Our city goes sometimes unnoticed in the north of Spain. 

Many travellers make a huge mistake, thinking that the already crowded Basque Country or neighbouring Asturias are the only places worth visiting. 

What a pity! At the same time, though, an advantage for those who want to get away from the beaten path.

Welcome to Santander!

This short guide will provide you with the team’s favourite spots, which are perhaps not the most touristy but are local!

Your day starts with a “pincho de tortilla” in La Tertulia. This tiny restaurant with only a few tables is famous for what we called «second breakfast»: a coffee break with a twist. Our first stop is the lighthouse of Santander, with heartwarming views and the start point of several trails. We will take the one heading towards Mataleñas, one of the most secluded beaches in the city. We will there be surrounded by a golf course and a path that takes you to the Sardinero area along cliffs and breathtaking views. 

Mataleñas beach.

Always walking along the seaside, you will arrive at the area of the Gran Casino of Santander, our emblematic Casino, a heritage building from 1916 that has witnessed many social events along its history. This is the main hotel area during the summer months and, for this reason, an excellent spot for food! Stopover in La Cañía terrace for classical vermouth (ask for «solera») with our «rabas» (fried calamari) and join the “santanderinos” in our “aperitivo”. As we believe in our team, “aperitivo” is anytime you wish between the second morning coffee and lunch! 

Once we get some energy, we will head to Palacio de la Magdalena, the most important building of our city built as a present for the Royal Family so they could come over on their summer holidays. Nowadays, this public building holds conferences and is a famous spot for weddings. Once you explore the park, we recommend that you dive into the sea and enjoy a swim on the nearby beach of Bikinis!

Afterwards, we will head to the city centre, where a bit of culture is awaiting. Our walk will take us first to the Maritime Museum to understand a bit more about the sea and its importance for Santander. 

We will pass by the old water pump house that was used to drain the nearby shipyard. Now, a popular restaurant in a great location. Then, you will walk by the sailing training centre followed by one of the city’s marinas. There, you will find a statue of the «raqueros» (a word nowadays derogative) that honours street kids who used to dive for coins into the old harbour. Following, we will check the temporary exhibition in the Palacete del Embarcadero, another building part of the old harbour area that has become a cultural centre. 

Is it lunch yet? Then Bodega del Riojano is the answer! Book a table in this historic venue, one of the few old bodegas remaining in the city. Popular with locals and visitors, it has a delicious menu to choose from with traditional and seasonal dishes for everyone! They cater for allergies and dietary requirements

Photo courtesy of Bodega del Riojano.

(mention it to the maitrê when you arrive).

After lunch, we will do a return trip on the cable car (free of charge) at the end of the street to admire another point of view of the city followed by a coffee in THE PLACE: Centro Botín, our Modern Art Museum. The museum organises multiple activities throughout the year (check their website!) and has an excellent permanent art collection. Don’t miss it! Once you end your visit to the exhibition, please go upstairs to their rooftop,  where you can see the sunset over the bay. 

Don’t miss the sunrise or sunset from Centro Botin rooftop.

Useful tip: Santander is a walkable city despite the hills (perfect reason to eat that ice cream with no regrets), and we recommend that you explore it walking. However, the public bus system is excellent, and you can reach the main spots in town for only 1,30€ each way. Taxis are also reasonable, and although Uber doesn’t exist here, we do have Cabify instead. Another option is to get public bikes that you can find in several stops around the city, the first hour is free, and then it goes from 2€ on. All these transport options accept credit card payments.