Things to Do in Santander

At the agreed-upon time, we'll meet in downtown Santander to begin our free tour of the capital of Cantabria.

During the tour, we'll explore the charming Pereda Gardens, where we'll admire the innovative Botín Center, a masterpiece by renowned architect Renzo Piano. The views of the bay from this spot will leave you speechless.

We'll continue through the city's expansion area as we discover key moments in Santander's history, including some of its most challenging periods.

Have you heard about the great fire that devastated Santander in 1941? We'll explain how it happened and what consequences it had for the city.

Our route will also take us to the Cathedral of Santa María de la Asunción, where we will stop to appreciate its exterior architecture and discuss the relics of Santander's patron saints preserved inside.

Along the way, we'll visit other iconic landmarks such as Santander City Hall and the Mercado de la Esperanza, also known as the Central Market, the perfect place to experience the region's rich cuisine.

We'll also stop at Porticada Square, the Eastern Market, and the historic Banco Mercantil building, located in one of the city's most prominent areas.

After about two hours, we'll conclude our free tour in the heart of Santander's historic center.

Relive one of Santander's biggest catastrophes and how the city resurfaced after "El Siniestro", the great fire that changed everything forever that February 1941. February 15, 1941, night falls. Throughout the day a gale has risen that has grown to be almost a hurricane. A glow in the horizon of roofs begins to draw the attention of the population and the alarms in the streets sound ... The great fire of Santander has been unleashed, nothing will be the same again. Discover with Experienta the history of this event that changed Santander, in which much of the city was reduced to ashes and how this modified its structure and the way of life of the people of the place, to become as we know it today. Enjoy a different itinerary through the less known side of the center of Santander, through the most representative monuments and icons of the urban center, from a "catastrophic" point of view as well as instructive. Feel as if you were an inhabitant of the time under the explanations of a guide involved and willing to give you a fun visit in which nothing else you have to worry about enjoying the activity without risk of being devoured by the flames. We promise you that you will never see the city of Santander with the same eyes.

Due to the company's long history, the experience of the guides (authentic locals) and the expertise of our team, this is the "best and most complete" route, perfect for getting acquainted with the capital of Cantabria.

Its history, its people, its traditions, and the guides with the orange umbrellas: OFFICIAL, ACCREDITED, AND 100% CANTABRIAN. They won't take you on a wild goose chase, but they'll teach you, entertain you, and move you like no other. Get ready, not just to see Santander, but to experience it like a local.

Welcome to Santander, the so-called "most beautiful bay in the world".
The one of the idyllic landscape, the beaches, the aristocracy of El Sardinero, the illustrious figures, the bank,...but also that of seafaring life, the docks, sardine sellers, fishermen, net menders and scrapers.

A city of many faces and contrasts that has always been and will always be "The Bride of the Sea." Join us in this love-hate story, worthy of overshadowing Romeo and Juliet, as you explore and discover every street and monument of one of the jewels of the Cantabrian coast.

• Our tour will begin in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento , right in the city center, where we'll whet your appetite before heading to the Mercado de La Esperanza to experience a taste of daily life in Santander and sample the local cuisine. You'll see how hungry you'll get!

• With our mouths watering, and just in case anyone's been guilty of gluttony, we'll go to mass. Not literally, but we'll visit the Church of the Annunciation, Santander Cathedral, and its surroundings to learn about it in detail, how Santander "married" the sea, and how this is reflected in the streets we walk. This city reveals so much more than meets the eye!

• But every relationship has its moments of crisis. With the Plaza de Alfonso XIII as our witness, we'll drop the bombshell about the most dramatic moments in the Santander - Sea relationship. Moments where history has had some truly epic scenes... my goodness !, like the Cabo Machichaco debacle or that disastrous Valentine's Day that culminated in the Great Fire of 1941. They love each other, but sometimes they're at each other's throats!

• It's not all drama here. The city's expansion is the result of the best and most beautiful moments of this unique partnership. We'll wander through the Pereda Gardens, the Porticada Square, Pombo Square, and the East Market , some of the sites of the city's greatest growth and prosperity. Iconic places with a handful of illustrious figures as narrators of their history.

• I'm sure you want to know more... let's see what gossip the longtime residents of the oldest neighborhoods have to say about this couple. So we'll cross through the El Arrabal neighborhood, home to sailors and net menders, with its most traditional streets, where, if you close your eyes and concentrate, you can still hear the shouts, the salt air, the waves, and the bustle of the boats.

