GUIDE TO VISITING SANTANDER
DISCOVER THE CHARM OF THE CITY OF SANTANDER
The city that turned the north into a summer resort
Much of Santander’s tourist identity began to take shape at the beginning of the 20th century, when King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenie chose the city as the court’s summer destination. From then on, Santander began to look to the sea from another perspective as well: that of sea bathing, elegant terraces, stately hotels, and a way of enjoying life that still forms part of its character today. Long before the idea of a “tourist destination” existed as we understand it now, Santander already cultivated a certain tradition of sophisticated summering.
Discover a balcony overlooking the Cantabrian Sea
That legacy remains in places like El Sardinero, the Gran Casino, and the Hotel Real, whose terrace continues to be one of the best balconies overlooking the entire coast in front of Ribamontán al Mar. The great symbol of that era is the Magdalena Palace, the former summer residence of the kings, located on the seafront on one of the most beautiful peninsulas in northern Spain.
A good starting point is the Botín Centre, designed by Renzo Piano, which has become one of the city’s major cultural landmarks. In addition to its program, it’s worth visiting simply to admire the views over the port and the Paseo Pereda. From there, the seafront promenade leads the visitor almost imperceptibly: skirting the Gamazo Wharf, passing by the Festival Palace (home of the prestigious Santander International Festival), and then continuing along the elegant Avenida de la Reina Victoria, which leads to the Magdalena Peninsula.
DISCOVER SANTANDER THROUGH ITS ARCHITECTURE
Further along, you’ll find the Piquío Gardens, one of those spots where you’ll want to stop for a while and gaze at the sea from one of its hidden corners. If the tide is low, you can even walk along the shore between the First and Second Sardinero Beaches. The two beaches are connected, and strolling between them is as quintessentially Santander as playing beach tennis.
The city’s architecture also tells its own story. After the great fire of 1941, which destroyed a large part of the historic center, Santander was rebuilt in a sober and elegant rationalist style that still defines many of its central streets.
Walking through Castelar, Puertochico, or the Paseo Pereda offers a good understanding of how the city managed to reinvent itself without completely losing its identity.
FEEL LIKE A “SANTANDERINO”
To get a glimpse into everyday Santander, the Mercado de la Esperanza is a fascinating stop. A vibrant market right in the city center, where locals still buy fresh fish, produce from the valleys, and seasonal vegetables. It’s worth pausing to observe the activity, listen to the conversations, and notice those who have been working at the same stall their whole lives. The Santander accent is at its most prominent there. Note: there’s no fish on Mondays.
In the Fishing Quarter, the atmosphere changes completely. The streets smell of the sea and retain a much more down-to-earth, maritime feel. Here, traditional bars and restaurants continue to operate, serving fish and seafood simply, just as they always have been.
A VISIT TO SANTANDER’S HISTORIC SIDE
For those seeking a moment of tranquility and a touch of history, Santander Cathedral holds within its Romanesque crypt one of the city’s most peaceful and little-known medieval corners. And to understand Santander’s historical relationship with the Cantabrian Sea, the Cantabrian Maritime Museum is well worth a visit, especially on those days when the weather invites you to seek refuge indoors.
ENTER SANTANDER AND START YOUR VISIT “THROUGH THE GRAND DOOR”
One of the most beautiful ways to reach Santander is by crossing the bay from Somo on the ferry. The historic Los Reginas boats make the journey several times a day throughout the year, and locals use them almost like a water bus. They arrive directly in the city center, next to the Botín Centre, and from there the city is easily explored on foot.
Entering Santander this way, from the water, has something special about it: the city gradually appears before the bay, and you immediately understand why the sea here absolutely shapes everything.
ONE LAST VISIT BEFORE RETURNING TO THE HOTEL
Before heading back, if the weather is nice, it’s worth visiting the Cabo Mayor Lighthouse.
From there, the Cantabrian Sea opens up in all its vastness: the clearest and flattest horizon you’ll find in Cantabria, completely unobstructed. Next to the lighthouse is an interpretation center about the history of navigation and maritime signals on this coast, but most people end up staying outside, gazing at the sea, and frankly, that’s enough.
NOW YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY SANTANDER WAS “The city that turned the north into a summer resort”
…That leisurely way of enjoying life that the vacationers of the early 20th century brought with them did not disappear when the kings left. Santander made it its own. It is a somewhat self-absorbed city, used to stopping in front of the sea and contemplating itself in it. Even the people of Santander themselves continue to admire, almost with a certain complacency, the views that the city offers from any corner near the water.
It’s hard to blame him.
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“Take advantage of your stay in Las Cinco Calderas to visit the city of Santander and discover the magic it offers its visitors in every corner”
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