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The history of Santander dates back to the Roman Empire. During their period, the town was named as Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium. The current name of the city has been derived from St Emeterio which is a martyr and according to legend it was brought there in the 3rd century.
The history of the city is very informative because you can learn a lot about the old civilizations. In the later Middle Ages, the city was considered as an excellent harbor and an important port for Castile. Santander became the city at official level in the year 1755.
King Alfonso XIII built the Palacio de la Magdalena and in 1900s, Santander became his favourite place to spend summers. Because of the preference of the Royal families, the city became quite popular among the visitors. It is also said about the city that it is one of the most popular places for Victorian sea bathing. Spanish people love to spend their vacations in Santander and at the same time exploring the memories of the old civilizations.
There are a number of historical monuments and places in the city which you can visit to explore the history of the city. However, for your convenience to move around the city you can get a car hire Santander.
Summer begins from 17th June and ends on 27th of September, during these months the temperature remains between 23C ? 17C. During these months the weather is pleasant and it makes it easier for the holiday-goers to enjoy the outdoor activities easily.
The winter starts from November and ends with early March, the temperatures during these months fall between 6C and 12C respectively, though for some people winters can also be a good time to visit the city of Santander as there are many activities and attractions which can be enjoyed during winters as well. Consult the weather chart to decide which season would be the best for you to visit Santander in Spain.
Weather of SantanderThe weather of Santander is moderate or mild. It is neither extremely high during summers nor freezing low during the winters. The weather of the city is very pleasant throughout the year and you can visit Santander in any month of the year.
The weather of the city is warm during the summer months. The average temperature of the city during summers is 20 degrees Celsius. July and august are most warm months of the city.
The average temperature during months of July and August is 25 degrees Celsius. The rate of rainfall in Santander is low in summers. The average rainfall during summers ranges from 25 mm to 45 mm.
The winters of the city are mild due to its northern location on the Peninsuilar. The average temperature during winters is 10 degrees Celsius. The coldest months of the city are January and December. The weather of city is well known for its high rain fall. The rate of rainfall during winters ranges from 30 mm to 70 mm. October is the most rainy month of the year and average rainfall during this month is 102 mm. The peak season from tourists is from May to August. Public transport is not suitable for tourists to move around the city because it is usually crowded with local people.
Arrival to SantanderSantander is near to many cities of Santander and world, so you can arrive to the city through various ways. The three major modes of transportation to get in the city are air, land and train.
You can reach in Santander via plane. The Santander airport is used for Internationalas well as domestic flights. The in Internationalflights include flights from London, Dublin, Rome, Milan, Amsterdam, Paris and Frankfurt.
For other Internationalflights you can use Bilbao airport. Taxi and bus stands are present at the arrival Terminal of the airport. Taxis costs 10 to 12 Euro from airport to main Santander city. Bus services are also available to get in the city.
ALSA bus service is one of the popular bus services. It operates from Madrid, Barcelona and other Spanish cities to Santander. A trip from Madrid to Santander takes about 5 hours and the fare of the journey is about 30 Euro. Train services area also available for example RENFE services. Its operate from many Spanish cities to Santander. You can reach Madrid in 5 hours in 35 Euro via RENFE. A trip from Barcelona to Santander takes about 9 to 11 hours. Beside all these mode of transportation, you can use ferry to enter in the city. These services travel twice a week.
City transportSantander provides you a cheap and affordable transportation. The city has a well developed infrastructure. In recent years, work has been done to improve the transportation services in the city. Finding transportation in Santander is not a big problem. The two main modes of transportation in the city include bus and taxi. Public buses are easily available at reasonable and affordable rates.
The fares of these buses are very low such as one Euro for each journey and considered as the cheapest way of transportation in the city. If you are planning to use public buses to move around the city then you can make a bus pass for 10-journey and can get a 50 percent discount.
You can get these passes from bus Terminal s. Information offices are also there to provide you information about the routes and schedule of the buses. For further information you can call on number +9 42 21 19 95. Taxi services are widely accessible throughout the city. Taxis are more expensive than buses but provide you a comfortable journey. The fares of the taxis are paid according to taxi meter installed in the taxis. Therefore, the drivers of the taxi cannot cheat you. The contact number of radio taxis Santander is +34 9 42 33 33 33.
