Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting 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 January
Estimated hotel price
$90
1 night at 3-star hotel
Santander in January
Estimated hotel price
$90
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Santander in August, when the average temperature is 68 °F, and the highest can go up to 75.2 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 42.8 °F, with an average temperature of 50 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 5.1″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Santander, with an average rainfall of 1.6″.

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 2 miles from the city center. The shortest flight to Santander from the United States departs from Boston and takes around 9h 50m.

Train

Renfe is the only carrier operating train routes to Santander. The train journey from Santander to Madrid takes 4h 24m and costs around $27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alicante, expect to pay about $45 for a 7h 38m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city center, Santander is the busiest station in Santander. Another popular train station is Santander Valdecilla, located 1.1 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Santander is to pick up a car rental from Bilbao, which is about 46 miles from Santander. You’ll find branches of Record Go and Centauro, among others, in Bilbao.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santander, including ALSA, FlixBus and Bilman Bus. From Madrid, the bus ride to Santander takes 330 miles and will cost you around $76. From Zaragoza, the ticket costs about $73 for a journey of 345 miles. The most popular bus station is Santander, located 0.2 miles from downtown Santander. Santander Peñacastillo is also a commonly used station, and is 3 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Santander, you’ll arrive at Santander Airport (SDR), which is located 2 miles from the city center. The shortest flight to Santander from the United States departs from Boston and takes around 9h 50m.

Train

Renfe is the only carrier operating train routes to Santander. The train journey from Santander to Madrid takes 4h 24m and costs around $27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alicante, expect to pay about $45 for a 7h 38m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city center, Santander is the busiest station in Santander. Another popular train station is Santander Valdecilla, located 1.1 miles from the center.

Car

Another option to get to Santander is to pick up a car rental from Bilbao, which is about 46 miles from Santander. You’ll find branches of Record Go and Centauro, among others, in Bilbao.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santander, including ALSA, FlixBus and Bilman Bus. From Madrid, the bus ride to Santander takes 330 miles and will cost you around $76. From Zaragoza, the ticket costs about $73 for a journey of 345 miles. The most popular bus station is Santander, located 0.2 miles from downtown Santander. Santander Peñacastillo is also a commonly used station, and is 3 miles from the city center.

Airports near Santander

SDRSantander
VITVitoria-Gasteiz
BIOBilbao

Airlines serving Santander

KLM
Good (1,460 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,809 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,767 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,239 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,237 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,880 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,125 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,343 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,538 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,744 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (900 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,699 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,746 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,181 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,416 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,369 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,179 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (387 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,149 reviews)
China Eastern
Good (196 reviews)
Show more
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 Hotel San Millán, Santander offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $68 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $128 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hotel Picos De Europa and Hotel Bedoya.

Where to stay in popular areas of Santander

Most booked hotels in Santander

See all
Hotel Alemar
2 stars
Excellent (9, 497 reviews)
$92+
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Hotel Bahía
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 6841 reviews)
$82+
View
Santemar
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 5482 reviews)
$66+
View
Eurostars Hotel Real
5 stars
Excellent (8.9, 2158 reviews)
$128+
View
Hotel Costa Mar
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 705 reviews)
$77+
View
Dorma Coliseum
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 3810 reviews)
$82+
View

Renting a car in Santander

Renting a car in Santander costs $35 per day, on average, or $106 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 62% cheaper than airport locations in Santander.

Expect to pay $6.55 per gallon in Santander (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $78.59 and $104.78. The most frequently booked car type in Santander is Intermediate (Peugeot 5008 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini rental cars (Toyota Aygo or similar) are, on average, 80% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Santander costs $35 per day, on average, or $106 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 62% cheaper than airport locations in Santander.

Expect to pay $6.55 per gallon in Santander (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $78.59 and $104.78. The most frequently booked car type in Santander is Intermediate (Peugeot 5008 or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini rental cars (Toyota Aygo or similar) are, on average, 80% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Santander