Santander, the lost Jewel of Northern Spain

Though a coastal city spreading along one of the most beautiful natural harbours, it boasts a few ski resorts a mere 90 minutes' drive from Santander. In the summer time, these ski resorts benefit from the area's excellent trekking places, like Potes and Reinosa. The Picos de Europa, one of the highest mountain ranges in Spain, gives the traveler an excellent opportunity to escape from the overcrowed and somewhat popular South.

But if a mountain destination is not your sort of thing and you prefer a less sporty trip, then head to the fantastic beaches - either the ones found in Santader or those nearby. Most of them have 'the blue flag,' a European recognition of cleanliness and beauty given every year to a few beaches all over Europe.

The nightlife is fantastic, especially in the summertime, when the city doubles in size with nationals arriving from all over Spain. Head towards El Sardinero, with its bars, terraces, and ice cream parlours.

Quick Tips:

If you go, do not miss the restaurants near the port. You will not try better fish. A personal recommendation: La Gabiota Restaurant.

Best Way To Get Around:

The city's public transport is excellent, and cheap too--some even have TVs for a mere 10-minute ride and 1 euro. The service is extended the in the summertime, running more often and later into the night.

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The hotel recently underwent complete renovation to restore it to its original genuine splendor. Spacious guest rooms, halls and lounges were redecorated and equipped with a flair for tradition and style combined with the needs of the discerning traveler. Magnificently situated in the chick residential area and surrounded by private gardens, the hotel commands stunning views over the bay.

The city and the mountainous surroundings are only a stone''s throw away from vast sandy beaches, el sardinero and the casino. The restaurant El Puntal with a spectacular view over the bay and Cantabrian Mountains offers a welcoming and luxurious atmosphere for guests to enjoy the fine continental and Spanish cuisine of its well-known chef. In summer the popular La Caseta Del Real serves Spanish snacks and light meals. The Theros Bar is ideal for cocktails and lighter fare.

Water sports are a few minutes walk away, and hotel guests have access to the famous Royal Golf of Pedrena, located across the bay. Every kind of mountain sport is 70-90 kilometers away, and most other sports a short distance from the hotel.

Number of Rooms:  123 Guest Room Photos:  123 rooms and suites, all of them spacious and luminous, equipped with all modern facilities, are exquisitely decorated featuring many of their original stylish furniture. Some of them have beautiful views over the bay.

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Its style is described as Cour jardin if that tells you anything, immersed in a kind of belle epoque atmosphere of the avenida de los Hoteles. The Casino, with its two palace-like towers pointing up to the sky like Neptune´s trident, has one of its façades almost kissing the hotel, only separated by the Plaza de Italia. The plaza is the center of El Sardinero district: full of bistros, icecream stands, kiosks, bars and restaurants. And of course the Playa del Sardinero across the road.

In an establishement with a relative capacity you would not expect a high level of infrastructures, but that should not stop you from demanding a pristine service. This is exactly what you get and what you would hope for, a confident and resolutive service.

A tip: ask to have a room looking towards the beach.

If the weather allows it, you can eat outside, just above the beach, on the veranda. I recommend you try it at lunchtime. Nighttime looses most of its charm, unless of course it's summer time! MENU

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Santander, as a coastal city, has a large range of seafood and fish at fairly low prices. However, you should be careful where you order it!! Not everywhere is as good as they paint it to be! Spend a little bit more and give yourself a treat, try the area around the port or head off directly to EL Balnerio de la Magdalena and you will notice the difference from anything you have tried anywhere else...

As for the meat, Santander is also close to the mountains so it has good meat too. Remember: The best guides are always the walking guides are the locals. They have the most up to date info and they will tell you good places to eat, if of course you can make yourself understood...

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This restaurant, situated not far from the city center, is on one of Santander's oldest parts (that of course didn’t burn on the dramatic fire of 1945). It created its own style by asking famous national artists to paint the "faces" of wine barrels and exhibiting them all over the ample dinning room.

The menu is extensive - ranging from tapas to more voluptuous plates. I recommend the Pimientos Rellenos stuffed peppers. Delicious.

It would be a good idea to reserve a table on weekends, as it can get crowded.

Santander, the capital of Cantabria, is a modern cosmopolitan city of over 180,000 inhabitants situated on the southern coast of one of the most beautiful bays in the world. Santander is a quiet city, perfect to take a walk to enjoy the views of the sorrounding landscape, to visit its parks and gardens or to enjoy the summer in any of its eleven beaches within a stones throw of the center...