Top Attractions Of SantanderThere are many parks, museums, beaches and theatres present in Santander so, it is considered as the most attractive city of Spain. Castro-Urdiales is the most attractive place of the city. It is a nice Gothic church and lighthouse of the city and located at seaside village in the east of Santander.
Laredo is another seaside village and situated to the east of the city. The other important village of the city include Potes, Reinosa, Santillana del Mar and San Vicente de la Barquera.
Prehistoric and Archaeological Museum of Cantabria are most popular museums of the city. Another most famous museum of Spain is Maritime Museum of Cantabria. Santander is considered as the most beautiful city of Spain because of its attractive beaches.
Magdalena Beach is the popular beach of the city. Sardinero Beaches is one more famous beach of the city. Tourists from all over the world want to visit Santander because of its beautiful views of the beaches.
Camel Beach and Mataleñas Beach are also well known places of the city. The Lighthouse at Cabo Mayor and the Devil Bridges are also including in the top attractions of the city.
The Tourists which have a great interest in historical and religious building should visit to Magdalena Peninsula and Cathedral of the city.
Santander is a city of Spain which is located in the west of Bilbao and east of Gijon. Santander is a beautiful city which has breath-taking views and beautiful villages. Some of the famous places in Santander are:
Garden and Promenade of Pereda ? these are the garden that was built to Jose Maria de Pereda. There is a stature as well in the garden in her memory. Besides this there are some places like Palace of la Compania Trasatlantica Espanola; which is a famous building and worth seeing.
Exploring Santander can be interesting as it is a popular beach resort which is admired by the locals and the tourists equally, along with this the city is also a popular place among the students as its is university town.
To explore this place the beaches are very popular especially the El Sardinero, if you are looking forward to some water sports then you should go to the southern part of the city where you can enjoy some water sports.
The night-life in Santander is very vibrant and you will find all the bars and clubs brimming with liveliness and happy people all around.
Eating in SantanderSantander is very famous because of its seafood. The traditional sea cooking of Santander attracts the tourists towards itself. The specialties of Santander cannot be found at other places in Spain with the real taste and flavor.
The people of Santander mostly like the seafood products and it is considered as the basic food of the city. Casa Mariano is the most famous restaurant of the city. The theme of the restaurant is local food.
Entretapas y’vinos is another restaurant which provides local food. The other local food restaurants include Café Espanol, Marucho and Restaurante Parrilla Gines. There are many restaurants in the city which offer you Internationalfood. Taj Mahal on Calle Santa Lucía is a top rated place for eating.
It is a Indian restaurant and offers Indian food. Five sauces plates with five types fry cut and sauce is the speciality of the restaurant. Sakura Serves Japanese cuisines and located near Cuatro Caminos. The best area to eat fish is Barrio Pesquero, near to fishing harbour. Senores Patatas on Calle Santa Lucía is a special restaurant for student and offers student priced meals. Capri on Paseo de Pereda is an ice-cream outlet and provides a great range of flavours. Plaza de Canadío is located in the centre of the old town and has many bars and cafes which offer you a large variety of drinks. If you want to visit all the restaurants of the city, then it is recommended to go for a car hire Santander.
The location of Santander beautifully represents its cuisine as well, which means you can get excellent taste in sea-food here. Besides the sea-food this place is also good for their cheese-cakes and pastries.
Some other places that are worth visiting if you are a dining out enthusiast are:
? Restaurante Canadio? Casa Lita? Tai Ka? Bodega Antonio? El Serbal? Casa Setein? La Tagliatella
Nightlife of SantanderSantander nightlife features bullfighting, traditional fiestas, musical evenings and tapas bars. This thrilling nightlife shows that nightlife in the city is Spanish in character. There are a number of Internationalclubs in the city which can provide you with the Internationaltastes.
The best Mediterranean resorts in the city include Benidorm and Ibiza. Bar hopping is one of the most preferred ways of Spanish people to spend nightlife. The nightlife in the city not only gives you a way to interact with people but you can also enjoy the delicious food like tasty morsels such as spicy potatoes, cured ham, and local cheeses.
