Day 17: Santillana del Mar to Comillas – 14.68 miles (23.62 km)

Santillana del Mar was alive with celebration this morning, honoring its patron saint, Santa Juliana. At 8:00 AM, fireworks echoed through the town to mark the start of the day’s festivities. Although we were already awake, the sudden booms caught us off guard.

Today’s hike was long and intensely hot. While the temperature hovered in the low 80s, the humidity felt close to 90%, making the air thick and heavy. Despite walking near the ocean, there was no breeze to offer relief. We passed a few fellow pilgrims struggling with heat exhaustion along the way.

Comillas is an interesting town with a summer palace that belonged to the Marquis of Comillas, as well as another palace designed by Gaudí. It is definitely a town to visit again with more time.