Santander Holidays: Beaches, Museums and Ferry Access
Provincia de Cantabria · Cantabria · Spain · 173,635 residents · on the coast
Palacio de la Magdalena
Santander Cathedral
Sardinero.jpg/500px-Centro_Bot%C3%ADn_(37578627575).jpg)
Botin Centre
Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo de Santander y CantabriaSantander is the capital-sized city of Cantabria, home to around 173,600 people and set at sea level on Spain's northern coast. For British travellers it is unusually easy to reach. The airport is about two and a half miles from town, and Brittany Ferries dock less than a mile from the centre after sailing from Portsmouth or Plymouth. Within a short radius you have the Botín Centre designed by Renzo Piano, the cathedral, a cluster of museums and a run of town beaches led by Sardinero. Up on its headland stands the Palacio de la Magdalena. Summers are mild rather than scorching, with August highs around 25°C, and green Atlantic weather the rest of the year.
Why go
- Sardinero and Playa de La Concha are town beaches barely a mile or so from the centre.
- The Renzo Piano-designed Botín Centre and the cathedral sit within half a mile of each other.
- Direct ferries from Plymouth and Portsmouth dock less than a mile from the city centre.
Top sights in Santander
Palace, Beaches, Museums and Lighthouses
The best-known sight is the Palacio de la Magdalena, a palace about 2 miles from the centre on the headland that shapes the bay. Closer in, Santander Cathedral stands roughly 0.4 miles away, and the Botín Centre, an art museum designed by Renzo Piano, is about the same distance. The Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo de Santander y Cantabria is a few minutes further, and the Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria is the closest of all at around a quarter of a mile. The Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico lies about 1.1 miles out.
The beaches start with Sardinero, around 1.1 miles away, followed by Playa de La Concha (1.2 miles), Playa Los Peligros (1.4 miles), Playa de la Magdalena (1.6 miles) and Playa de los Bikinis (1.7 miles). For sea views, the Faro de Cabo Mayor lighthouse is about 1.9 miles away and the Mouro Island Lighthouse sits offshore at around 2.5 miles.
Tours and tickets for Santander can be booked directly on this page.
- 1Palacio de la Magdalena
- 2Santander Cathedral
- 3Sardinero
- 4Botin Centre
- 5Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo de Santander y Cantabria
- 6Playa de los Bikinis
- 7Cantabrian coast
- 8Playa Los Peligros
- 9Playa de la Magdalena
- 10Mouro Island Lighthouse
- 11Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria
- 12Playa de La Concha
1palace- 2cathedral
- 3beach
- 4museum
- 5museum
Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo de Santander y Cantabria
In the centre · Photo
Spanish museum of contemporary art
6beachPlaya de los Bikinis
2 miles from the centre · Photo
7beachCantabrian coast
2 miles from the centre · Photo
8beachPlaya Los Peligros
1 mile from the centre · Photo
.JPG/500px-Bah%C3%ADa_de_Santand%C3%A9_(La_Magdalena%2C_Isla_de_la_Torre_y_playas).JPG)
9beachPlaya de la Magdalena
2 miles from the centre · Photo
_04.JPG/500px-Isla_de_Mouro_(16_de_agosto_de_2013%2C_Santander)_04.JPG)
10lighthouse
11museumMuseo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria
In the centre · Photo
cultural property in Santander, Spain
12beachPlaya de La Concha
1 mile from the centre · Photo
Tours & tickets in Santander
Guided tours, day trips and tickets in and around Santander can be booked in advance, priced in GBP.
See tours & tickets (opens GetYourGuide in a new tab)Where to stay in Santander
City Centre or the Beach Side
Santander is a sizeable city, so the centre is where you will find the most going on. Staying near the cathedral puts the Botín Centre, the modern art museum and the prehistory museum all within a short walk, and keeps you close to the ferry terminal if you are arriving by sea.
If the beaches are the point of the trip, look towards the Sardinero side, a mile or more from the centre, where Sardinero, Playa de la Magdalena and Playa de los Bikinis cluster near the Magdalena headland and the palace. It suits families wanting sand on the doorstep. The page shows live hotel prices so you can compare both areas.
Hire a car
The easiest way to reach Santander and the villages around it is a hire car from Santander (SDR), about 4 min away.
Best time to visit Santander
When to Visit Santander
- 13°CJan194 mm
- 14°CFeb117 mm
- 16°CMar93 mm
- 17°CApr72 mm
- 18°CMay106 mm
- 22°CJun71 mm
- 23°CJul53 mm
- 25°CAug83 mm
- 23°CSept123 mm
- 22°COct151 mm
- 18°CNov184 mm
- 14°CDec133 mm
Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
Santander has a mild, damp Atlantic climate rather than Mediterranean heat. July and August are the warmest and most settled months, with highs of 23°C and 25°C and lows around 17°C; July is also the driest month at about 53mm of rain. June and September are pleasant too, at 22°C and 23°C, though September turns wetter.
