There are different trends in the classicist tradition. Therefore, in the early 18th century, architects such as Gregorio de la Roza arrived in Cantabria introducing a clearly Palladian influence shown, for instance, in the chapter house of the collegiate church of Santillana.

Another classicist trend was that developed by the architect Francisco de la Herrería Velasco, with two-storey buildings with dressed stone façades and porches usually with pointed arches. This trend prevails in many buildings in Santillana such as the Town Hall or the casona of the Barreda family, or Don Borja tower, among others. Also, the district of Mercadillo and Vitote in Liérganes show this trend perfectly.

The decorated classicism from the vicinity of the Ebro appears in the casona of Miera Rubalcaba in Liérganes, with an orchad enclosed by a wall which has an angle iron* at the north-western side, the so called Cross of Rubalcaba, with the arms of Miera, Rubalcaba, Velasco, Riba and Agüero. A similar example is the Benemejís Palace in Santillana del Mar.

In the early 18th century, a full Baroque style was imported into Cantabria from the Castilian foci such as Salamanca. The Soñanes Palace in Villacarriedo is a representative example of this decorated classicism.

One more Baroque influence appears in the Elsedo Palace in Pámanes, considered the most important building made in Cantabria in the 18th century.