Santander

City Location:

Santander is a coastal city surrounded by mountains. It is the perfect place for taking benefits both from the sea and the mountains at the same time.

This port is the capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria. It is located in northern Spain between Asturias and the Basque country. Santander lies on the Cantabrian Sea and it has about 180,000 inhabitants.

Learn Spanish in the Royal Residency :

This city dates from the period when the Romans ruled over the city. In that period its name was Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium. Most likely, origin of the present name came from the martyr Saint Emeterio, who lived in this area in the 3rd century. Due to its location, the city has always served as a port.

Santander received the status of city in 1775. Palacio de Magdalena was a royal holiday house. It was built in the early 20th century for Spanish King Alfonso XIII. Nowadays, there is a university where you can learn Spanish language.

In 1941, a great fire hit Santander and destroyed most of the medieval city. It also destroyed the Romanesque cathedral. The horrible fire lasted for two days.

The city of 11 attractive and clean beaches:

Its beautiful sandy beaches attract many tourists every year. For example, the Playa del Sardinero has become very popular from the beginning of the 20th century because lots of celebrities spend time there. The beaches that are also a must see are the Playa de los Peligros, Playa El Camello and Playa de La Concha.

Historical sites:

There is not much left of the old city, but the old city’s center still exists and there is also a shopping area, where you can buy souvenirs and everything else you need. The most famous cathedral is Cathedral de la Asunción de la Virgen.

It was founded in 791. Originally it was a PreRoman church. Santander has great historical buildings like the Cathedral del Cristo, Convento de Santa Cruz, Monasterio de Corbán, Iglesia de la Compania de la Iglesia or Anunciación and Iglesia de Santa Lucia.

City Attractions:

Santander’s visual arts fair is the largest event in this city. Many people attend this event that takes place here every 10 years.Santander has been a popular tourist spot for centuries due to its mild climate, clean sea and sandy beaches. At last, there are many places in Santander that should be visited such as numerous beautiful parks, museums and churches.