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Municipality in Cantabria, Spain
Photo: Fernando, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Santander is the capital and largest city of the province of Cantabria on the north coast of Spain, with a population of 175,000 in 2025. Its beaches draw Spanish visitors; most international visitors are just passing through via the ferry port, but its churches and museums are worth a longer stay.
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Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Santander
Two-level Gothic church: the lower level (Iglesia del Cristo) was built from the 12th century, the upper Basilica mostly in the 13th, then the cloister was added. Don't visit during Mass, usually M-F 11:00 & 18:30; Sa 11:00, 17:00 & 20:00; and Su 12:00, 13:30, 17:00 & 20:00.
Remarkable collection of paintings and sculpture from the 19th to 20th centuries, from Italian, Flemish and Spanish schools and a painting of King Fernando VII by Goya.
An impressive museum, ranging from the Paleolithic through Roman to medieval periods. Signage includes English.
Contemporary art exhibitions.
Contemporary art centre in former industrial warehouses, with permanent & temporary exhibitions. It's owned by Fundación Enaire, a branch of the Ministry of Transport, with aeronautics a major theme.
Maritime heritage, natural history and an aquarium.
Art gallery at the base of a lighthouse, featuring the works Eduardo Sanz mainly of lighthouses and a strange collection of lighthouse images from popular culture on everything from matchboxes to liquor bottles.
Casa Velarde
17th-century building, birthplace of artillery captain Pedro Velarde y Santillan, with antiquities and period furnishings, kitchen utensils, paintings. Visit by guided tour starting on the hour.
An area of open-cast mining landscaped into a wildlife park and zoo. It's 15 km south of Santander in the village of Cabárceno.
This hosts theatre, pop and jazz concerts, conferences, art exhibitions and workshops.
This hosts art exhibits, film and lectures.
Huge modern venue for classical music and ballet.
Inexpensive trad cuisine.
Cheerful tapas bar.
Slick and central.
Convenient place for fast food.
Down-home Cantabrian cooking.
Reliable place for grills and the like.
Good choice for grills.
Cheerful inexpensive pizzeria.
Paella and other rice-based dishes.
Decent Chinese cuisine.
Good Mexican cuisine.
Friendly place for trad cuisine.
Popular Italian restaurant.
Chinese cuisine, filling portions.
Turkish comfort food.
The city's only Indian restaurant, for when you want a change from tapas.
Upmarket Cantabrian meals.
Sushi, sashimi and other Japanese cuisine.
Great reviews for their trad cuisine.
Traditional and rustic food.
Upscale edge-of-town dining.
Upscale wining and dining, better seating is upstairs.
Friendly upscale seafood restaurant, gets admiring reviews.
Excellent seafood restaurant.
Fine dining and wining overlooking the beach.
Quality seafood restaurant.
Good business-type hotel, clean, central and efficient.
Clean friendly business-type downtown hotel.
Small rooms, but clean & cosy and near the beach.
Comfy place a block back from Sardinero beach.
Slick comfy hotel on Sardinero beach.
Comfy inexpensive place in city centre.
Pleasant hotel at north end of beach.
Good modern chain hotel downtown.
By bus
Estaciónes are the trio of bus, mainline railway and cercanías railway stations, adjacent in city centre. The bus station has the most facilities.
By train
Renfe trains run 5 times a day from Madrid Chamartín, taking 4-5 hours via Segovia, Valladolid, Palencia and Reinosa. One train a day starts from Alicante.
By boat
Britanny Ferries sail to Santander across the Bay of Biscay, notorious for its Atlantic swells.
By road
From Madrid follow E5 north past Burgos, 400 km.
The city sprawls, but the places of interest are within a compact centre best explored on foot. From Town Hall and the cathedral out to Magdalena headland or Sardinero beach is 4 km.
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Santander · Regional · SDR
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