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 Miami and takes around 14h 44m.

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 $27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Valencia, expect to pay about $71 for a 7h 56m trip. Located 0.5 km from the city center, Santander is the busiest station in Santander. Another popular train station is Santander Valdecilla, located 1.8 km from the center.

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 Goldcar Rental SP, among others, in Bilbao.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Santander using ALSA or FlixBus. From Bilbao, the bus ride to Santander takes 161 km and will cost you around $19. From Zaragoza, the ticket costs about $73 for a journey of 531 km. The most popular bus station is Santander, located 0.3 km from downtown Santander. Santander Peñacastillo is also a commonly used station, and is 5 km from the city center.

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 Miami and takes around 14h 44m.

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 $27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Valencia, expect to pay about $71 for a 7h 56m trip. Located 0.5 km from the city center, Santander is the busiest station in Santander. Another popular train station is Santander Valdecilla, located 1.8 km from the center.

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 Goldcar Rental SP, among others, in Bilbao.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Santander using ALSA or FlixBus. From Bilbao, the bus ride to Santander takes 161 km and will cost you around $19. From Zaragoza, the ticket costs about $73 for a journey of 531 km. The most popular bus station is Santander, located 0.3 km from downtown Santander. Santander Peñacastillo is also a commonly used station, and is 5 km from the city center.

Airports near Santander

SDRSantander
VITVitoria-Gasteiz
BIOBilbao

Airlines serving Santander

KLM
Good (1,492 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,900 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,865 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,302 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,392 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,916 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,173 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,564 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (905 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,554 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,748 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,727 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,907 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,184 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,381 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (399 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,193 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,428 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,262 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (1,179 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 $76 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $156 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hotel Picos De Europa and Hotel Antoyana.

Where to stay in popular areas of Santander

Most booked hotels in Santander

See all
La Casona de Suesa
3 stars
Excellent (9.3, 677 reviews)
$101+
View
Hotel Bahía
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 7100 reviews)
$100+
View
Santemar
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 6479 reviews)
$81+
View
Hotel Chiqui
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 6132 reviews)
$99+
View
Gran Hotel Victoria
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2964 reviews)
$80+
View
Hotel Torres de Somo
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 1073 reviews)
$86+
View

Renting a car in Santander

Renting a car in Santander costs $38 per day, on average, or $113 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 38% cheaper than airport locations in Santander.

Expect to pay $6.78 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 $81.31 and $108.41. 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 (Hyundai i10 or similar) are, on average, 65% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Santander costs $38 per day, on average, or $113 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 38% cheaper than airport locations in Santander.

Expect to pay $6.78 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 $81.31 and $108.41. 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 (Hyundai i10 or similar) are, on average, 65% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Santander