POTES AND LIEBANA

Potes is located in the centre of the Picos de Europa. It´s highlty recommeded a trip there because the landscapes are impressive. The town is traditional but quite big and it´s surronded by mountains and near you can visit Santo Toribio Monastery, you can walk from Potes centre to there and from there you can ask for the Cueva Santa, that´s a nice walk not very far away in the mountains.

The big problem is the transport, if you have your own car you can plan a trip to Fuente De (there you can take a cable car to the mountains)  and some traditionals towns including Potes, also you can visit Santo Toribio Monastery, Piasca Church and Lebeña Church in one day if you start early. Another option is an organised trip there but it´s only  available in the summer, you can buy the tickets in one travel office in the Santander city centre. If you are not lucky you can take a bus to Santander, one hour and a half and then find accomodation there or return in the last bus in the evening. It takes 1 hour and a half from Santander and there are buses conections to Fuente De, for more information you can check Palomera buses in the Santander bus station.. Unfortunately the first bus is at 10: 30 in the morning and you will arrive to Potes at 13:00, this bus continues to Fuente De and you will get there at 13:30. So as to return the last bus goes at 17:00 from Fuente De and 17:30 from Potes, so with timetable is almost imposible to take the cable car and have a walk in the mountain , unless you stay one night in Potes and you take to Fuente De the fist bus at 8:30 from Potes, you will have plenty of time in the mountains. Anyway check the bus timetable and, be carefull, this bus to Fuente De is only in the summer. This bus option is good for one day trip to Potes, eat there, visit the torn and walk to the Santo Toribio Monastery and from there visit maybe the Cueva Santa or start the route so as to enjoy the views and return to Potes in order to take the last bus.

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A WEEKEND IN MADRID

Madrid is not far away and if it´s your first time in Spain maybe is worthy a weekend in Madrid. You can go there by bus ( more less 6 hours) and choose the midnight bus so as to be in Madrid early in the morning. Also there are trains ( more or less 5 hours and a good option is the nigh train) and you can look for cheap plane tickets. For more information you can go to the Bus station or train station, also you can check ALSA web page for the buses, RENFE web page for the trains and RYANAIR web page for cheap plane tickets. Of course Iberia has flights between the two cities but they usually are more expensive unless you find a promotion, check IBERIA webpage. REMEMBER: Madrid bus station and train station are in the city centre so you don´t  spend time in going from and back the Barajas airport.

Our advise is go for a weekend and find a cheap hostel in Madrid city centre. You can go in the Friday evening and go back in the Sunday afternoon. That´s not a lot of time but enough to visit at least one of the Madrid museums and have a walk around Madrid streets and you will have one night to have a drink and enjoy Madrid nightlife. Another option is going for three days ... then you need a fee Friday.

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NIGHTLIFE IN SANTANDER

BARS AND NIGHTLIFE

The best idea is to take a walk because Santander is a quite calm city but be careful specially late at night. The most part of the bars and clubs are around Cañadio Square, Rio de la Pila Street, El Sol or El Carmen Street and Perines Street. Except the last one, the rest are quite near each other so you can move freely. Take a look and choose the best option for you! Here you have a web page in Spanish with some options and opinions. Another one  in English with some options.

MUSIC IN LIFE

Here a web page and another web where you can get informed about the next concerts. For example, Blackbird ( 13, Vista Alegre Street)  is a club with a good offer of music in life in the centre of Santander  Remember that in the summer there are different festivals and some of the concerts are free. Specially in July and September there are Santander local festivals and you should read the programmes. 

ESCENARIO SANTANDER

This is a new place in the Sardinero neighbourhood, in the middle of Las Llamas park where you can go for a concert, a course or a conference. Even  you can watch a film in the summer. It has a concert hall and a terrace. You can check the programme in advance in their web page.

CAFE DE LAS ARTES TEATRO

Located in the Pesquero neighbourhood, 5 minutes walking from the city centre, this place can offer a different programmes for the nights and evenings. You can visit their web site and check if there is something interesting, maybe a play or a course.

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LA CAVADA AND THE ROYAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM

This is one oportunity to take a walk in a quiet envirorment and learn more about the Spanish army history. You take the FEVE train in the centre of Santander and you get out in La Cavada train stop, it´s the same train that goes to Liérganes. From there you can ask for the Museum ( it´s in the old schools) and also visit the arch and the few remains of the Royal Artillery Factory ( the people from the museum can inform you). The museum is 15 minutes walk and it´s in the middle of a nice neighbourhood.  It´s close on Mondays but it´s better to check the timetable ( 3 Euros is the normal ticket)  in advance in their website and also in the summer they organize some events. It´s a perfect trip for one afternoon but if you prefer to stay a whole day you can walk to the nearby Rucandio town, it has a perfect park around the church for a picnic and from La Cavada also you can take a train or walk to Lierganes ( the road is beautiful but be careful with the cars).