• In the end, through thick and thin, a long-standing relationship bears fruit. A stroll along the Santander docks, on the Paseo Pereda , offers the best glimpse into the city's connection to the Cantabrian Sea and introduces us to the couple's offspring: the Raqueros . These little characters, who throughout the 19th and 20th centuries were found amidst the games, games, cheers, and cabbages , became an enduring icon.

What? What are those words? Cuchus , gazuza, hurria, cole... ? Don't worry, this isn't going to be hard to read. You'll understand, when you come with us, that we Cantabrians have a peculiar vocabulary and our slang is incredibly authentic. What better than a local guide, from our beloved Cantabria, to give you the subtitles for this journey and help you understand every detail of our way of life?

What do you say, are you in? Doesn't all this sound a little strange ? We're very keen to guide you on this route and have as much fun together as pigs in mud.

By the way! Bring your furry friends along to stretch their legs! We're 100% pet friendly!!

Learn all about the history, customs and traditions of the Cantabrian capital with this detailed tour of the central area of the city of Santander and its main points of interest.

We will begin our free tour with a visit to the Pereda Gardens , named after the Cantabrian writer José Mª de Pereda, located next to the city's expansions, where we will see the magnificent Banco Santander building and the internationally renowned modern art centre: “ Centro Botín ”.

We will continue with the explanation of the fire in Santander, explaining everything that was destroyed and what was saved and how, to continue with the exterior visit of the Cathedral of Santa María de la Asunción .

On this tour we cannot forget the traditional Mercado de la Esperanza , next to the Town Hall square. We will arrive at the Plaza Porticada , the former headquarters of the Santander International Festival, passing by the Church of “La Compañía” and ending at the Plaza de Pombo , which we will access after first visiting the Mercado del Este, a gastronomic reference point in the city and the spectacular building of the former Banco Mercantil .

Book now and don't miss a single detail of Santander, its history, its architecture and its anecdotes!

@siguemispasostour

Welcome to my land, to my city!

I invite you on a unique tour: Santander with Soul: A Journey of Flavors and Stories.

Do you want to discover Santander but don't know where to start?
Have you heard about its rich cuisine, the famous "arrancada" (arrancade) or the "blanqueos" (whitewashing), but you don't know what they mean?

I love Santander, its postcard-perfect landscapes, and its always warm and welcoming people. My mission is for you to fall in love with this city as much as I do. Every corner has a story to tell, and I'm here to share it with you.

I don't promise to show you every church or give you a tour full of technicalities. But I do guarantee to show you the most emblematic buildings of a city that, on two occasions, was on the verge of disappearing from the map.

I'll take you to typical places where locals enjoy their free time. I'll recommend places where you can try our delicious squid, the famous Cantabrian anchovies, the mountain stew, or the Lebaniego stew, while we walk through the most iconic streets steeped in history.

Don't leave for tomorrow what you can eat today!

Would you rather explore Santander after sunset? That's also possible!
When night falls, the city transforms into a brilliant spectacle. Sunsets here offer a palette of colors you won't find at any other time of day.

Experience the difference of a small-group tour! On my tours, I like everything to be close, as if we were walking with friends. That's why I always choose small groups: this way we can chat, laugh, and enjoy the tour without rushing.

Why choose me to show you Santander?
The real question is… why not?

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Important note

If you can't attend the tour, please cancel your reservation in the app at least 60 minutes beforehand. Thank you for your understanding!

Have you ever heard the whisper of history among forgotten rails? Felt the imposing presence of sleeping steam giants, ready to awaken memories of a golden age?

I invite you to take a journey back in time to a secret place in Santander where Cantabria's industrial heart still beats strongly: the Cantabrian Railway Museum.

This is no ordinary museum; it's a sanctuary of iron dreams, forged with the unconditional love of those who dedicate their hours to preserving the soul of the locomotives and the essence of an era when the train was the engine of progress.

Alongside me, an enthusiastic member of the Cantabrian Association of Friends of the Railway (ACAF), you'll discover a unique collection where each piece reveals Cantabria's unwavering connection with the railway.

During our tour, you'll enjoy:

• Captivating stories about railway pioneers, the daily life of railway workers, the train's connection with local industry (mining, iron and steel), and ACAF's efforts to preserve this valuable heritage.
• An imposing steam titan, a symbol of the Cantabrian iron and steel industry: the Peñacastillo Locomotive (1913).
• The largest snowplough in Spain: the Beilhack (1962).
• The ingenious diesel-hydraulic gem that modernized the Cantábrico line: the Naval Tractor (1966).
• An impressive H0 scale model railway (1:87 scale).
• And many more locomotives!

Book your place now and be part of this adventure.