There are camps you attend. And there are camps you return to. Villar is the latter: a quiet Cantabrian village that every July is transformed into a stage, a classroom and a summer home for over a hundred children and young people. This is an account of what a day there looks and feels like, what families who have been coming back for years say about it, and what makes it, edition after edition, irreplaceable.
Arriving at Villar: the First Day
The coach turns off towards Reinosa, participants peer through the windows and recognise — before they have even stepped off — the village court, the bell tower, the door of Albergue Las Indianas. Those arriving for the first time look for new faces with a touch of nerves. Those who are returning — and most of them do return — look for their activity leader from last year. Around 80% of the group are returning campers: that figure, which sounds like a statistic, makes sense the moment you see the hugs in the car park. It is the first proof of what families call the «Villar feeling».
A Day at Villar
No two days at the camp are the same, but there is a common pulse that runs through each one: a Campoo-style way of filling the hours that blends the outdoors, cooperative play and long evenings full of laughter until the very last moment of the day.
A gentle wake-up: the village stirs slowly, with birdsong and the first voices of activity leaders moving through the hostel bedrooms. Washing, a home-cooked breakfast in the Las Indianas dining room and team briefings to plan the morning.
Morning technical activity: climbing in the hostel’s own bouldering wall, archery in the meadows, an orienteering route through the village paths or hiking towards the nearby forests. Each group rotates through the multi-adventure disciplines over the days of the camp.
Midday and rest: lunch with local produce in the hostel restaurant, supervised free time in the garden, the terraces or the games room. This is the time when friendships are formed — in plastic chairs, cards in hand.
Afternoon large-group game: this is where Villar’s signature activities come in — a live-action Cluedo through the village streets, Capture the Flag in the forest, treasure hunts with a grand finale, and creative workshops based on the day’s theme.
Evening event: after dinner, one of the two multi-use rooms in the hostel is transformed — with lighting, props and activity leaders in costume — into the stage for the evening show. When the lights go out, quiet conversations can still be heard in the corridors: that is the best part of the day.
What Families Say
The most faithful account we can share about this camp does not come from us, but from the parents and guardians who have trusted Villar with their children’s summer year after year. Here are four signed testimonials, reproduced verbatim:
«The years it has been running with such success says it all. This year my two children went to Villar in Cantabria for the first time, and when they called us from there they said they didn’t want it to end. Their experience was magnificent from day one, and the first thing they said they loved most (after the surfing) was how kind and warm their activity leaders were. I totally recommend it — I would even go myself, and next year they will definitely repeat, as long as we hurry with the registration because places go fast!»
Carlos«My children have been going to Villar for 7 years. They say it’s the best part of the summer, and we do travel a lot… activities all day, super creative. They don’t want to go anywhere else!! The Villar feeling, they call it.»
Nuria«What is it about Villar that has my daughters thinking about camp 365 days a year!! They already have Villar 2024 in mind!! And we’re now at 9 years in a row. You are the best!! Thank you so much!!»
Curra«Simply spectacular. My children could not be in better hands each year at their July camp in Villar. It is their great motivation throughout the whole year. The activity leaders are fantastic professionals with a wonderful dedication.»
Carlos L.What Makes This Camp Unique
Yellow Humour Day
A full day of inflatables and giant constructions set up in the hostel meadows. Teams rotate through each attraction and collective laughter can be heard from the other side of the village. It is the most requested activity year after year.
Beach Olympics with Podium
A full day at Somo beach, competing in fifteen team games alongside the Natuaventura Santander 15-Day Camp. The day closes with a podium ceremony, medal presentation and a dip in the Bay of Biscay. For many, the most vivid memory of the summer.
Surfing at Somo
A full day of beginner or improver surfing with an official surf school. Board and wetsuit are provided by the organisation; theory is given on the sand and the rest is down to the waves, the sunshine and friends cheering from the shore.
The Villar Feeling
It is not an activity: it is a phrase invented by the families themselves. It is what happens when eight out of ten participants come back every summer, the activity leaders know everyone’s name before reading the register, and the whole village welcomes the camp as if it were family.
Practical Information (Summer 2026)
📅 Dates and Prices 2026
First Fortnight: 1–14 July — €886
Second Fortnight: 16–29 July — €856
Ages 7–17, divided into groups by age. Full board with four meals a day.
🚌 Departure and Return Points
Departure from Madrid (Civitas Metropolitano Stadium car park, 9:00), Las Rozas (Navalcarbón, 10:00) and Burgos (Parque Fuentes Blancas, 14:00). Return via the same points. Optional transport service from Madrid and Las Rozas.
🍽️ Four Meals a Day
Breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and dinner, prepared in the hostel’s own kitchen using local produce. Menus are adapted for allergies and intolerances declared at registration.
📱 Mobiles and Pocket Money
The camp is all-inclusive, with no optional paid extras. We recommend bringing €20–30 pocket money for the occasional ice cream or snack. Mobiles are collected on arrival and returned for calls home every 3–4 days.
Frequently Asked Questions (for Parents Facing Their Child’s First Villar)
It is their first time — will they settle in quickly?
The vast majority settle within the first 24–48 hours. The activity leaders are trained to support that transition, and the fact that most of the group are returning campers helps newcomers integrate quickly: someone will soon explain how dinner works, where the evening show is held or who is who on the team.
What if they have never slept away from home?
It is common and not a problem. Bedrooms group children of similar ages, activity leaders are housed in the hostel itself, and the first day’s routine is designed so that night arrives after many hours of shared play. Healthy tiredness does most of the work.
Is it normal to miss family?
It can happen, especially during a first camp and mostly in the first few days, but activity leaders support those moments and maintain regular contact with families to offer reassurance. The sign that everything is going well usually appears quickly: when the next morning the child is already asking about the next game, the previous night’s homesickness is forgotten.
How do we receive news during the camp?
On the first day we send a text message confirming the coach has arrived at the camp. From the following day, participants call home every 3–4 days, using their own mobiles if they brought them or phones we provide. Each day a camp diary with photos and videos is published on social media. For queries, the office is available 10:00–14:00, and the camp coordination telephone is available 24 hours for any emergency.
What makes so many children want to come back?
Difficult to sum up in one sentence, but families usually point to three things: the team of activity leaders — many of them former campers themselves — the well-balanced mix of mountains and coast, and the feeling of belonging to a group that reunites every July. They call it «the Villar feeling», and it describes pretty well what happens.
Want to explore Villar in depth?
See all the practical details of the Villar Multi-Adventure Camp: sessions, ages, places and enrolment.
View the Villar Camp
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