What to see and do in El Sardinero (Santander): beaches and palaces

If you do not know Santander, I will tell you that it is a city that can be said to have two very different faces.

On the one hand, the area that faces the interior of the bay and the port, which has been growing from the original medieval Santander, a small walled town of which the building of the cathedral remains its greatest exponent.

And on the other hand, the Santander more aristocratic, which extends through the area of ​​the Sardinero beaches and Magdalena Peninsula, already facing the sea.

This Sardinero area It is, without a doubt, one of the most charming and beautiful corners that you will find in the cities of the Cantabrian coast in Spain.

It has always been my favorite area of ​​the city, and I have had the opportunity to walk through it many times in various trips to Cantabria to enjoy vacations in Santander.

You may think that it is an area of ​​beaches and tourist buildings, but The Sardinero It is much more than the area where the most important and busiest are concentrated. beaches of the city of Santander.

What's more, from my point of view, what has the greatest charm about Sardinero It is the group that forms the peninsula with the Royal Palace of Magdalena and the adjoining hill with its elegant palatial mansions and its lush gardens.

This area is the reflection of the time in which Santander reached a great tourist boom when it became a place of summer residence of the Kings of Spain after the gift of Magdalena Palace that the city council made for them in 1912.

The best things to see and do in Sardinero in Santander

But at present, What are you going to see on your visit to Sardinero??

From the city center you will reach the Sardinero awarded by the Queen Victoria Avenue.

It is a walk that, surrounded by gardens, runs along the shores of the interior of the bay, above which rises the leafy hill where you will see various palatial buildings.

You will pass by the festival palace, place where every year, among other great musical events, the Santander International Festival.

And also next to the building Cantabrian Maritime Museum dedicated to maritime biology with its aquariums and fishing ethnography, this avenue leads you directly to access to the Magdalena Peninsula.

What it is like and what to see on the Magdalena Peninsula

The walk through this enclave is going to be one of the moments in which you will enjoy the most. visit from Santander.

In summer this area is always very lively because it is a very popular walking area, but also because the Magdalena Palace It has been the headquarters of the International University Menéndez Pelayo, perhaps the most prestigious among the summer universities in Spain.

You can visit the interior of the palace on guided tours one hour long (price, 6 euros) without prior reservation (in summer only Saturdays and Sundays.

But above all you can walk through the gardens that surround it, from which you can enjoy excellent views of the Santander Bay.

What and what are the Sardinero beaches like?

Specifically of the somo beach, which you will see towards the interior, on the other side of the bay, as well as the Sardinero beaches and its surroundings, facing the Cantabrian Sea.

Since the Magdalena viewpoints you will see in the foreground the small shell beach, on which rise diverse and beautiful palatial mansions.

Next to it extends the first beach of Sardinero, which was once frequented by monarchs and court who accompanied them.

And further down, the second beach of Sardinero, the most used by the most popular classes in the city.

Great Casino of Santander

The neuralgic enclave of this first area of ​​Sardinero is the italian square, where the very white building of the Great Casino.

Built in 1916 in a classical architectural style, the Great Casino of Santander It will catch your attention for its two large towers and its large front staircase.

Next to the casino are the Gran Hotel Sardinero, one of the classic hotels that extend throughout this area of ​​Sardinero.

And you will also see a beautiful stately building surrounded by a large garden, the palace known as the “Quinta de Los Pinares”.

Royal Hotel in Santander

In this regard it is worth highlighting at the top of the hill at Hotel Real de Santander, which was built in 1917 by direct order of the King Alfonso XIII and became the habitual residence of the royal entourage in Santander.

From its main terrace you have excellent panoramic views of the bay, and next to the hotel you can see the beautiful palatial building of the Brown HouseOf 1915.

In any case, it is an area of ​​traditional holiday buildings where you will also find numerous hotels, such as the Grand Hotel Victoria or Chiqui, where I have stayed in my most recent trips to Santander.

During your visit you will see that the two large Sardinero beaches They are separated by a small garden area.

Piquío Gardens in Santander

These are Piquio Gardens, my favorites in Santander for the excellent views you have of the entire Sardinero area.

In the second beach area you can see the Sardinero football stadium and next to it, a building with a modern and striking design that will seem like a large whale.

This is the Sport's palace, inside which is the sports museum.

Mataleñas park and beach in Santander

Tu route through Sardinero It should not end in the beach area, but continuing along the road you will reach the Matalenas Park, where a municipal golf course extends, and where you will suddenly feel transported out of the city.

In a landscape of cliffs that, due to their location, seem to be hit by the large waves of winter storms, the small cove of the Mataleñas beach.

Cabo Mayor Lighthouse in Santander

You can walk this area along a path that borders the sea coast, and from there you will see the Cabo Mayor Lighthouse.

with one his tower more than 30 meters high, the lighthouse inside has an art center with objects and curiosities related to the sea and lighthouses.

In short, when you discover the Sardinero You will agree with me (and many others...) that it is one of the most beautiful corners of the Cantabrian coast.