San Sebastián de Garabandal: Our Honest Family Stay
From 10 to 13 July 2021 we stayed in an Airbnb room in San Sebastián de Garabandal, a mountain village in Cantabria, with Damian (8) and Marc (5). The room was lovely. The location, for a family trying to see the coast, was not. This is what the village is like and why, if you’re planning the same trip, I’d stay somewhere else.
The short version
- Where: municipality of Rionansa, in the Cantabrian mountains, 8 km up from Puentenansa.
- Known for: the reported apparitions of 1961–1964 at Los Pinos, never recognised by the Church, which still bring pilgrims.
- Size: about a hundred residents.
- As a family base: not recommended. Every sightseeing day starts and ends with a mountain drive.
- Better base: Santander or the coast. See the box below.
What the village is like
Garabandal is a small stone village under the Peña Sagra range, with traditional 17th- and 18th-century houses, some with family coats of arms, a 17th-century parish church and green mountains all around. It’s quiet, beautiful and very remote.
Los Pinos and the Garabandal story
Between 1961 and 1964, four local girls reported visions, first of the Archangel Michael and then of the Virgin Mary. The Catholic Church has never authenticated them, but the village became a pilgrimage site. The place of the apparitions, a group of pine trees above the village called Los Pinos, is a short walk up and has views over the valley. There’s a pilgrim centre in the village for visitors.
Why we wouldn’t stay here again
The room itself was very nice. The problem was everything around it. The coast, Santander and the beaches were all a long drive down mountain roads, so every day began and ended in the car, and with a 5- and an 8-year-old that wears thin fast. For a sightseeing trip, stay somewhere easy to get in and out of.
Where to stay instead
For the Cantabrian coast with kids, base yourselves in Santander, near El Sardinero beach and within easy reach of the Costa Quebrada beaches. Visit Garabandal as a half-day trip if it interests you.
Short on time? Our top 3 picks in Santander
Dorma Sardinero – El Sardinero, about 200 m from the beach.
Hotel Chiqui – right on El Sardinero beach, with an infinity pool and direct beach access.
Eurostars Hotel Real – a 5-star grand hotel above the bay, near the Magdalena Peninsula, with a thalassotherapy spa.
More: Our Asturias and Cantabria road trip · Llanes
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is San Sebastián de Garabandal?
In the municipality of Rionansa, in the mountains of western Cantabria, about 8 km from Puentenansa.
Why is Garabandal famous?
Between 1961 and 1964 four local girls reported apparitions of the Archangel Michael and the Virgin Mary at a place called Los Pinos. The Catholic Church has not authenticated them, but the village remains a pilgrimage site.
Is Garabandal a good base for a family trip to Cantabria?
Not for sightseeing. We stayed three nights and every day started and ended with a long mountain drive to the coast. Santander or a coastal town is a much easier base.
How long do you need in Garabandal?
A couple of hours is enough to walk the village and up to Los Pinos.
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