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OUR LAST STUDENTS IN SANTANDER: OPINIONS ABOUT THE SPANISH COURSES IN SANTANDER

We have received the visit of a school group form North Ireland. They visited the surrondings: Santillana del Mar, El Soplao, Cabarceno, Santander and Bilbao. They could improve their Spanish and practise in the language and cultural lessons in Unilang Idiomas.

A school group from the UK has visited us and enjoyed their stay in Santander with a complete programe full of activities. During a week they could practise Spanish in their language lessons in Unilang Idiomas.

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DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES IN SANTANDER TO ENJOY YOUR STAY

Santander can offer a wide range of outdoors activities and inside activities so as to enjoy your stay. Here we offer you a selection, but remenber there are different events all the year round and you can be informed in the City Tourist Office in the Pereda Gardens.

FORESTAL PARK in Cabo Mayor ( city bus 15 in the summer or city bus 13 a walk distance) near the lighthouse has an adventure park organised to people form all the ages. An excellent oportunity for a sunny or cloudy day and you can keep fit at the same time.

SARDINERO SURF SCHOOL. In the Sardinero beach there is a school where you can learn or rent the equipment so as to enjoy the surf. Also if you take the boat to Somo form Santander,  you can visit Somo that is a famous beach for surf lovers There you can find the SUNSET SURF SCHOOL that organises surf courses too.

DIVING IN SANTANDER BAY. There are some schools which offer different types of courses from beginners to advanced and organize different diving trips. The CENTRO DE BUCEO DE PEDREÑA is in the nearby Pedreña town just opposite the bay, you can take a boat so as to arrive form Santander city centre, the ESCUELA DE BUCEO MOURO SUB is located in Maliaño and there are buses from and to Santander city centre and MOURO DIVERS is located in the centre of Santander, near the Pesquero Neighbourhood. All recommed the Mouro Island near the Santander Coast so as to practice this sport.

ALBERICIA SPORT CENTRE, quite near the city centre ( city bus 17 and 6) you have a complete sport centre so as to practice your favourite sport ( with the acreditation) It´s open every day from 8 to 23

MATALEÑAS GOLF CLUB, near the Sardinero ( city bus 15 in the summer or city bus 13 a walk distance) in the middle of an impresive landscape the golf lovers have the oportunity to practise their favourite sport
 

HORSE RIDING CENTRE in Monte. Monte is a near town where you can learn or practise horse riding. Quite near Santander check with them the transport so as to arrive.

SKIING IN CANTABRIA- Of course it´s not near Santander, but anyway it´s only 2 hours away by car and sometimes you can book a trip from Santander by a special bus. So if you came here during the winter season you can go to Alto Campo ski resort so as to practise your favourite winter sport...

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VISIT GAUDI IN COMILLAS: EL CAPRICHO

You can take the bus from Santander whenever you will have a free afternoon or day and you can visit the Capricho in Comillas, one of the Gaudi´s masterpieces. This international architec of the nineteen century is well know in all over the world. The visit is well prepared and strongly recommended, also you can take a look or book it in internet during the month in course.

 

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SOME INTERESTING PLACES NEAR SANTANDER

ETNOGRAFIC MUSEUM OF MURIEDAS- A quite interesting museum about the traditions in Cantabria in an old house. The guide will explain kindly but in Spanish. The buses are the A1 or A4 next to the Santander bus station. Ask to the driver to tell you where to go down and you should walk a bit.

VIRGEN DEL MAR- It´s a beautifull small island with a church and a small beach. That´s fantastic for one afternoon or if you prefer  you can spend one beach day there ( there is a coffe shop but take the food with you) . The coast line is quite impressive. Near there is the Santander cementery with old graves. The city buses 2 and 17-2 stop at Corbán and form there you should walk a while, so the best option is the city bus 17-1 that stops at the cementery and it is quite near to the beach.

NATURAL PARK OF CABARCENO- It´s a saffari experience in an old open sky mine. The best option is a car but if you don´t have you can go by bus and visit the area on foot. A lot animals in different environments and you will need a day, better to take everything you will need there and be ready to walk a lot. There are some regular buses to Liérganes or Sarón that will stop you quite near the park entrance but you will need to walk, ask in the Santander bus station for more information.

