333 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
333 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
sponsored
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travel
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brittany_ferries
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8502918
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# Travel with Brittany Ferries to Santander in Spain
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## Take the Brittany Ferries service from Portsmouth or Plymouth to
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Santander, says Stuart Rogers, and you get a wonderful mini-cruise as part of
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your holiday.
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![Brittany Ferries: Cap Finistere][1]
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Image 1 of 4
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Brittany Ferries: Cap Finistere
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![Brittany Ferries: shopping][2]
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Image 1 of 4
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Brittany Ferries: shopping on board
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![Brittany Ferries: food][3]
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Image 1 of 4
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Brittany Ferries: delicious food
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![Brittany Ferries: sleeping woman][4]
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Image 1 of 4
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Brittany Ferries: sleeping on board
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3:40PM BST 13 May 2011
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Travelling to your holiday destination can be a stressful ordeal but it
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doesn't have to be that way. By choosing Brittany Ferries, my wife Sue and I
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transformed our outward and return journeys into a hugely pleasurable part of
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our Spanish adventure.
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When we decided again to tour Northern Spain in our own car - avoiding those
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infuriating airport weight restrictions on luggage, as well as the queues. As
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far as we were concerned, there was only one choice: a Brittany Ferries
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sailing from the south coast, which from previous experience we knew was easy
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and enjoyable.
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We had travelled on its £100 million flagship Pont-Aven but last year saw the
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launch of the latest addition to the fleet, the splendid Cap Finistere. This
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means that Brittany Ferries provides a three-sailings-per-week service from
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either Portsmouth or Plymouth to the gateway of Cantabria, Santander, with
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sailings taking between 20 and 24 hours.
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Both ships, like all the fleet, offer the finest French and international
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cuisine, light, airy spaces, great bars and the sort of facilities that make
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sailings just like a mini-cruise - and an age away from the ferry crossings of
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the past.
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**Setting off**
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Before even boarding we enjoyed a quick tour of Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
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because it was just a few minutes' drive from the Brittany Ferries terminal
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and marvelled at Nelson's HMS Victory and Henry VIII's ill-fated Mary Rose.
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Later, we were waved aboard Pont-Aven by efficient, friendly staff, parked our
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car and headed to our cabin. There is a good choice of accommodation but we
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opted for a top-of-range, spacious Commodore Class cabin (it can actually
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sleep three adults and a child) to make the very most of our trip.
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Sue adored freshening up with the luxurious toiletries in the en-suite
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bathroom, while I made a refreshing cuppa with the cabin's complimentary
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services and checked out the huge TV, DVD and private balcony with its stylish
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wooden chairs -- perfect for enjoying those sea views. Then, after storing our
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luggage, it was off to explore the ship.
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**Fun for all**
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Our two boys are now grown-up (allegedly) but what I wouldn't have given for
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the children's facilities available now when they were young. For the tiny
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ones, there's a soft play area and video room, while older children will enjoy
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the video games room with its arcade machines.
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Travel during high season and there's an entertainment programme for your
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little darlings - giving mums and dads some welcome peace and quiet - as well
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as magic shows throughout the day for all the family. Adults can also sign up
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for wine- and whisky-tasting sessions and other workshops on certain sailings.
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While Sue strolled along the wraparound Promenade Deck as we sailed past the
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Isle of Wight and out to sea, I went to check out the swimming pool and
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whirlpool area under a conservatory roof with big picture windows.
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I nearly went for a dip but opted instead for a cold beer at Les Finisteres
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pool bar, finishing it off on the sun deck outside because we had been blessed
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with a warm, dry day. Some passengers were already out there sunning
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themselves.
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**That's entertainment**
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There are two cinemas showing recently released films (there is a charge but
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it's probably cheaper than your local cinema) and while watching one of Sue's
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hotly anticipated movies, I admit that I was so relaxed I would have dozed off
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had it not been for a gentle(ish) elbow to my ribs.
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However, I was glad I stayed awake because I rarely get the chance of a cinema
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outing these days, so this was another treat.
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Later, getting into the cruise way of thinking, we visited La Fastnet piano
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and cocktail bar where the gleaming white grand piano seemed to stand
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testament to Brittany Ferries' commitment to style. I ordered a champagne
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cocktail and Sue tried a kir royale, simply to get into the holiday spirit, of
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course.
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Later still it was time to let our hair down at the Pont-Avent's main bar, Le
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Grand Pavois, with its dance floor. Depending on the time of year, there may be
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live music, DJs and cabaret acts.
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Our new pals that night were impressed with Sue's Abba-inspired dance moves,
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or at least they said they were. Dancing queen or not, it was a fun way to end
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the evening before retiring to our comfortable and air-conditioned cabin for a
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blissful sleep.
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**Fabulous food**
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Being seafood lovers, our eyes lit up after we had opted for the £22.90 hors
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d'oeuvre buffet menu (the children's version is also a bargain £5.20) at main
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restaurant Le Flora. Sue and I piled our plates high with prawns, langoustines
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and smoked salmon with herb dips, before being served with our main course
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choice of beef fillet in red wine.
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Talking vino, there's a great selection at reasonable prices and the waiters
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are always happy to help you choose should you not know your way around a wine
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menu (nothing personal, Sue).
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Then we savoured a selection of French cheeses before returning to the buffet
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for very naughty desserts (I promise not to reveal that Sue went back for
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another pud, a chocolate mousse).
