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

UNILANG IDIOMAS, SPANISH COURSES IN SANTANDER

Read More

CITY CENTRE: INTERESTING PLACES TO VISIT IN SANTANDER

Santander is a small city where is very easy to move on foot so you will feel at home quite fast. First you can go to the tourist office in the Pereda gardens so as to ask for a map. The city centre is marked by two tragedies, in 1893 a ship exploded in the port and destroyed part of the city and in 1941 the city was burnt so the medieval centre was lost. Here there are the bus and train stations and all the city buses stop in the centre, even the airport is not far away and the airport bus stops next to the bus station. 

CITY CENTRE

In the city centre you can find the cathedral and some churches. It´s worthy to visit the cathedral, and to see the two heads of the Santander patron saints. Also in the centre there is the 19th century city part that´s quite well preserved and it´s full of shops, bars and restaurants. Some streets near Cañadío square have a lively night life. In front of this part of the city there are the Pereda gardens and the old wharf where you can relax sitting in fornt of the see ( Santander Bay is spectacular). You will find all quite confortable and near because the city is full of supermarkets. The Esperanza market in behind the town hall and I would recommed you to visit it, the fish market on the ground floor is quite interesting (closed Mondays).

ALAMEDA AND ALTA STR.

You can take a walk along the Burgos Str and the Alameda. You will pass near Perines, another part of the city full of bars. You will arrive to  Cuatro Caminos Junction where it´s near the main hospial and the Santander bullring and if you follow the Alta Str. you can go to the Cantanbria parlament ( Cantabria is the region and Santander is the capital).

RIO DE LA PILA LIFT

Another option is to take a lift at the end of the Rio de la Pila Str. It´s free and the views are impresive. The Rio de la Pila str and the del Sol str. are two parts full of bars. Then you can follow the General Davila Str. At the right you go to the beaches ans at the left you will arrive to the Cuatro Caminos Junction.

BARRIO PESQUERO

If you follow the Marqués de la Hermida Str. you can go to the Barrio Pesquero. That´s a neighbourhood full of fish and seafood restaurants. It has the fishing atmosphere.

PUERTOCHICO

The Tetuan and Casimiro Sainz str, also the nearby, are full of bars and restaurants. Near Puertochico where was the old fishing neighbourhood and even now the atmosphere is quite popular, but  it´s really chic in the Castelar str. Here you can take photos to Raqueros statues that are located in the wharf and were poor children who looked for coins under the water.

 ONE OPTION SO AS TO VISIT SANTANDER: RENT A BIKE

UNILANG IDIOMAS, SPANISH COURSES IN SANTANDER

Read More

A TRIP TO BILBAO FROM SANTANDER: A ONE DAY VISIT TO BILBAO

A good option for a weekend or a holiday day is to go on a trip to Bilbao (better don´t go Sundays the city is empty) . You have a good conection with Alsa buses. From the Santander Bus station to the Bilbao termibus station there are a lot of buses, even at night. You can take a bus early in the morning  (Bilbao termibus is quite in the centre) and visit the Bilbao museums including the GUGGENHEIM, then go for a walk and maybe go shopping. Bilbao is full of restaurants where to eat and you will enjoy your day in that big city.

Our advise, please check the timetables and book early your bus tickets in the Santander bus station (you can do that throught Internet ). You can buy in advance your tickets for the Gugghengeim Museum but it´s not necessary, check the timetables because it´s close Mondays except in the summer. Also if you are an art lover please visit the Museo de Bellas Artes because it has a really good collection ( it´s closed Mondays). You should go to the old medieval part called "Las siete calles" and  the 19th century city called "Ensanche". It is full of street life and we recommed you the Café Iruña so as to have a drink, it´s a fantastic tavern with an arabic decoration. If you are bored you can take the Begoña lift from the 6 Esperanza Str, in the old centre, to the Begoña Church, good views and you can go down by the stairs.

If you want to be prepare you can visit the tourist office in Mercado del Este in Santander so as to ask for a Bilbao map. Also you can visit the Bilbao town hall web where you can find a lot of information and a map.

UNILANG IDIOMAS, SPANISH COURSES IN SANTANDER

Read More

RESTAURANTS: THE BEST PLACES TO EAT IN SANTANDER

This is our personal selection. So Santander is full of restaurants where you can have a complete meal or just some TAPAS. Also there are some international cooking restaurants. But here we have just selected some classic restaurants with traditional cooking. You can find all in the city centre. Enjoy yourself!

RESTAURANTE CANTABRIA in 10 Rio de la Pila Str. A traditional restaurant where you can eat some tapas ( try the pie or empanada ) or choose a menu. It´s very economical. You should go and it´s in the middle of a street with a lot night life.

BAR SINDICAL in 3 Santa Clara Str. A very economical restaurant with a good and traditional menu. It´s full of Spanish workers. Be careful it isn´t easy to find because you need to get down some stairs.

BODEGA LA MONTAÑA in 28 San Fernando str. is a beautiful and old tavern where you can have a drink and eat portions/ raciones or tapas. Also it offers an economical menu that you should try. 

BODEGAS MAZON in 57 Hernán Cortés Str. That´s an interesting restaurant in a wine cellar. You can take some wines and eat some tapas or some portions/ raciones.

CASA DEL INDIANO inside the Mercado del Este. The Mercado del Este is an old market quite transformed. Now you can find inside some shops and this restaurant where you can have a drink. The place is beautiful and the restaurant is new but with a vintage decoration.

MESON LOS ARCOS outside the Mercado del Este in 3 Hernán Cortés Str. This is an old restaurant with different options so as to eat. You can have a menu or drink some wines...

LA CONVENIENTE in 9 Gomez de Oreña Str. It´s in Cañadio Square, where is the central point of the night life in Santander. A beautiful old restaurant and with good portions/ raciones.

MARUCHO in 21 Tetuan Str. That´s another classic restaurant with a lot of charm. You should go even only to see it. You can drink some wines or eat. It is famous for the fish and seafood so that means medium price. Anyway the Tetuan Str. is full of restaurants and bars so you should go there specially to have some tapas before lunch.

RESTAURANTE EL VIVERO in Marques de la Ensenada Str. This restaurant is in the middle of the Barrio Pesquero. A bit far away the city centre but you can go walking. You should go there so as to eat fish and seafood. This neighbourhood is full of restaurants. It´s medium price but another restaurant more traditional where you can eat portions and have a drink is CASA JOSÉ. It´s in the same neighbourhood in 2 Mocejón Str. near the main square.

BODEGA CIGALEÑA in  19 Daoiz y Velarde Str. Very close to the lively Cañadio Square. This is an old restaurant full of bottles of wine. You can have a drink or eat in the restaurant, in this case it´s not cheap if you want to eat.

RESTAURANTE LA BOMBI in 15 Casimiro Sainz Str. It´s in Puertochico and in this neigbourhood you can find a lot of restaurants and bars. This is a well know restaurant and expensive, so it´s the perfect option if you want to eat in a good restaurant.

 

BODEGA DEL RIOJANO in 5  Rio de la Pila Str., very close to the RESTAURANTE CANTABRIA and it is located in this lively street . You should go to see this beautiful old wine cellar and now it´s a beautiful and good restaurant. It´s expensive and very good so if you can you should try. Another option is to have a drink there and eat some tapas, they aren´t expensive.

UNILANG IDIOMAS, SPANISH COURSES IN SANTANDER

Read More