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Santander is a beautiful city of 200,000 people set on a sparkling bay on the northern coast of Spain, not far from the French border. Santander is also within easy reach of the Cantabrian Mountains and the prehistoric art of the Altamira caves.  The coastal climate is mild year round, and bathing and surfings on the magnificent beaches are possible as late as mid-October. The city is an important cultural and intellectual centre, being the site of the renowned Universidad Internacional Menendez Pelayo and of the young and rapidly growing Universidad de Cantabria. Although Santander is not a particularly large city, it is peculiarly elongated.

Aside from the outlying areas that have sprung up around the city, there are two well-differentiated areas: the centre and El Sardinero. The centre is where you will find most of the shops, businesses and services, as well as the greater portion of monuments and tourist attractions. This is where the streets San Fernando, Burgos, Jesϊs de Monasterio, Calvo Sotelo Avenue and Paseo de Pereda all meet. Santander is economically extremely active and has an important port.

A good start to the day may be a breakfast in view of the bay in one of the classic cafes. We can find a great variety of typical restaurants of Cantabria in the Barrio Pesquero, the fishing district, including Italian, Chinese and Mexican restaurants, etc. In Santander the mountain-style cuisine is full of ages-old recipes, creatively adapted to new culinary trends, though without losing a single iota of its homely and rich flavour. The privileged geographical condition, with mountains, rivers and the sea all at hand, the food on offer is top-quality and made from the freshest ingredients around. Santander also offers nightlife until the early morning.

The Cathedral of Santander is a small Spanish gothic style church with three naves where you can appreciate different architectural styles.

In the Museum all aspects of marine life are represented from tanks of stingrays, sharks and turtles to displays explaining the daily life of Santander's fishermen. The museum also programmes temporary exhibitions and runs its own research projects. The sea has always played an important role in the town’s history, and this museum is a fascinating place to visit and find out more.

Banco de España is a neoclassical building, dating from the early twentieth century and housing the Bank of Spain's offices. It is a good example of the no-nonsense sobriety of this particular architectural style. It is in the centre of the city, near the Pereda Gardens.

Porticada square is officially known as Plaza Velarde, and it is one of Santander's best-known architectural features. Located in the centre of the city's commercial area, it owes much of its fame to the fact that between 1951 and 1991 Santander's International Festival took place here.

Interesting excursions from Santander are the medieval town Santillana del Mar and the highly interesting Caves of Altamira located a few kilometres from the capital.

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