For good tapas bars you can visit the area of Canadio and Santa Lucia. If you want to try good Spanish tapas then you should visit Rana Verde which offers traditional Spanish tapas. For enjoying the Spanish drinks you can visit Agua de Valencia. If you want to spend your nightlife in a lively and exciting atmosphere then you can visit EI Rocambole which offers the performances of the local bands.
There are many other places which you can visit to get a lot of fun like Gran Casino. In addition to jazz music, the classical music nights are also organized in many bars. Nightlife Santander can provide you a lot of options to spend a thrilling and exciting nightlife. However, to move around the city, you need to get a car hire Santander.
The best thing that makes Santander's night-life more exuberant is the fact that it is a University town, which means that there are many students coming in through the year, and the students definitely like to enjoy the nights out, generally the Spanish people go out to party after 11pm.
Santander is situated on the north coast of Spain. It lies between Asturias and the Basque Country. Asturia present to the west and the Basque country present to the east of the city. Santander is the capital of Cantabria. In 1755, Santander officially became a city. It was an important port for Castile.
In New World it was a well known place for trade. According to the 2007 Census, the population of Santander is 184,000. The density of the city is 5.226 hab per kilometer square. The coordinates of the city are 43 degrees, 27 minutes and 39.96 towards north and 3 degrees, 48 minutes and 33.84 seconds towards west. The land area of Santander is 35 kilometers square. The altitude of the city ranges from 0 to 15 meters.
Santander is the largest city of the province of Cantabria. The city was known as Portus Victoriae luliobrigensium under the rule of the Roman Empire. Its famous beaches are the most appealing factors which attracts the tourists towards the city. The most interesting features about the city are a small historic centre and a handful of beaches.
Magdalena Palace is an attractive place to visit which was used as a summer getaway of Spanish. If you want to explore the beauty and history of the city, you should go for a car hire Santander.
Santander is a major shopping place for many; the streets are filled with shops from where you technically you can buy anything you want. From sportswear, to clothing to designer clothes, name it and you have it. For boutiques and some high-end shopping head to Avenida de Calvo Sotelo.
The Mercado de la Esperanza is a hustling and bustling place where you can spends endless hours without knowing. Here you can find local stalls selling fresh fish and food as well, Santendar is not confined to high-end shopping or only clothes, but it has some great markets and local stalls which sells food and local souvenirs as well.
The Mercado de Mexico is a place where various vendors sell things like leather ceramics, oils, and it is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. A famous object when you are in Santander are the sobaos and quesada cakes which you can buy from Confiterias Gomez, this shop is very popular and you can easily find it as there are five different branches in the whole city.
Disabled Visitors SantanderSantander is one of the beautiful destinations of the world. Therefore millions of tourists visit the city every year. A great proportion of disabled visitors also visit the city. The reason is that the city shows a great concern towards the disabled visitors. For their convenience, a number of facilities have been provided in the city.
The care of the disabled visitors in Santander starts from the airport. At the time of seat reservation, the disabled visitors are advised to inform about their disability.
Throughout the journey special attention is provided to such people. After reaching in Santander, the disabled visitors need to inform the tourist information office at Santander airport. Wheel chairs are available for those disabled visitors who cannot walk. The entire airport has been designed in such a manner that wheel chairs can be easily moved in the airport.
The disabled visitors are given special permission to get their cars in the airport parking. For promoting tourism industry in the city, the hotels and restaurants are also focusing on providing special services to such people. For example, disabled visitors are usually given ground floor rooms in the hotels. In the case of unavailability of rooms, electric lifts are there. Although public transportation services can be used by the disabled people like other people however, for their own convenience and safety, they can get car hire Santander.
A good enough amount of disabled visitors visit the city of Santader, to begin with the airports have special arrangements for the disabled, and they have their own dedicated parking as well for physically disabled tourists. Not only airports take care of the needs for the disabled, but the hotels are also trying their best to facilitate the disabled by providing them convenient rooms on the ground floor and also getting designated cars for them.
The government is also making innumerable efforts to make sure that the tourism industry increases day by day. Due to this many restaurants are also changing the way their layout is by implementing designs for the disabled people.
