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 February
Estimated hotel price
$70
1 night at 3-star hotel
Santander in February
Estimated hotel price
$70
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 4 km from the city center. The shortest flight to Santander from the United States departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 21h 10m.

Car

Another option to get to Santander is to pick up a car rental from Bilbao, which is about 74 km from Santander. You’ll find branches of Record go and Go By Car, among others, in Bilbao.

Plane

When flying to Santander, you’ll arrive at Santander Airport (SDR), which is located 4 km from the city center. The shortest flight to Santander from the United States departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 21h 10m.

Car

Another option to get to Santander is to pick up a car rental from Bilbao, which is about 74 km from Santander. You’ll find branches of Record go and Go By Car, among others, in Bilbao.

Airports near Santander

SDRSantander
VITVitoria-Gasteiz
BIOBilbao

Airlines serving Santander

Lufthansa
Good (8,284 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,592 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,266 reviews)
SWISS
Good (2,112 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,458 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,243 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (983 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,653 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,652 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,707 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (2,021 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (10,391 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,193 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,549 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (437 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,450 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,417 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,383 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,789 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,523 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 Suite Home Sardinero, Santander offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $76 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $161 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hotel Picos De Europa and Antoyana.

Where to stay in popular areas of Santander

Most booked hotels in Santander

See all
Hotel Bahía
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 7854 reviews)
$82+
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Hotel Santemar
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 6740 reviews)
$72+
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Hotel Chiqui
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 6513 reviews)
$71+
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Dorma Coliseum
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 4318 reviews)
$64+
View
Dorma Sardinero
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 4263 reviews)
$67+
View
ibis Styles Santander
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 2596 reviews)
$57+
View

Renting a car in Santander

Renting a car in Santander costs $32 per day, on average, or $96 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 27% cheaper than airport locations in Santander.

Expect to pay $7.57 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 $90.85 and $121.13. 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 Compact rental cars (Skoda Fabia or similar) are, on average, 81% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Santander costs $32 per day, on average, or $96 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 27% cheaper than airport locations in Santander.

Expect to pay $7.57 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 $90.85 and $121.13. 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 Compact rental cars (Skoda Fabia or similar) are, on average, 81% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Santander