Santander Tourist Information and Santander Holiday Guide

To make the best of your visit or holiday to Santander we cover everything you need to know about Santander. We also have photos, picture galleries, views, videos and webcams of Santander.

SANTANDER LOCATION

Situated on the north west coast of Spain, Santander is approximately 250 miles from Madrid. An elegant historical city which is the capital of the Cantabria region, Santander was a popular resort with the aristocracy from the mid-nineteenth century onwards. Unfortunately in 1941 a fire destroyed much of the old historic quarter. Nevertheless Santander still retains much of its historic buildings and feel. Today Santander is a very fashionable town with lovely beaches and a pretty waterfront promenade. There are many wide tree-lined boulevards and many good quality hotels and fine restaurants.

SANTANDER HISTORY

Santander's fortress-like cathedral was badly damaged by the 1941 fire, although it has now been fully restored. Inside is the tomb of writer and historian Marcelino Menendez y Pelayo, who was born in the city in 1856. The cathedral is also notable for its Gothic cloister and 12th century crypt. In 1983 Roman ruins were found underneath the main aisle.

For an insight into the area's prehistoric origins, the Museo de Prehistoria y Archaeologia houses some interesting artifacts discovered within the province. Highlights include several finds from the prehistoric caves at Altamira, as well as some Roman pieces from local hill forts.

The Museo de Bellas Artes is home to an interesting collection of paintings by Francisco de Goya, including a series of etchings entitled 'Disasters of War', and a fine portrait of Fernando VII. Founded in 1907, the museum also contains works by Flemish, Italian and local Cantabrian artists.

SANTANDER BEACHES

Santander has many fine beaches, most of which are clean and well maintained. One of the most popular, Playa del Sardinero, is situated a couple of kilometres from the city centre in the elegant suburb of El Sardinero. Alongside the beach, which is one of the least polluted in Europe, is a promenade lined with various hotels, restaurants and 19th century mansions.

The Magdalenas peninsular, located to the south of El Sardinero, has a number of attractions including the Palacio de la Magdelena. Built in 1911 as a summer residence for King Alfonso XIII, this English-style palace hosts the city's music and theatre festival in July and August. The Magdalenas peninsular is also home to a small zoo, which contains various animals including seals, polar bears and penguins. The small Blue Flag beach of El Camello is located nearby.

To the north of El Sardinero, situated within the Cabo Menor, is the large open space of Matalenas Park. Here you will find a lighthouse, another small zoo, and the local golf course. There are some beautiful coastal walks along the cliff top. If you want to get completely away from the city for a while, take a 15-minute boat trip to the beach at El Puntal, known for its spectacular sand dunes.

GETTING TO SANTANDER

There are flights from Madrid, Barcelona, Dublin and London Stansted to Santander's international airport, around 4 miles (6km) from the city centre. A regular bus service runs between the airport and Santander train station. The city is also an important port, with Brittany Ferries running a regular service to Santander from Plymouth in the UK.

SANTANDER WEBCAMS

Live webcam of Santander overlooking the skyline of the city including the beaches, Piquio, Casino, Bay of Santander, port of Puertochico and the island of Mouro Cantabria.

What is a Santander WebCam or Santander web cam? Santander webcams show you live pictures and views of the Spanish city of Santander. A Santander webcam is a camera connected to the Internet. Sometimes these are also referred to as Santander cams or cams of Santander.

SANTANDER TOURIST OFFICES

Below we have the addresses and phone numbers for two official tourist offices in Santander:

Estación Marítima, 39001 Santander Cantabria
Tel: +34 942 31 07 08

Jardines de Pereda, 39004 Santander Cantabria
Tel: +34 942 21 61 20

WORKING IN SANTANDER

If you are coming to the Santander area to search for jobs and work read more on getting jobs in Spain.

MOVING TO SANTANDER - LIVING IN SANTANDER

If you have found this guide on Santander because you are thinking moving to the Santander area you may also find our moving to Spain section with expat interviews and accounts of how they found their move to Santander Spain, useful and informative, as well as our living in Spain section which has more tips and advice.

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Santander Tourist Information - Page Summary - This page contains unique content about the elegant city of Santander on the north-east coast of Spain.

Related Santander Pages: Santander Map