A study of the demographics of the Santander shows that there is an inherent stability in the population of the state. This is primarily because of the fecundity of the population which matches the aging section of population. The tourists that migrate to the city of Santander might be seen as an increasing factor over the population of the Santander. But the Santander also sees a group of people leaving the city for urban areas. Thus there has been a more or less same population in the past decade or so! This in essence has contributed to the economy of the city.
Like most of the Spanish cities the city of Santander has a great diversity in customs and cultures. Most of the days the city is in a carnival! Every human being should spend a day of their life in this exciting city.
Without question Spanish is the most spoken language in this part of the country and quite a few people are conversant in English. The English language has been encouraged mainly for the comfort of tourists. Tourism is indeed the major source of income for Santander.
The eating habits of the Spanish people are very aberrant to those of other people in the world. They delay their afternoon lunch so much that they are perhaps the last set of people in the world to eat their lunch each day!
Despite the western culture infiltrating most of the areas in Spain Santander remains to be a chaste culture. It is still considered offensive if a woman wears a swim wear in any place other than a pool! Further the people of Santander are known to like denims to skirts and jeans. Smoking is seen as an unacceptable custom especially while travelling in buses and trains!
Many of the locations in the city could be reached if you have a car at your disposal.
Accommodation in SantanderThere are many hotels, apartments and hostels available in Santander so, to find accommodation in the city is not a big deal. There are various factors which affect the expenses of the accommodation. The hotels present in the centre of the city are more expensive as compared to the hotels present outside the city.
Hotel Real is considered as the best hotel of Santander. It is a five star hotel and provides many amenities to its customers like air conditioner, attach baths, TV with cable and car parking. It is a place style Hotel which is surrounded by a beautiful park. Santemar is a four star Hotel and located at Joaquin Costa.
This hotel gives a very beautiful view of Sardinero beach. It is one of the largest hotels in northern Spain. Gran Hotel Victoria is another four star hotel of Santander. It is located between the Gran Casino and the Magdalena Palace. The hotel offers equipped rooms with balconies and faces the Sardinero beaches. Other four star hotels in the city include Palacio Del Mar Suite Hotel Santander, Silken Coliseum and Silken Rio Santander. There are also many three star hotels present in the city which provide you extraordinary facilities at very reasonable rates.
These hotels include Hotel Escuela Las Carolinas, Nh Ciudad De Santander, Express Santander and Express Santander (Avenida Parayas 50 ).
The City Of SantanderSantander is situated on the north coast of Spain. It lies between Asturias and the Basque Country. Asturia present to the west and the Basque country present to the east of the city. Santander is the capital of Cantabria. In 1755, Santander officially became a city. It was an important port for Castile.
In New World it was a well known place for trade. According to the 2007 Census, the population of Santander is 184,000. The density of the city is 5.226 hab per kilometer square. The coordinates of the city are 43 degrees, 27 minutes and 39.96 towards north and 3 degrees, 48 minutes and 33.84 seconds towards west. The land area of Santander is 35 kilometers square. The altitude of the city ranges from 0 to 15 meters.
Santander is the largest city of the province of Cantabria. The city was known as Portus Victoriae luliobrigensium under the rule of the Roman Empire. Its famous beaches are the most appealing factors which attracts the tourists towards the city. The most interesting features about the city are a small historic centre and a handful of beaches.
Magdalena Palace is an attractive place to visit which was used as a summer getaway of Spanish. If you want to explore the beauty and history of the city, you should go for a car hire Santander. These services are cheap and reliable as compared to other public transport in the city.
Santander is the most popular city of Spain.? It provides a lot of amenities to its Tourists. There are many tourists? information offices in Santander which show a great concern towards the tourists. You can contact these information desks in the case of any emergency. It is better for you to note down the emergency contact numbers of the city before visiting Santander. Some important emergency contact numbers a
24 Hour emergency service: 112 (area code is not required)
Robbery or accidents: 90 21 10 21 12
Road accident or any other mishap: 90 01 23 505
Emergency service: 91 52 49 700
Medical emergency: 061
Fire brigade service: 97 13 13 030 / 97 13 22 661
Police service: 092
Hospedaje Magallanes: +34 94 23 71 421
Hotel Chiqui: +34 90 228 27 00
To find transportation in Santander is not a big task. Taxis and buses are easily available.
