Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring a car

Santander travel guide

Santander Tourism | Santander Guide

You're Going to Love Santander

With a population of 182 700, Santander is the largest city in Cantabria, Spain by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Santander has to offer.

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When to visit Santander

Santander in April
Estimated hotel price
€30
1 night at 3-star hotel
Santander in April
Estimated hotel price
€30
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Santander in August, when the average temperature is 20 °C, and the highest can go up to 24 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 6 °C, with an average temperature of 10 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 130 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Santander, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Santander

Plane

When flying to Santander, you’ll arrive at Santander Airport (SDR), which is located 4 km from the city centre. The shortest flight to Santander from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 2h 05m.

Train

Renfe is the most popular train carrier serving Santander, followed by Train. The train journey from Santander to Madrid takes 4h 20m and costs around €29 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Valencia, expect to pay about €43 for a 6h 53m trip. Located 0.5 km from the city centre, Santander is the busiest station in Santander. Another popular train station is Santander Valdecilla, located 1.8 km from the centre.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santander, including ALSA, FlixBus and Bus. From Bilbao, the bus ride to Santander takes 105 km and will cost you around €16. From Oviedo, the ticket costs about €31 for a journey of 217 km. The most popular bus station is Santander, located 0.3 km from the city centre of Santander. Santander Peñacastillo is also a commonly used station, and is 5 km from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Santander, you’ll arrive at Santander Airport (SDR), which is located 4 km from the city centre. The shortest flight to Santander from Ireland departs from Dublin and takes around 2h 05m.

Train

Renfe is the most popular train carrier serving Santander, followed by Train. The train journey from Santander to Madrid takes 4h 20m and costs around €29 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Valencia, expect to pay about €43 for a 6h 53m trip. Located 0.5 km from the city centre, Santander is the busiest station in Santander. Another popular train station is Santander Valdecilla, located 1.8 km from the centre.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santander, including ALSA, FlixBus and Bus. From Bilbao, the bus ride to Santander takes 105 km and will cost you around €16. From Oviedo, the ticket costs about €31 for a journey of 217 km. The most popular bus station is Santander, located 0.3 km from the city centre of Santander. Santander Peñacastillo is also a commonly used station, and is 5 km from the city centre.

Airports near Santander

SDRSantander
VITVitoria-Gasteiz
BIOBilbao

Airlines serving Santander

KLM
Good (1,435 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,665 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,626 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,015 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,132 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,830 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,058 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,123 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,515 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,571 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (886 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,348 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,111 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,633 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,343 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,158 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,100 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (377 reviews)
SAUDIA
Good (653 reviews)
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Find flights to Santander

Where to stay in Santander

From 5-star hotels such as the Eurostars Hotel Real to great affordable options like the Las Carolinas Garden, Santander offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around €57 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to €117 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hospedaje Magallanes and Hotel Picos De Europa.

Where to stay in popular areas of Santander

Most booked hotels in Santander

See all
Hotel Bahía
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
€70+
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Eurostars Hotel Real
5 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
€117+
View
Santemar
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
€57+
View
Hotel Palacio del Mar
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, Excellent reviews)
€59+
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NH Ciudad de Santander
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
€60+
View

Hiring a car in Santander

Expect to pay €1.46 per litre in Santander (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €17.44 and €23.25. The most frequently booked car type in Santander is Full-size (Opel Vivaro or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Citroen C3 or similar) is, on average, 69% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay €1.46 per litre in Santander (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between €17.44 and €23.25. The most frequently booked car type in Santander is Full-size (Opel Vivaro or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy car hire (Citroen C3 or similar) is, on average, 69% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Santander