20 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN SANTANDER

Santander was one of the first Spanish cities we visited together and how cold we went! But the memory we have is very good. Almost as good as the stew we got between chest and back. And it is that Santander is one of the destinations in Spain where you eat best, but it is also a charming city, with a spectacular natural environment. If you are looking for ideas of things to see and do in Santander You're in luck: we will recommend 20 safety pins from the Cantabrian city.

1. Everyone knows Santander because of its stately air and there are even those who call it a somewhat posh destination. But do not think that you will receive a stretched, boring and cold city: in Santander there are hundreds of opportunities to get out of pintxos and celebrate whatever is For everything high. It is best to go to the Cañadio Square, to Santa Lucia Street, or to the Hernán Cortés Street which are the liveliest areas, to start taking the pulse of this city.

2. Leave laziness at home and go for a good walk through the Santander Bay. Many believe that it is one of the most beautiful in Spain, and it does not surprise us at all. Our advice is that you start in the Puertochico neighborhood, one of our favorite corners of the city, full of personality and picturesque places.

3. And of course come to know the Sardinero Beach. If you get caught in summer (or rather, on a good summer day) you can even take a dip in the cold waters of the Bay of Biscay. But go when you go is one of the best things to do in Santander.

4. Did you know that in Santander there is a funicular? Its about Funicular Rio de la Pila, which ascends to the Rio de la Pila viewpoint from where you will have beautiful views of the city and its bay. Beyond the tourist use, this project was destined to save the steep slope of this area of ​​the center of Santander, and help the neighbors to arrive at one of their 4 stops (yes, 4 stops in only 78 meters!). It is located on Calle Río de la Pila 36 and can be climbed for free.

5. The Cabo Mayor Lighthouse, opened in 1839, is one of the emblems of Santander, and although it is somewhat remote from the city center, it is worth getting here to enjoy its surroundings. It is in the Cabo Mayor Park, with beautiful trails that approach the impressive cliffs, to the Cabo Mayor Lighthouse Viewpoint. Finish the tour by drinking a beer in El Faro Café Bar while watching the sunset is one of the best plans in Santander.

6. Have you touched a few days so good that the Cantabrian invites you to playeo? In addition to the Sardinero, there are other very interesting beaches around Santander, such as the Mataleñas beach, the Los Peligros beach, the Los Bikinis beach, the Camel Beach or the furthest La Maruca beach. You will soon realize that the water is only suitable for the brave, but the Cantabrian beaches are a real past.

7. If instead the day dawns rainy and in Mordor plan, do not worry, there are many things to do in Santander (without the need for sun and vitamin D). A good idea is to know some of the city ​​museums. Our favorites are these:

• The Botín Center, a hyper-modernist building where works of art from Miró, Matisse or Bacon are exhibited, in addition to beautiful views (€ 8 entry).
• The Museum of Prehistory and Archeology of Cantabria, with collections of utensils of the Paleolithic era, not surprisingly Cantabria is a region with extraordinary archaeological wealth (€ 5 entry).
• The Maritime Museum ofCantabrian, where to learn more about this sea and the immense, hard and sacrificed work of fishermen and life in the Bay of Biscay (€ 8 entry).

8. And speaking of the Cantabrian ... do you visit a anchovy factory in Santoña? This is possibly the product of which the Cantabrians feel most proud and knowing a traditional canning plant is something very typical to do in Santander. This tour includes the visit and a boat trip.

9. Surely we have already opened your appetite. So it's time to recommend 4 of the best pintxos bars in Santander. You have to try those of Cañadío Restaurant, better if you agree there on a Wednesday, when the pintxos instead of the canonical € 2.5 cost only € 1. Another is the La Montaña Winery, where it is better to go on a Sunday night as from 20:00 a pintxo and a drink leave for € 1.5. The following recommendation is Lita House, with varied and quality pintxos. And finally, the tortilla pinxto in Zissou!

