Your flight to Santander introduces you to Cantabria’s (and northern Spain’s) modern and cosmopolitan provincial capital and a port city founded by the Romans. Seek out Santander’s monuments on foot, taking in the 12th-century temples of the cathedral and emblematic royal Magdalena Palace.
Explore the origins of Santander at the Regional Museum of Archaeology and Prehistory with its displays of ancient jewellery, weapons and medieval tombs. Explore the heart of Santander along the seafront gardens, entertainment venues and marina.
Away from the centre take a picnic down to the sandy beaches of La Sardinera and Magdalena or visit the pretty village of Santillana del Mar (10km west of Santander) for the famous Altamira Cave paintings. Or take a cable car to the heart of the Picos de Europa National Park from Fuente De (60km from Santander).
Locals in Santander love regional fresh fish and farmhouse cheeses. Dine on merluza (hake) in green sauce, oven-cooked besugo (red bream) or grilled sardines. Finish by sampling the varieties of local aguardiente (fire water) – the rare tinto, the sweet golden tostadillo and the high-quality orujo. |