SOMO- From the old wharf in the city centre you can take a boat to this small town just in front of Santander. In the summer the boat company organizes some tours around the bay and you should check them. Santander´s bay is very beautiful so you "must" take at least one boat so as to enjoy it. Somo has a big beach where you can walk and some restaurants and bars, it´s good option for one free afternoon

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VILLAGE NEAR SANTANDER: LIÉRGANES

Liérganes is located in the middle of the countryside. It has two mountains called " The breast of Liérganes". It´s a beautiful and nice town and quite traditional, in spite of some modern buildings just next to the railway station. It has a spa where you can have a coffe and a lot of coffe shops where you can taste "chocolate con churros". On Sundays mornings there is a street market and it´s perfect for a free afternoon. There is an old legend about a fish-man, this was a man born in this village who disapears and was seen in the middle of the sea covered with scales swimming ( there is a small museum next to the old bridge). The old part and the churches are quite old and also you can walk to La Cavada and visit there if ít´s open the Museum of the old factory of cannons. It´s quite easy to go there because there is a train between Feve train station and Liérganes, one each hour and it takes 45 minutes. It´s an interesting experience because it goes from urban landscapes to more rural ones. There is a train station also in La Cavada so as to return.

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VISIT THE ALTAMIRA MUSEUM IN SANTILLANA DEL MAR

It´s less than one hour from Santander. It´s an incredible prehistorical masterpiece and now you can enjoy the modern museum with a fantastic cave copy. You should take the bus to Santillana del Mar and from there 45 minutes´walk. Another option is to go to Torrelavega and form there there are some buses to the caves ( check the timetables) or take a taxi. The museum is in the middle of a fantastic park and there are regular workshops (better check in their web site). In highseasom maybe you should book the tickets.

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ONE DAY TRIP FROM SANTANDER: LAREDO- SANTOÑA

These two fishing villages are a fantastic option for a free afternoon. Laredo has a fantastic beach and in Santoña you can take a walk along the sea.

LAREDO- It´s a fishing village with an impressive beach. It has a modern part but also an old one with a beautiful church. If you follow a path that goes along the cementery you will reach the "Atalaya", an old fortress with fantastic views. There are a lot of buses from the Santander bus station ( the ALSA bus that goes to Bilbao has a stop in Laredo) , it takes less that one hour. In high season better book the tickets.

SANTOÑA- Autobuses Palomera has a bus from Santander bus station to Santoña. Santoña is another touristic village but it hasn´t got a good beach next to the city centre (Its Berria beach is a bit far away). During the high season you can take a boat to Laredo beach that´s just in front. It´s famous for the anchovies. The city is in the middle of a natual reserve of the Salt marshes. It has some forts and you can take a walk around the Buciero montain. It has a Romanesque church with old pictures inside.

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ONE DAY TRIP FORM SANTANDER: SANTILLANA- COMILLAS- SAN VICENTE DE LA BARQUERA

These three towns can be visited in one day or each one is the perfect option for one free afternoon. We specially recommend you Santillana. AUTOBUSES LA CANTABRICA offers a service from the Santander bus station to San Vicente de la Barquera, so you can stop in one town visit it and then take the bus to the next. You can check the timetables in the web page or in the Santander bus station.

SANTILLANA- You "must" go to this medieval town. One of the most beautiful in Spain.The town centre is fantastic and you should visit the church and specially its cloister. It´s very touristic so in high season don´t expect to be alone. There are buses from Santander bus station, Autobuses la Cantabrica route to San Vicente de la Barquera ( less than one hour) , but they don´t take you to the Altamira cave. If you are interested in visiting the museum and the cave copy, you should walk form the Santillana stop 45 minutes or take the Torrelavega to Santillana bus ( if you check some of them will go up to the caves). Another option is to go to Torrelavega where you can take a taxi. Near Santillana there is also a  zoo.

COMILLAS- A beautiful town next to the sea. It has the Pontifical university with an Gothic-arabic style, the Marquises of Comillas Palace with a Gothic style, the Capricho designed by Gaudi...It has a small beach next to the town, but if you want to walk you can go until Oyambre beach that´s a bit far a way but it´s really fantastic. There is a bus from Santander bus station, Autobuses la Cantabrica route to San Vicente, it has a lot of stops and it will take you more than one hour. 

SAN VICENTE DE LA BARQUERA-Thar´s the last stop of Autobuses la Cantabrica.  It´s a fishing village with a lot of charm in the middle of an island with two long bridges. The beaches are a bit far away, you need to cross one of the bidges but they are really impressive. On the top for the village there is a Gothic Church and a castle. It takes you less than one hour and a half to arrive.