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It is the most important building in the Sardinero area, surrounded by many bistros, cafes and of course the famous beaches... It is a great area to chill out after baking in the midsummer's sun. During night time it is also a good area to hang around when the terraces are full of ambiance.

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You can visit the market on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Though I recommend that you ask the locals, because the days change as quickly as they come. I must say that this only applies to the vegetables and fruit. The meat and fish market is permanent and indoor: inside a beatiful metal building, similar to the late 19th century French train stations...worth a visit...but be careful about falling into the temptation of buying fresh seafood...

Certainly, the market cannot be compared to Indian markets, there are no particular exotic foods, but you will get to see the locals and you will be able to buy cheap food.

But that is not the best, from the moment you set foot in the shop you are transported right back to your youth. It must take a lot of illusion and passion to make such a beautiful shop. The lay out is splendid, too, for such a small shop. You will surely meet the owner, too, a friendly Spanish lady who makes you understand the reason of this toy shop.

Certainly worth a visit. A museum where you don't pay to enter. It is not a souvenir shop, not at all! but you will surely find something to bring back home!

On Thursdays there are local bands playing. They have exactly the same protocol as any other band anywhere else: they always arrive late! (so relax and enjoy the latin feel). Check with them to find out what band plays: Last time it was a local band playing 1960`s music...tel: 00 34 942 311 200

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It is celebrated at the ship-like amphitheatre overlooking the bay of Santander, a magnificent view if you get to be at Sala Magenta.

A plus to be considered: it is not too expensive, though that depends on the seats you choose.

Enjoy the show!

It has beautiful views looking towards Picos de Europa mountain range, as well as the port and the bay.

There are many activities, primarily windsurfing and canoeing, for which you can rent gear from the white building on the beach itself.

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It was previously a copper mine and, since 1992, a drive through park has been created with a large, but not huge, diversity of animals - tigers, elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, wild horses, lions, and a long list of others. The surroundings are also worth noting with tiny gorges and winding roads that split the animal areas.

Worth a visit if you have kids.

El sardinero is located on the northern part of the city. It streches for about two kilometers along the coast though it also enters over land to include some of the most incredible residence areas.

At the mouth of the bay, the peninsula of La Magdalena sets the first landmark of the city. The Palace at its top, overlooks, like a safegard in his lighthouse, all the nearby territory and the beaches. The palace was converted into a summer university some years ago, when the monarchy sold the palace to the Cantabria government (for a symbolic figure). Nowadays, the Menedez Pelayo summer university offers many courses, both for national and international students. And the courses range from environmental political economy through to literature writting courses.

But let's continue... On the peninsula, you can find apart from the palace and its nearby buildings, the Bikinis beach and a small zoo. From the peninsula, we can walk towards the casino, and the Sardinero beaches. Only a short walk away. If you continue past the Casino, you will reach a small but beautiful park in between La primera and la segunda beaches. These beaches form what is called as the beaches of el sardinero. They are the most popular beaches, especially la primera just in front of el Casino. It is smaller but it attracts a larger amount of bañistas (swimmers).

You can reach el Sardinero by taking the number 1 bus, leaving from the bus stop in front of the Ayuntamiento, or from almost any stop in the paseo pereda. But ask the bus drivers because almost all buses go there. The ride: o.9o euros.

Slowly a small community grew around the monastery, becoming autarkic: fishing, growing cereals and raising animals. Since the land was rich, and it quickly brought prosperity to the area.

The saints, now the patron Saints of Santander, gave their names to the settlement: in latin sant emeter, thus Sant ander...

Years later, in the 13th century, a cathedral was built, with typicallly gothic architecture.

In the later years, in the 1800`S Santander became prosperous with its trade deals with the Antilles. And by the 1920's a palace was built, following the construction of The Hotel Real (see accommodation in the journal) and a casino, so as to transform Santander into an early beach resort, similar to Brighton or Biarritz.

The Palace called El Palacio de la Magdalena, set upon a little peninsula, was offered to the King Alfonso XIII. Such was the success that the royal family come every summer, bringing with them a whole lot of tourism from Madrid and from many other royalist areas. This still continues today, though the present monarchy prefres Tenerife to Santander. Yet it ha been a fantastic marketing move!

The fire of 1942 destroyed large parts of the city leaving it decimated and weak. It was not till the early 1960`s that tourism was once more boosted with d, realised that autarky was not possible. Santander gained a lot, receiving many French tourists...

The summer university, Menendez Pelayo, brought many foreign tourists. In fact, it was they that brought the bikini to the town, giving name to a beach by the magdalena peninsula.

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