Santander being a city of the Spain comes under the Euro currency sector. Because of the fact that the city has adopted the euro as their National currency one can easily convert their native currency to the euro through one of the banks in the city.
The banks of the Santander usually work from 9 am in the morning to 4 pm in the evening. In summers and Saturdays shortened work hours can be expected. Banks usually have quite a few people who are reasonably good at conversing in English.
One of the big problems that a tourist faces when they travel to a new country is the currency conversion issue. While it is true that conversion of currency is not a big deal these days one has to be very careful to keep an eye on the conversion rates of each currency which could see enormous changes even in a short period of time due to the dynamic markets.
Further the rates offered by banks at your country would never be as good as the ones that are offered by the banks in the foreign country and in money exchangers. One has to research extensively about the available alternatives before choosing one option.
If you are buying a souvenir or something you might want to know a thing or two about the Spanish sales taxes. There is an IVA associated with each purchase of good. This IVA is the internal tax that has to be paid to the Spanish government for each purchase. The IVA rates could vary from as low as 7% to as high as 33% depending on the goods purchased.
Some of you might consider taking credit cards for purchasing goods as an alternative to taking cash. This is a great idea not just because of the security factor but also because the credit exchange rates are the best there is.
Spanish people are carnival lovers. Their cultural festivals outnumber and outlive the religious festivals. The people of Santander are no exception to this. They are an extremely boisterous group of people constantly involved in merriment.
The month of august is known for the Santander Internationalfestival in this part of the world. A cultural festival that lasts more than three weeks includes dance and music performers by the some of the top performers in the world. In the recent years Lachrimae consort, one of the famous troupe of musicians perform and entertain the crowd. One can get exposed to different kinds of music during this festival. The carnival takes place only during the night giving everyone lots of time to explore the city. During this month the one of the most colorful events happens. In the battle of flowers, a group of tanks are decorated with flowers and paraded in the streets of Santander. Around this same time a piano festival is also conducted.
If you assume that the people of Santander are just party goers and are incapable of appreciating fine arts then you might have to change that opinion. The month of July is known for the art festival in which the men of art present their workmanship to the tourists and locals alike.
In the month of February Carnivals Marineros is celebrated. It is also known as the carnival of bargemen. A good section of the people in this part of Spain is Roman Catholics. Thus besides the cultural fests one can also enjoy the Christian festivities celebrated with great zeal.
The summer season is the best time to visit Santander as all the carnivals happen at that time.
Santander museums are for everyone. Some of the finest collections of arts are found displayed in the museums of Santander. You need not have to be a connoisseur of art or even a dabbler to enjoy these works of art. The style of presentation of the Spanish art has its own pioneers!
The museum of Marcelino Menendez Pelayo is actually the library of the famed author. With about a forty two thousand books and handwritten manuscripts filling the rooms from top to bottom this place is a historical treasure that the Spanish guard and maintain with voracious pride. One can also get to visit the family house of the author as part of the museum tour.
A look at the roman art and regional art is in the agenda if you are planning to visit the Marcelino Botin Foundation’s museum. The Bellas Artes museum has a collection of Flemish and Italian art in addition to the traditional National arts. The museum also houses a very rare and exquisite collection of sculptures and coins belonging to various eras of mankind. This site acts as a highly informative historical and archeological site.
The bull fight museum more famously known as museo taurino has an extensive collection of records of various games and events that took place in the city. Further the display also showcases some of the apparels and tools used by men and women in the various games.
For getting a insight into the cultural heritage of the Spaniards, one has to visit the Sala Exposiciones which is in the Gamazo region. It has a planetarium and it contains several records of important events in the history of the city. One could also deduce the interest that the people of Santander have in photography.
To visit some of these museums you can hire a car.
The Santander, located in the northern coastal strip of Spain is a palace of beaches. A large number of tourists choose this haven to relax and celebrate. These are the only two things that one is destined to do in Santander! It is such a wonderful place that one can never feel it in their hearts to leave the place.
With all the attraction it offers for a normal person who works for most of the year, it is an irresistible proposition. People who travel to this place as a family are never disappointed. This place is also well equipped naturally and artificially to entertain and engage kids.
