Castro Urdiales is a seaport of northern
Spain, in the
autonomous community of
Cantabria, situated on the
bay of Biscay. Castro Urdiales is a modern town, although its castle and the Gothic-style parish church of
Santa María de la Asunción, date from the
Middle Ages. Its chief industries are tourism, fishing, and the preservation of fish, especially sardines and anchovies, in oil. The "Lolin" and "La Castreña" anchovy canning factories serve as a reminder of the town's closeness to this industry and its proximity to the sea.