Santander has retained its charm despite the huge fire that devastated its historic heart in 1941. While that destroyed many of the older buildings, it only galvanised the locals to rebuild in style. The different neighbourhoods provide a study in contrasts, while the nearby beaches and pinxto bars mean that idling away a holiday here is never anything less than thoroughly pleasant.
A perfect peninsula
While Santander already juts out to sea, it has its own peninsula - Península de la Magdalena – at its eastern edge, a place that’s a magnet for visitors. It’s a park where the locals come to stroll admire the sea, but there are sea animals here too, including penguins and seals.
The other main draw out here is the Palacio de la Magdalena, a palace finished in 1912 and open for guided tours. The Spanish royal family holidayed here through to 1930, and you visit the king’s study and admire the often surprising exterior decoration.
Botin and boquerones
The oldest remaining streets in Santander are to be found in the El Sardinero, close to the beaches, but the city’s newest addition is the bold Centro Botin. It’s got a prime position on the waterfront, not too far from the cathedral and aged monuments nearby. Designed by the noted Renzo Piano, this cultural centre is in the modernist style and is home to galleries and viewing platforms.
Contrast it with a walk around the city’s more venerable tapas and pinxto bars. If you’ve been to Barcelona or Madrid, you’ll spot some differences here, with a focus on the seafood of the north coast. On Calle Gomez Arena, La Conveniente is simple and unfussy but hugely popular. Local cheeses and sausages are the focus, and there’s a huge wine selection, if you’re parked up for the night. Pinxtos – or pinchos – are the order of the day in many places – inventive hot (caliente) and cold (frio) mini-dishes that usually cost just a couple of euros each. Try some creative takes on these at Calle de Daoiz y Velarde’s Asubio Gastrobar.
The Calabrian coast
There’s more to Calabria than its capital, of course, and with Santander car hire you can head to wonderful places such as Altamira. This town is home to caves featuring incredible examples of prehistoric art, well over 10,000 years old. Or perhaps the medieval town of Santillana del Mar, a handsome hamlet with cobbled streets and majestic old buildings – note that the town’s heart is closed to non-resident traffic to preserve it. West of here is Comillas with its collection of striking 19th century Modernista architecture. Gaudi may be more associated with Barcelona, but the Capricho de Gaudi is one of his earliest works, built in 1885.
