Santander

Santander, Spain

Santander is famous for its fabulous beaches and its elegant holidaymakers: King Alfonso XIII used to spend his summers here nearly a hundred years ago, and the town is still popular among fashionable madrileños who like to be seen sauntering along the El Sardinero seafront with its belle époque architecture. When the sun goes down, the town is busy, with great restaurants and a lively bar scene. It is also a good place from which to explore the pristine countryside of Cantabria.

Population:

178,465

Currency:

1 Euro = 100 cents

Emergency Numbers:

Emergency 112
Fire 080
Civil Guard 062

Opening Hours:

Shops open from 9/10 am to 2 pm, and from 5/5.30 pm-8/8.30 pm. Banks are open Monday to Saturday, 8.30 am-2.30 pm.

Newspapers:

El País, ABC and El Mundo (Spain’s main national newspapers)
Crónica de Cantabria (www.cronicadecantabria.com)
El Diario Montanés (www.eldiariomontanes.es)

The City

Santander is an upmarket beach resort where kings have rubbed shoulders with fishermen, and where university students in flip-flops kick back with well-heeled holidaymakers. The most popular of its beaches is El Sardinero, which, with its fine white sand and elegant architecture, lies a couple of kilometres from the town centre. Playa de la Magdalena, on the southern side of the headland, has a water sports centre while Playa del Bikini is good for snorkelling. If they are all too crowded, visitors can take a boat over to the long stretches of sand at Somo.

Away from the seafront, the city centre is lively, especially after dark. Many of the older buildings were lost in a huge fire in 1941, but there is still some beautiful architecture from bygone times. The elegant cathedral has been restored, and there are some interesting museums.

Do & See

Santander is a city favoured by Spanish holidaymakers - the abundance of beautiful sandy beaches, natural parks, and dramatic cliffs make it perfect for the outdoorsy. However, a lively nightlife and curious museums (one that certainly deserves attention is the Cantabrian Prehistory and Archaeology museum) ensure there is something for everyone. For a day-trip out of town, head to the scenic village of Santanilla del Mar or the prehistoric caves at Puente Viesgo.

Dining

Cantabrian cuisine is as varied as its landscapes - fish and seafood turn up alongside game, veal and beef on local restaurant's menus. Some specialties typical of the region include rice cooked Santander-style (with milk and salmon), hake fish in green sauce, fried calamari rings (rabas), tuna pot (sorropotun), anchovies, sardines, and hearty stews (try the venison stew or the so-called "mountain-stew" - cocido montanes - with beans, chorizo sausage bits, greens, and black pudding).

Cafes

The selection of cafes in Santander is very decent, ranging from the ubiquitous tapas-bars to bakeries and even ice cream parlours serving high-quality home made gelato. Many cafes double as bars in the evening, when beer and wine come to replace the daytime "lungo" and "cortado". Santander is also famous for its pastries and delicious cheesecakes (quesadas pasiegas).