Guide of Santander

Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria; situated on the north coast of Spain the city has a population of around 170,000. Santander has been a popular destination among Spanish royalty since the late 19th century, today it is popular with surfers and has a lively bar and restaurant scene.

A brief history of Santander

The Romans founded the first proper settlement in 21BC, and they originally named it Portus Victoriae, meaning Victory Harbor. It remained small and didn't develop much until the 8th century when it was settled by Hispano-Romans and Visigoths who were fleeing the Muslims in the south of Spain. The city has a perfect harbour and it prospered as a trading post and fishing port from the 12th century onwards. It became an important port for Castile in the later middle ages, and also for trade with the New World. Santander was officially established as a city in 1755.

Santander lost prominence to nearby Bilbao in the 17th century, but by the 18th century, it had bounced back to become Cantabria's principal city. The city was in its heyday in the early 20th century, when it established itself as a very fashionable destination because it was King Alfonso XIII and his wife's favourite place to holiday each summer. In 1941 the city sadly suffered a massive fire, which swept through the town and destroyed Old Town Hall, Jesús de Monasterio and Vargas streets and Atarazanas square buildings. The fire raged for two days, fanned by the warm southern winds and it changed the face of the city forever, as huge blocks of flats replaced the older small stone and wood buildings with balconies. Today, the town has been trialled as a Smart City and embedded with 12,000 sensors that collect data and then use this data to manage assets and resources in the city efficiently. Data is analyzed to monitor and manage traffic and transportation systems, power plants, water supply networks, crime, schools, libraries, hospitals, and other community services.

Things to do in Santander

One must-see, is Sandanters newest landmark, Centro Botín, which was built in 2017 by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano. It is a fantastic modernist building that houses a large art gallery, with futuristic viewing platforms upstairs that jut out dramatically over the Bahía de Santander. There is a lovely café, and the venue often plays host to arts and cultural events. History lovers should check out the Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria, housed in a beautiful building, just a 5-minute walk from the cathedral. Its Santander's principle archaeology and prehistory museum and many of the exhibits are interactive, so it's engaging for the whole family. After the museum, head for the cathedral, whose origins date back as far as the 12th century. Its structure is mainly Gothic, although it has been extended and renovated in later times. The maritime museum is another good place to take little ones, it is situated near the water and features an aquarium exhibits about local maritime heritage, whale skeletons, and a restaurant with excellent views over the bay.

Beaches around Santander

Sardinero beach is close to the centre of town and is a vast sandy expanse divided by the gardens of Piquio. A 40-minute walk east along the coast brings you to the beginning of the Magdalena peninsula, and the beach Playa de Magdalena. It's a sandy beach with beautiful green vegetation behind it; there is a play area for children and toilets available. Another of Santander's urban beaches is Playa Del Camello, or Camel Beach, owing to its name to the rocks shaped like a camel, the water is clean, and the beach is about 400m wide with golden sand.