10. A visit to Santander without going through the Magdalena Peninsula it would not be the same. There stands the Palace of the Magdalena that the city of Santander gave Alfonso XIII to enjoy it as a summer residence (often a gift, I always have socks on Christmas!). Entering the palace costs € 3. It is not the only attraction, the views of the bay from there are incredible, and on your walk you will find the monument to Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente and beautiful gardens.

11. Of the things we enjoy most about Santander and which we keep beautiful memories was touring the Mataleñas Trail, a path that leaves from the north of Sardinero Beach and runs on the cliff through Mataleñas park. Especially the little Playa de Monilucos freaked us out and if you pass it and continue, later on you will reach the Cabo Menor Viewpoint. We got caught a day and we got wet a lot, so we will have to return in summer to enjoy it as it deserves. If you have the strength you can follow and connect the route with the Cabo Mayor, which we talked about in another previous point.

12. Learn the history of the famous statues of the Raqueros, which represent some children about to dive into the water. They say they were poor children who threw themselves into the water to collect the coins that noble and rich threw into the water.

13. You cannot leave Santander without eat some stupid as God commands. They say the best are those of Cos & Cos Bar, although it also deserves to gain a few kilos compared to those of the Radio Tavern and those of Laury Restaurant. Mind you: never, never ask for squid! Rabas and period.

14. Visit the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, the most important and well-known church in Santander. It looks similar to an abbey, and it is built in the twelfth century on the ruins of an ancient monastery. In the following centuries it was expanding, and, although with reconstructions, it resisted 3 events that seriously damaged it: the explosion of Cape Machichaco in 1893, the Civil War and the fire of Santander of 1941, which razed the historic center of the city. Admission is € 1.

Once inside the Cathedral, you can go up to the Bell Tower (€ 2) where the Interpretation Center of the History of the City is located with a model of the medieval Santander.

15. The Cathedral is one of the interesting buildings to visit in the historic case of Santander, but you can't skip the town hall, the Hope Market, wave Porticada Square where you can visit the ruins of the ancient walls (entrance price € 2). Although it is best to lose yourself aimlessly through its alleys ... surely you find places full of charm that do not have to leave in any guide. And if you get tired, stop for a wine and a pintxo and continue!

16. All the big cities hide corners where you can take a moment to relax and escape the hustle and bustle. Sometimes they are urban parks, other times they are viewpoints in the upper neighborhoods, and in Santander it is Zaera's Dune. This is the name of a platform with several steps (grandstand style) that overlooks the Bay of Santander and where to go to say goodbye to the day, although any time is good for sunbathing, breathing the breeze and watching the boats go by.

17. And another one of these perfect places to do something along the way or take a quiet walk are the Piquio Gardens, in the heart of Sardinero Beach. There are benches from where to contemplate the immense beach, and a monument with the world ball, which is not only a decorative element, but has a value as an astronomical instrument. And it is placed in such a way that the light that receives each part of the ball at a precise moment coincides with the real light of that place! Here you can see more info.

18. Do you like neoclassical buildings? Then go to the nearby Great Casino of the Sardinero, one of the most beautiful mansions in the city. And if you feel like trying your luck, we will not be the ones who judge you 😉

19. After an epic night, in which you won a few thousand € in the roulette of the Grand Casino and spent them in several places in Santander, it is best to spend the hangover having breakfast in one of the terraces of the Pombo Square, with his famous carousel, like the mythical Pombo coffee.

20. Do you have several days of weather and the weather is still on your side? We propose these day trips from Santander:

• Spend the day at El Puntal beach. To arrive you will have to take a boat that for about € 4.10 (i / v) takes you there in 15 minutes. More info here.
• Visit the Altamira cave and then the beautiful town of Santillana de Mar, one of the most beautiful (but the most) of Cantabria. More information and reservation.
• Take a trip to The peaks of Europe, that do not need any presentation and are one of the great treasures not only of Cantabria, but of all Spain. More information and reservation.

Here is a map where we show you the best things to see and do in Santander:

These are 20 ideas from the best things to see and do in Santander, ideal for a first visit. Don't you think And if you have more doubts about Santander we recommend you to go through Regi's blog, which is a santanderina of pure strain. Do you know more things to see and do in Santander?

* Photocredit: Shutterstock