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There are lighter eating options, with self-service La Belle Angele serving
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tasty main courses and snacks, while sandwiches and baguettes are available at
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Le Cafe du Festival. For healthy eating, there are also salads, vegetarian and
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organic choices.
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Before disembarkation, we also enjoyed a continental breakfast (complimentary
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with the Commodore and De Luxe class cabins) of chocolate croissants and
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delicious bread with pots of Bonne Maman Confiture, which I'm told is French
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for breakfast heaven.
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**No worries**
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We arrived in Santander perfectly relaxed and stress-free, thankful we had
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avoided the blood-boiling airport check-ins or the tiring drive down through
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France.
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As it was, we arrived at a civilised hour in time for a lunch of sardines,
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lamb in wine sauce and spicy sausage tapas before continuing our journey.
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Being in our own car also meant we saved on the cost of vehicle hire and could
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bring exactly what luggage we needed, which is not an option these days when
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you fly. We didn't quite take the kitchen sink, but we did pack for all
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possible weathers and activities.
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The [Brittany Ferries website][5], which offers a superb range of holiday
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packages, made finding and booking our Spanish accommodation so easy. We stayed
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at some lovely, friendly hotels in Cantabria, all within a leisurely drive of
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each other.
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The Cap Finistere is smaller than the Pont-Aven - it has an intimate, relaxed
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ambience and even has a heated outdoor pool.
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But whichever ship and route you choose to sail to Northern Spain, you will
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enjoy a hassle-free journey. And with on-board shopping, look out for some
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great prices on wines, spirits and perfumes.
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Brittany Ferries operates the most modern fleet on the Channel and its award-
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winning services have set new standards for the industry.
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And it says something that, at the end of our Northern Spanish tour, we were
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actually looking forward to the return voyage. Booking Brittany Ferries had in
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so many ways extended our holiday.
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**For more information about Brittany Ferries, visit
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[www.brittanyferries.com/telegraph][6]**
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[X][7] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][8]
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* Share: [Share][7] [ ][9] [ ][10]
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[Tweet][11]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany_ferries/8502918/Brittany-
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Ferries-Cantabria-Spain.html
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Telegraph
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## [Brittany Ferries][12]
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* ### [Sponsored »][13]
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* ### [Travel »][14]
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[X][7] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][8]
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Share:
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* [ ][7]
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* [ ][9]
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* [ ][10]
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* [Tweet][11]
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* [![Brittany Ferries][15]][5]
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Brittany Ferries competition
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### [Win a trip to Cantabria][16]
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[![Win a trip to Cantabria][17]][16]
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Here's your chance to win a return cruise-ferry crossing from the UK's south
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coast to Santander, courtesy of Brittany Ferries.
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[**Enter the Brittany Ferries competition here**][16].
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The closing date is June 30, 2011.
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Travel with Brittany Ferries
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### [Travel with Brittany Ferries][18]
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[![Brittany Ferries: Cap Finistere][19] ][18]
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Take the Brittany Ferries service from Portsmouth or Plymouth to Santander and
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you get a wonderful mini-cruise as part of your holiday.
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### [Where to stay in Cantabria][20]
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[![Cantabria accommodation: Hotel Torre de la Ruesga][21] ][20]
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From chalets and quaint casas to luxurious escapes, Debbie Toms picks her top
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places to stay in Cantabria, Spain.
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### [Cantabria holiday accommodation][22]
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[![Hotel El Rebeco, Fuente De][23] ][22]
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There are many fantastic places to stay when you travel to Cantabria with
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Brittany Ferries. Here's some of the very best.
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[1]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01894/Cap-
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Finistere_1894901c.jpg
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[2]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01894/perfume-
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shops_1894909c.jpg
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[3]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01894/food-
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brittany_1894915c.jpg
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[4]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01894/cabin-
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sleep_1894916c.jpg
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[5]: http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/
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[6]: http://www.brittanyferries.com/telegraph
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[7]: #
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[8]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/4590190/Share-this-article-
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What-are-these.html
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[9]: mailto:?subject=A Telegraph reader thought you would be interested in
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this article&body=Depending on your email program, you may be able to click on
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the link in the email. Alternatively, you may have to open a web browser, such
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as Firefox or Internet Explorer, and copy the link over into the address bar.
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%0A%0Ahttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany_ferries/8502918
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/Brittany-Ferries-Cantabria-Spain.html %0A%0AFor the best content online,
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visit www.telegraph.co.uk
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[10]: javascript:print()
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[11]: http://twitter.com/share?via=Telegraph
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[12]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany_ferries/
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[13]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/
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[14]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/
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[15]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01895/in_association_wit_
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1895213a.gif
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[16]: http://www.cantabriabycar.com
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[17]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01895/Brittany-Ferries-
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c_1895248e.jpg
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[18]: /sponsored/travel/brittany_ferries/8502918/Brittany-Ferries-
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Cantabria-Spain.html
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[19]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01894/Cap-
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Finistere_1894901e.jpg
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[20]: /sponsored/travel/brittany_ferries/8503323/Holiday-accommodation-
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Cantabria.html
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[21]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01895/hotel-torre-de-
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rue_1895159g.jpg
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[22]: /sponsored/travel/brittany_ferries/8510228/Cantabria-holiday-
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accommodation.html
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[23]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01892/Hotel-de-
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Rebeco_1892182g.jpg
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