Spain: Santander

August 2017

After a great time in and around Oviedo [see: Oviedo], it was time to move on. The next stop was Santander, a resort town along the coast. The little, narrow-gauge FEVE trains went there but took almost five hours - the bus was only two. Even if I dislike bus rides, it didn't make sense to waste that much time when a far faster (and easier) journey was available.

In no time, I was in a city that I knew nothing about except that a major bank in the US shared the same name. I was staying in a hotel with shared bath (ugh) because everything else was full or too expensive. I came to understand why quickly (it was August after all).

The hotel was located near the bus/train stations in the old downtown looking out over the Plaza de Pombo (a large public square in the city center). I got settled and immediately had a walkabout. Santander is very hilly and going to the main beaches required a walk up and then downhill to reach them (by the most direct route from the hotel). As I walked through the city, I noted how wealthy it was - all of the homes were beautiful (and looked expensive). Finally, I came to the sea and saw a beautiful view of a rocky peninsula with some gorgeous white sand beaches between them. I was blown away - I had discovered where the Spanish (with money) came for their beach holidays.

While the rest of Europe travels to Spain's blistering hot beaches on the Mediterranean in summer for holiday, the Spanish (who are sweltering in the summer heat) prefer to find a place more temperate. The north coast of Spain still gets hot in the summer, but the days are punctuated by clouds and rain. For someone coming from a city that sees no rain all summer, Santander must feel like a slice of heaven. For me, it was the most beautiful urban beach I had visited in Spain (and perhaps in all of Europe). It was touristic and crowded, but not overwhelmingly so. Most of the vacationers were Spanish with a few French thrown in here and there.

I walked along the coastal pathway past the two main beaches and finally arrived at the headland marking the entrance to Santander's harbor. There sits Palacio de la Magdalena, one of the official residences of the Spanish royal family. Most amazingly, although not open to the public, the grounds are accessible. The views over the city and the sea are breathtaking. The King of Spain knew where to build a summer home.

Further around the rocky promontory is the Bay of Santander. I followed the water's edge back to the city's marina (filled with expensive boats) and finally I was back near the hotel.

It all made sense to me. The hotel had been difficult to book because it was August in Santander. There were NO cheap options because the whole city was booked out for the entire month. Santander is for wealthy people - no campgrounds as I had seen further up the coast in Llanes and Ribadesella. If Spain had an equivalent to Nice, France - Santander was it. I felt grateful that any cheap hotel options even existed.

I was not visiting a typical inexpensive tourism Spanish city either - prices were high and every place felt "high end". No worries, I was happy enough to find some cheap places to eat and enjoy the discovery. The following day I would check out Santillana del Mar [see: Santillana del Mar] and then move on. Santander was NOT the kind of city where I could afford to tarry, but I was happy to learn about it.

Most interesting to me was that I had never heard about it from my well-traveled friends with money. Was it really just a "Spanish secret"? Or because it would most certainly rain during anyone's stay, no one wanted to risk any days without sunshine (except the Spanish who were escaping the sun)?

I would gladly return for a week and enjoy the city and its beaches - but only if I were guest of someone who could afford it.