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TRIPS FROM SANTANDER

Santander is the capital of one of the most beautiful Spanish region. It´s on the north of Spain and very green with beautiful landscapes between the sea and the mountains. From Santander you can arrange different trips to nearby regions like Euskadi, Asturias, Castilla... The best option is to rent or bring your car. But if that´s impossible we have prepare a selection of trips by public transport. Also you can be lucky and ask for organised trips  in the Tourist offices because during the summer there are some trips to  Cabarceno, Picos de Europa, Santillana, El Soplao... and you can buy them in the Tourist offices in the centre, that´s more confortable.


Here you have some ideas for half day trips or one day trips inside Cantabria region:

NEAR SANTANDER

SANTILLANA-COMILLAS- SAN VICENTE DE LA BARQUERA

LAREDO-SANTOÑA

LIERGANES

LA CAVADA AND THE ROYAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM

POTES AND LIEBANA

Another option is to use your weekends to go to differente nearby cities. Here we offer you some ideas for one day trips or a weekend trip outside Cantabria region:

BILBAO

MADRID

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LOCATION: HOW TO COME TO SANTANDER

Santander is located on the North coast of Spain. It has an airport with national connections with Madrid, Barcelona and other cities. Also it has international flights to Frankfurt, London, Rome, Pisa, Milan, Paris and Dublin with a low cost company. But if you prefer you can arrive by bus or train because it has connections with the most part of the Spanish cities and even with European cities. Besides there is a ferry with Portmouth and Plymouth in the United Kingdom. You can even reach us by car because you can use our freeway motorways. Another option is to use the Bilbao international airport. From there you can arrange a transfer, for example Unilang Idiomas School can pick you up, or take the public transport ( one bus from Bilbao airport to the Termibus station and from there are a lot of buses to Santander, in one hour 30 minutes you can be here).

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USE THE BIKE IN SANTANDER: RENT A BIKE FOR ONE DAY OR ONE WEEK

The town hall hires bikes and that offers you a good opportunity to move freely and fast. The information you can get easly from the tourist office in the Pereda Gardens. There is one of the main bike stations. There are different cards and even for one day or one week, the first hour is free and the hour price is very low. The best option is to go to the Beaches in the Sardinero by bike, there is cycle line from the city centre that goes along the beaches on a wooden platform. Be carefull the busy hours, it can be full of people!. If you want to have more ideas you can visit some web pages where even you can have a map.

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SARDINERO: THE BEST BEACHES TO GO IN SANTANDER

Of course you can´t miss the beaches. They are a bit far away from the city centre. This part is called the Sardinero and it was developped from the 19 century. Even the Spanish Royal Family spent their summer  in the city and they had a beutiful palace in the Magadalena Peninsula. It´s an expensive part of the city and it´s full of tourists.

To arrive there you can take a city bus or walk. If you are tired or you are too lazy, take a city bus from the Post office stop or the Town hall stop.  There are a lot of buses but one of the best is the number 1 because it takes you until the last beaches. Anyway if you plan to use the city bus very often , you should by a card and charge it with some money, you can buy it  in some newagents in the city, each time you get in you pass it and it cheaper than buying tickets to the bus driver.

But if you prefer walking you have three options so as to arrive at the Magadalena Peninsula. The first one is to follow the Castellar Str.and go along the sea, behind the Palacio de Festivales, until the Peligros beach. Then you can walk along the beach or use the wooden plaform until the Bikini beach next to Magadelena Peninsula. The second option is to take the Reina Victoria Avenue, it´s quite nice but in some places you can´t have good views because of the trees, you will arrive to Magdalena Peninsula. The third option is to choose the Menéndez Pelayo str., where there are still some old houses and it has trees along the street. Then you take the Peréz de Galdos Str. where it´s the Royal Hotel, you can have a coffe but be careful is a bit expensive. You will arrive close to the Magdalena Peninsula.

SARDINERO

When you are in the Sardinero, a good option is walking along the beaches and stopping in the gardens, be careful this is an expensive place but with a lot of charm and the beaches are fantastic.You can walk until the Mataleñas garden and even if you take a path that starts behind the apartments, you will border the Mataleñas Park and arrive to one small cove, Los Molinucos beach. 

MAGDALENA PENINSULA

Another option is to visit the Peninsula de la Magalena by food or using a tourist bus called the Magdaleno. Impresive views and you shouldn´t miss the royal palace just in the middle of the peninsula. It´s used in the summer for university courses. A good option for a coffe is the Magadalena Balneario, take  the Horadada str. before the Royal tennis club at the right and it´s a beautiful coffeshop with food just next to the beach.

ONE OPTION SO AS TO VISIT SANTANDER: RENT A BIKE

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