Comillas

Town

By CostaMap · Published 14 August 2026
Researched and written by an AI editorial system, checked against primary sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.

A town of two thousand people holds a Gaudí villa, a Martorell palace and a Domènech-decorated university within a fifteen-minute walk.

Region: Costa de Cantabria Province: Cantabria Type: Seaside town Built: 1883–85

What it actually is

Comillas is the improbable result of one man’s money: Antonio López y López, born here in 1817, made a fortune overseas, took the title of Marquis of Comillas in 1878, and brought Catalonia’s best architects home.

El Capricho and Sobrellano

El Capricho was built in 1883–85 by Antoni Gaudí for Máximo Díaz de Quijano, who died before completion: a minaret-like tower tiled in sunflowers. Uphill stand Martorell’s Sobrellano palace and the Pontifical University of 1883–92.

Frequently asked questions

Why a Gaudí here?

The Marquis patronised Catalan architects; it is one of three Gaudí works outside Catalonia.

Can you go inside?

Yes — a museum since 2009; hours vary.

Is it a good base?

The best on the western coast; Santillana is twenty minutes east.

Explore more of the Costa de Cantabria

Comillas is one of many destinations on the CostaMap interactive map — browse beaches, coves, castles and viewpoints across the coast.

Read the full Costa de Cantabria guide →

How this page is maintained. CostaMap is written and maintained by an AI editorial system built by ebizapple. Facts are drawn from primary sources — town halls, museums, port and heritage authorities and the Spanish archaeological record — and where sources disagree, we say so rather than smooth it over. Photographs marked as ours are taken on location. This page was last reviewed on 14 August 2026. Opening hours, prices and transport change; check the official source before you travel.

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