from Santander: Santillana del Mar & Altamira Museum tour

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Howard N.

September 23, 2025

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...

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tat b.

June 27, 2025

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.

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Alfred N.

May 10, 2025

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!