Santa María de Cayón is a municipality in Spain, in the province of Cantabria, in Cantabria. On 1 January 2025 it had 9,538 inhabitants according to the INE municipal register (padrón), over an area of about 48.1 km².
With about 198 inhabitants per km², it combines a medium-sized town with residential districts, farmland and business areas. Of the 22 municipalities in the province of Cantabria with at least 5,000 inhabitants, it is number 11 by population.
As the crow flies it lies about 18 km south of Santander, the provincial capital. The nearest major city is Bilbao, about 75 km away.
Nearby, within a few dozen kilometres, are other destinations featured in our guides: Santander (18 km).
To explore the area, use the map of neighbouring municipalities and the accommodation options in and around Santa María de Cayón; all the municipalities in the province of Cantabria are listed on their own page.