Santander, Spain

If you’ve been following us, you know that we are beach people, and one of our favorite activities is walking the beach. Unlike the beach at our previous stop,  A Coruña, the beach in Santander is much more walkable. Not only is the beach here good for walking, it has a unique feature we’ve never encountered anywhere else.

Every morning during low tide, people walked the beach, back and forth. Not just a few people, but so many people that the shoreline was covered with them. Every time Ann viewed this daily phenomenon from a distance, she kept thinking, “The ants go marching…” At our walking pace, Ian said we needed to walk in the “carpool lane”, i.e., in the shallow water.

Getting to Santander

To travel from A Coruña required us to take an eight-hour bus ride. While the ride was comfortable, we did have a couple of interesting experiences. About 3 hours into the trip at noon, we stopped, and the bus driver announced a 15-minute break at a dumpy gas station/restaurant. When everyone lined up for food, we assumed that this was the lunch stop and ordered a low-quality sandwich. Silly us, had we forgotten what country we were in? Lunch does not start at noon.

A couple of hours later, we pulled into a large bus station and the driver announced that we were stopping for 45 minutes. Ian verified that the stop was in fact 45 minutes. There was a restaurant in the bus station, so we ordered some food, keeping an eye on the bus. At some point, we looked away and when we looked back the bus was gone. Oh crap, had the bus just taken off with our bags? We finished our meal and headed outside in a bit of a panic. After a few minutes, we recognized some of the other passengers so at least we weren’t in this alone. Every few minutes, a bus pulled up and we held out hope that it was our bus returned. Forty-five minutes came and went. At about 1 ¼ hours, our bus finally returned, and we were safely on our way for the last leg to Santander.

Our Apartment in Santander

We spent eleven days in late September in the residential neighborhood of Sardinero on the outskirts of town in a comfortable 2 BR Airbnb 5 minutes’ walk to the beach. At $75 per night including fees, it was more than we usually spend. But once again, like A Coruña, it was the best available that met our criteria. A bit unfortunate that it was on a main street right above a roundabout, but we had a wonderful view! So, who’s complaining.

Although our accommodations in Santander were a bit expensive (for us), they were considerably less expensive than any we saw in San Sebastian. Our original plan was to go to this more well-known area in the Basque region on the border with France. But once we saw the prices, close to $200 a night for a full apartment, close to $100 for a private room, and close to $200 for a hotel room, that just wasn’t happening. Once again, we let our budget dictate our choice of destination, and we enjoyed our time in Santander.

How We Spent Our Time in Santander

Yes, of course, we went to the beach pretty much every day, walking and just sitting and relaxing. Yes, we even braved the cold (about 60 degrees) but very clear ocean.

The walk into the center of town, taking advantage of the beautiful beach path along the coast is a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

The broad sidewalk above the beach provides a nice alternative. Both were scenic in their own way, with various shrubs and flowers.

When we went to the central market to stock up (or when Ann’s sorry feet had had enough), we took the bus back. Santander has an extensive and inexpensive bus system. We got bus fare for half price by buying a rechargeable card at a tobacco shop.

The center of town is a pleasant mix of old and new buildings. One day, we wandered around a neighborhood known for its tapas and pinchos bars and nightlife. While there, we happened upon a series of street escalators and then an elevator to a high point overlooking the city.

Tapas and Pinchos

Not far from the aforementioned neighborhood and along the main road, we found a yummy pincho (fancy tapas) bar, Casa Lita , just across the street from the marina. We liked it so much, we went back a second time. Each tapa or pincho was about 2 euros and each drink (beer/wine) was also about 2 euros. Because we ordered drinks, we were given complimentary potato chips.

Throughout Spain, most bars give you a complimentary tapa when you order a drink. Usually something simple like olives, some cheese or a few slices of serrano ham, often with crackers or bread. The ham is often sliced at time of serving from the whole leg just sitting on the bar. In Almeria, (at least at one place) with a drink, we got our choice of complimentary tapa from the tapas menu.

The Bottom Line on Santander

Santander joins the group of the best beaches that we have seen in Spain. A long, wide beach with very soft sand, and a huge variation from low to high tide, at least in late September. The ocean water is clear, if a bit cold. While the beach was outstanding, our nod for best beach we’ve found in Spain still goes to Las Palmas because of the warmer water, but if a town’s architecture is important, then Santander is the clear winner. How about summer in Santander and winter in Las Palmas, not a bad combination?

But for us if choosing the north coast of Spain, A Coruña wins our hearts. Even though we liked the beach better in Santander, there’s just something about A Coruña. Maybe in part it was where we stayed in each place. In Santander, a more upscale residential neighborhood a bit outside of town. In A Coruña, a slightly grittier neighborhood closer to town center. Plus, A Coruña with its many parks filled with locals simply enjoying life. Overall, it just had more character for us. Not to mention, we liked our tapas bars choices better. Plus, the yummy choices of bread and empanadas at the bakeries on just about every block. And oh, the inexpensive wine produced by small local vintners that we purchased daily at our local convenience store in bottles without labels.

Next Up: Madrid, our final stop before returning to the US…for now.