When you think of Spain, not many people would think of going to Santander. However, this relatively unknown port city is a beautiful tourist destination that is famous for its beaches, parks, and the iconic Santander royal palace. With the stunning vintage houses, the fishermen’s pier, popular beaches, and the beautiful Cabarceno natural park, there are many things to do and see in Santander.
The best way to explore the beautiful port city of Santander is to rent a car. You will find many car rental companies in Santander, some of which even allow cross-border travel. It is an excellent idea to do a car rental comparison in order to find out the best car rental plans. If you compare car rental offers from a few different car rental companies, you will be able to get various cheap car rental plans, and you can pick one that best suits your budget. There is a a lot of car rental companies at the airport if you are looking for the best prices, you can check prices here: https://www.autospain.co.uk/city-santander/. With the rental cars in place, it is now time to explore all you can do in Santander.
1. Start your visit with the opulent Palacio de la Magdalena
The Palacio de la Magdalena is the symbol of Santander. You will need to drive your rent-a-car to the vast Magdalena Peninsula, towards the edge of the city. The Palacio de la Magdalena was built between 1908 and 1912 and is a famous example of this type of architecture throughout northern Spain.
The palace was initially used as a summer residence by the Spanish royal family, and today it is open for visitors and also for hosting grand events.
2. Visit the Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico
Santander has an important maritime heritage and the Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico celebrates this history. If The Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico, also known as the Maritime Museum of Cantabria, is located right next to the Los Peligros Beach, so you can make a day of it by parking your car rental at a suitable place nearby both the attractions.
The museum features everything you can imagine – from archaeology to natural history to shipbuilding, cartography, and ethnology. Some of the exhibits actually date back to 1790.
3. Check out the beaches
Santander is a fantastic beach destination, and there are many golden sandy stretches that are located in and around the city center. If you drive your rental car towards the southern part of the city, you can spend the day at the Playa de Los Peligros and Playa de la Magdalena. Towards the eastern part of the town, there is the 1300 meter long stretch of Playa del Sardinero.
You will find many restaurants, ice cream shops, surf schools, and public baths all along the beaches. The sea towards Santander is generally calm and safe for children to swim in.
Once you finish seeing all the sights of Santander, it is a great idea to check out the view from the Cabo Mayor Lighthouse. The lighthouse offers some of the most stunning views of the whole of Santander, as it stands tall at 91 meters above sea level. You can climb up to the top of the lighthouse to enjoy the scenic views of the city, beach, and the bay beyond.