The wettest stretch runs from October to January, peaking in January with around 194mm and November with 184mm, while winter highs sit at 13 to 14°C. Rain is spread through the year: even in summer expect around 13 rain days a month, and May has the most, with about 20. Sea temperatures are not recorded in our data.
Full monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13°C | 7°C | 194 mm | 6 h |
| Feb | 14°C | 7°C | 117 mm | 7 h |
| Mar | 16°C | 9°C | 93 mm | 8 h |
| Apr | 17°C | 9°C | 72 mm | 10 h |
| May | 18°C | 12°C | 106 mm | 11 h |
| Jun | 22°C | 15°C | 71 mm | 10 h |
| Jul | 23°C | 17°C | 53 mm | 11 h |
| Aug | 25°C | 17°C | 83 mm | 10 h |
| Sept | 23°C | 15°C | 123 mm | 10 h |
| Oct | 22°C | 14°C | 151 mm | 7 h |
| Nov | 18°C | 11°C | 184 mm | 6 h |
| Dec | 14°C | 8°C | 133 mm | 6 h |
Averages 2015–2024. Highlighted months are the sweet spot for warm, dry weather.
Getting there from the UK
Flying, Sailing or Driving from Britain
Santander Airport (SDR) is about 2.5 miles from the city, roughly a four-minute drive, and has direct flights from the United Kingdom. Bilbao (BIO), around 47 miles away and just over an hour by car, also has direct UK flights, as does Asturias (OVD), about 112 miles away and some two hours forty minutes by road.
Santander is one of the few Spanish cities you can reach by ferry from Britain. Brittany Ferries sail into Santander's port, less than a mile from the centre, from Plymouth in about 20 hours and from Portsmouth in roughly 24 to 32 hours. Bilbao's port, around 40 miles away, also has Brittany Ferries sailings from Portsmouth taking about 28 to 32 hours.
Driving the whole way from Calais takes around 13 and a half hours.
By air
- Santander (SDR)2 miles, about 4 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Bilbao (BIO)47 miles, about 1 h 6 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
- Asturias (OVD)112 miles, about 2 h 39 min by roaddirect flights from the UK
By car and ferry
Driving from Calais takes roughly 13 h 30 min without stops. Nearest ferry ports: Santander (1 mile), Bilbao (40 miles).
Santander is good for
Around Santander
Day Trips Along the Cantabrian Coast
Liencres is the nearest escape at about 6 miles, with Penagos around 8 miles inland. Suances, a small coastal town, lies roughly 12 miles away, and Puente Viesgo about 14 miles.
A little further out, Torrelavega, the region's second town with around 55,000 people, and the village of Escalante are both about 15 miles away. Santillana is roughly 16 miles from Santander, and Santoña, a town of about 11,500, is around 17 miles along the coast.
Questions people ask
Can you get a ferry from the UK to Santander?
Yes. Brittany Ferries sail to Santander from Plymouth in about 20 hours and from Portsmouth in roughly 24 to 32 hours. The port is less than a mile from the city centre. Bilbao's port, about 40 miles away, also has sailings from Portsmouth.
Are there direct flights from the UK to Santander?
Santander Airport has direct flights from the United Kingdom and is only about 2.5 miles from the city, around four minutes by car. Bilbao, roughly an hour's drive, and Asturias, about two hours forty minutes away, also have direct UK flights.
What is the weather like in Santander in summer?
Mild rather than hot. August highs reach about 25°C and July about 23°C, with lows around 17°C. July is the driest month at about 53mm, though you should still expect around 13 rain days a month in midsummer.
Which is the best beach in Santander?
Sardinero is the best-known, about 1.1 miles from the centre. Nearby options include Playa de La Concha, Playa Los Peligros, Playa de la Magdalena and Playa de los Bikinis, all between roughly 1.2 and 1.7 miles from town.
How long does it take to drive from Calais to Santander?
The drive from Calais to Santander takes around 13 and a half hours. Many British drivers prefer to take the Brittany Ferries crossing from Plymouth or Portsmouth instead, which docks less than a mile from the city centre.
What is there to see in Santander besides beaches?
The Palacio de la Magdalena, Santander Cathedral and the Renzo Piano-designed Botín Centre lead the list. There are also museums of contemporary art, prehistory and archaeology, and maritime history, plus the Faro de Cabo Mayor and Mouro Island lighthouses.