and early.

Historical place- it’s very relaxing walking around the area

Unfortunately not opened the day we visited but still looked astonishing from the outside.

Well worth the very reasonable entrance price. It has many unusual features. Glad we hung around for it to reopen

Excellent example of 11th century church building, though cloisters were added centuries later.

Not free for pilgrims. No stamp (sello). Well worth the 3 euros. Beautiful.

Beautiful romanic church. I'm not sure it's 100% worth it to pay admission to see the inside, but it can be admired for free from the outside.

It would not be my first choice for a museum, however definitely would recommend it, as its a sad reality of not only our history, but our present and the development of freedom of humans and women. It's not for the light hearted as the truth about the torture is horrible. Definitely would not recommend younger children (under the age of 16). Also I rate it a 4 because I think the price is a bit high for what it is.

Really interesting museum if you can handle the topic. It is small and has two floors with replicas and everywhere detailed explanation in English, Spanish and French. Entry is 5 euro which is worth it in my opinion but you can only pay in cash. There is also a toilet. This museum is together with the beautiful old town of Santillana del Mar a good reason to come here

There have always been, are and will be mentally ill people who derive pleasure from the suffering of others. They invent tools for torture and act as executioners. Anyone can fall into their hands. And it is scary to imagine what exhibits will be after our days....

For 5 euros, this is a great value. It's got good multi-lingual descriptions of the different apparatus, and also of the history (why and where) the devices were used. The full experience is about an hour; very interesting and somewhat disturbing of course. Not for the faint of heart!

Quite impressive! It shows this dark time how human were brutally treated. If you don’t have so strong nerves like me, the visit cannot be finished😬. Happy that we are living in the modern times and this kind of thing hopefully is gone.

We came out of this small museum with a grim feeling, but I think that’s a good thing for a museum about torture. Worth a visit if you’re in Santillana del Mar, even if the collection is a bit small. However, every torture device was well explained in three different languages (French, English and Spanish off course).

Cash only. But reasonable prices. The museum effectively accomplishes its purpose - almost too effectively. Eat lunch first or you might lose your appetite. Not for the squeamish - though my younger kids were ok.

As zoo's go, it's up there with the best! We gasped at the entry fee but after three hours there are still lots to see, animals look healthy and well cared for, met the owner who showed us some of his personal favourites. And yes, I got a snake wrapped around my neck, too, a novel experience! The area is lush, green, the butterfly house the best we've seen, food is reasonable, service is friendly, it's been a great day out and we're not finished here yet 😊

Really good place to visit! Lots of animal’s birds reptiles and an amazing Butterfly area!!!! Paths can be slippery and steep in places Loo’s are a long way from entrance, so it might be a good Idea to visit a local bar beforehand. The cafe was closed when we were there, so another loss of revenue for the $€30 euro attraction

The best Zoo! Such a variety of animals and birds. There is so much to see, you will be shocked how much. We went mid week in September and we had it almost to ourselves. You can buy tickets on the day but pre paying is always easier. We paid €25 each.

today we visited the zoo. One word: terrible! The orangutans made us want to cry. Their space is extremely small and dark, absolutely unsuitable for their life. We would recommend closing this zoo.

Good time! Animals are wonderful, of course we wish them to be free but the Santillana Zoo takes care of them well. We followed the man around with the feed and it was awesome to watch the vultures eat! And the beavers hahaha what a hoot they are! Give a howl to the wolves and they respond - gorillas engaging and tigers make some intense eye contact haha… Thanks for the animal preservation and care

Although the entry fee was €25, it represented excellent overall value for money, due to that money helping the organisation's ongoing animal conservation and rescue work. As an entomologist, I was keen to see the mariposario (butterfly house) and noticed it needed more personal attention, with cobwebs, and a threat from spiders and parasites. However, it was still interesting for me to see several tropical species (many of which I have seen in their natural habitats) and their life cycles, especially the Heliconius, Papilios, and crepuscular Owl butterflies. The Lemur exhibit was good and there are plenty of reptiles to see, along with wild horses, lynx, squirrels, etc, many water birds and a large area for children to interact with more friendly species, such as ponies, Guinea pigs, a variety of chickens and rabbits. There is a guide in several languages, cafe, gift shop and walking trail. Anyone with a interest or love of animals could spend several hours here. Again overall, a very positive experience.

A very sad place. Do not go!!! This place should be closed. Animals without enough space or enritchment... I don't understand how private zoo's like this can even be allowed. The orangutans, the bear... so sad!!!!

Extraordinary picturesque chapel on the sea inside beautiful rock formations

Fantastic place. Did some walking to get there. Google took us to the opposite side, but that was also amazing.

What a view. Careful with the climb as it is a bit tricky. Worth it.

A special place kept with love and care. Definately worth a visit.

Very interesting place, nice short walk.

A ruin but good for fotos next to the groovy little beach and cafe. Parking difficult

Nice hike for an afternoon