Overview to Santander: Travel Guide and Tourist Information
Santander is one of Spain’s most attractive and, in many ways, most underrated destinations. A small city, it demonstrates nearly all of what’s so great about the country: friendly people, attractive old quarters, fine food, and even some excellent beaches.
As well as its impressive cathedral (on Plaza Obispo Jose E. Eguino), the city contains a couple of museums. Of these, the Museo de Bellas Artes has a good collection, while the Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueologia offers a fascinating insight into the area’s history.
But what really makes the city stands out is the combination of its beaches and stunning natural setting. Out to the east and capped by a striking palace, the Peninsula de la Magdalena is a fantastic little wooded hump of sandy pathways and tiny coves.
The busiest beaches (with good surfing and sunbathing opportunities) are the closest to the city: El Sardinero’s Playa Primera and Segunda. But other great spots include the Playa de Bikinis, and, slightly further afield, the quieter beaches of Matalenas and Molinucos.
Naturally, when it comes to eating out in the city, seafood tends to feature quite highly. Cheap seafood is plentiful in the Puerto Pesquero and the tapas bars on and around Calle Pedrueca and Calle Daoiz y Velarde, while the hub of the city’s nightlife is the nearby Plaza Canadio.
There’s also an atmospheric old market – the Mercado de la Esperanza – which can be found in the Plaza de la Esperanza (a little to the west of the center). This is very much the place to pick up cheap groceries for a picnic or a day on the beach.
Away from the city, the rest of the province of Cantabria stretches away. With its gorgeous beaches, and some fantastic trekking in the Picos de Europa, Santander acts as the gateway to one of the most beautiful and unvisited parts of Spain.