A lighthouse offers s an animated view of the world and no kid would ever want to miss a chance to take a peek from the top of the tower. One can only imagine how the beautiful beaches and the sea would look from the lighthouse.
Among the many beaches that are suitable for sunbathing and relaxation there is one beach by the name ‘The camel beach’. This beach is small has shallow waters and a gentle breeze that is perfect for both kids and adults. You can watch the spectacle as the slow, gentle waves nudge the coastline as the kids play around in the water with life guards looking after them like hawks!
The city of Santander has many museums. Some of these places could interest the kids. In the months of September and May kids can be further entertained. A boat trip to El Embarcadero is a rare and unique experience. Every kid is bound to enjoy the deep blue oceans and the coastline which is so full of animals and plants.
It is always better to have a private transportation if you are going on a holiday with kids.
Located in the Cantabria community of Spain the beaches of Santander are among the cleanest in the world. To recognize their diligent maintenance the Santander beaches are awarded the EU Blue flag which is the highest recognition for a beach in Europe. A trip to Spain is never complete without a visit to the Santander Beaches!
The city of Santander has tens of beaches all of which are extremely well suited for family holidays. The beaches vary in size and mood. From the most serene to the most exciting, the Santander beaches present a diversity that is matched by nothing other than itself.
With over eleven hours of sunlight during the better half of the year, one can enjoy the sunbathing experience along with the scenic beauty of sun rise and sunset! The dawn and dusk are never so near. The glittering white sands reflecting the sunlight and the dancing waves of the ocean threatening to engulf the shores is an exhilarating sight.
Playa De Bikinis is one of the finest among the assortment of beaches in this area. With a superb geographic location and excellent set of facilities including showers make it a top notch tourist spot. The Covachas beach has a nudist section where you can go for a full body tan!
The Concha and Puntal are some of the sought after summer destinations known for their beautiful water! The camel beach is a man made beach and is also one of those beaches which has the blue flag recognition! Playa El Bocol is the place where you can satisfy your piscatorial instincts!
The Langre, Maruca, Magdalena and ‘de Mar’ are some of other top class beaches that you might now want to miss out. The list is so long that you but the fact remains that each of these beaches are so unique.
The beautiful city of Santander is no stranger to tourists and admirers. Dotted with beaches of all style and magnitude the Santander has a never ending set of tourist attractions. The city of Santander among other things has a good number of National parks.
The Cabo Mayor park is a must visit site. A stroll along the park during a summer evening is a great experience. The park is a mere ten minutes drive away from the city. The Matalenas Park is situated close to this park. The Matalenas Park is along the coast and one must pass through this park before they reach the lighthouse. This area also has a zoo!
The Magdalena Park is near Palacio real! This park is situated adjacent to a zoo where a variety of seals and aquatic animals can be found. Lots of people walk in this park as a regular exercise. The Marga Park is located in the western part of the city and is known for fishing. Gonzalez Mesones Park is located near a football stadium and is one of the popular summer destinations. It is in the eastern part of the city. The famous cow park is located in Avenida de cajo region of the Santander. The Jardines is a man made city center park that is hard to miss as you walk around the city!
Most of these parks are located along the coast line of the Spanish city. Because of this in each of these parks one can have breathtaking views of the ocean!
It is a near impossible task to visit all the parks and beaches in the Santander in a day or two. If you are planning for a short holiday you must first decide on the places are you and can visit in the couple of days you are staying in Santander.
Santander is a very important economic town in Spain that attracts tons of tourists each year. It is also a port town. It is both a serene town for one to settle and relax and a town which has shown tremendous economic potential.
Buying a real estate in Santander has been the trend set by many of other European foreigners in the last few years. If you are looking for a good time to buy a property in Santander there is no time like the present! The interest rates are really low right now.
Before you even begin to consider purchasing a property in Santander you have to follow a few steps. As the first step you have to choose a real estate agent. Quite a few of them are around and you might want to compare their services and choose one from the lot. After you have chosen a real estate dealer who is reasonably trustworthy careful compare the prices they offer for different properties. You could buy a Spanish style house, a villa, a farm house or a modern condo.
After choosing your property make sure you visit the property at least once.