Last Updated on October 31, 2026 by Sarah Wilson
When planning our girly road trip around northern Spain, we decided to spend two nights in Laredo, a coastal town roughly halfway between Bilbao and Santander.
Accommodation in Bilbao was very expensive when we looked, as several events were taking place in the city, so Laredo seemed like a sensible alternative. It gave us somewhere to break up the journey, explore a different part of northern Spain and enjoy a little time by the sea.
We stayed at Hotel El Ancla, a simple hotel that suited our needs for a short stop. We weren’t looking for luxury, just somewhere comfortable to spend a couple of nights while exploring the area. And it included a really nice breakfast, so bonus!
Laredo’s Beach
One of the nicest things about Laredo is its beach. It’s a lovely stretch of sand and a good place to enjoy a walk by the sea.
We were only there briefly, but it was nice to have a coastal stop on our road trip rather than spending every night in a city or travelling between attractions.
A Wander Around the Old Town
We also spent an evening wandering around Laredo’s old town and harbour. It’s a pretty area, with traditional streets, ancient churches and plenty of restaurants to choose from.
Dinner in Laredo
As I briefly mentioned, Laredo’s old town had plenty of restaurants, but unfortunately, we didn’t have the best luck with dinner. However, we had fabulous food in Bilbao, Santander and Madrid to make up for it.
We ate at Bar Buenos Aires. We’d ordered patatas bravas, expecting our favourite Spanish side dish of potatoes with a spicy sauce, but what arrived was essentially fries with sauce. The other dish we’d chosen was described as a speciality, so we were expecting something a little more exciting. Instead, we ended up with more fries, an egg and three prawns. Not quite the culinary highlight of our northern Spain road trip we’d hoped for!
To be fair, part of the disappointment was down to our own expectations, and there were plenty of other restaurants in the old town. Sometimes you win with your restaurant choices, and sometimes you don’t.
Is Laredo Worth a Stop?
For us, Laredo worked well as a base for two nights on our northern Spain road trip. We had a simple hotel, easy parking (right outside, which made unloading a breeze), a lovely beach, and a pretty old town to explore in the evening.
While we didn’t stay long enough to give a comprehensive guide to everything there is to do, it turned out to be exactly what we needed—a quiet spot to recharge before tackling the next leg of our journey. Sometimes the best stops are the ones where you can simply relax and not feel pressured to sightsee.
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