Santillana del Mar is a historic town situated in Cantabria, Spain. Its many historic buildings attract thousands of visitors every year. There is an …Santillana del Mar is a historic town situated in Cantabria, Spain. Its many historic buildings attract thousands of visitors every year. There is an old saying that Santillana del Mar is The Town of Three Lies, since it is neither a Saint, nor flat (llana), nor is it by the sea (Mar) as implied by its name. However, the name actually derives from Santa Juliana whose remains are kept in the Colegiata, a Romanesque church and former Benedictine monastery. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Cave of Altamira is nearby.