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 December
Estimated hotel price
$63
1 night at 3-star hotel
Santander in December
Estimated hotel price
$63
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 New York and takes around 9h 50m.

Train

Renfe is the most popular train carrier serving Santander, followed by Train. The train journey from Santander to Madrid takes 4h 21m and costs around $48 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alicante, expect to pay about $119 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 CLICK RENT , among others, in Bilbao.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Santander using ALSA or FlixBus. From Bilbao, the bus ride to Santander takes 90 miles and will cost you around $20. From Oviedo, the ticket costs about $35 for a journey of 135 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 New York and takes around 9h 50m.

Train

Renfe is the most popular train carrier serving Santander, followed by Train. The train journey from Santander to Madrid takes 4h 21m and costs around $48 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alicante, expect to pay about $119 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 CLICK RENT , among others, in Bilbao.

Bus

You can travel by bus to Santander using ALSA or FlixBus. From Bilbao, the bus ride to Santander takes 90 miles and will cost you around $20. From Oviedo, the ticket costs about $35 for a journey of 135 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

Lufthansa
Good (7,407 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,386 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,363 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,957 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,737 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,968 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,924 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,923 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,624 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (850 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,145 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,486 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,114 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,250 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,324 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (994 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (359 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,975 reviews)
Ryanair
Good (5,157 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 $81 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $189 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
Hotel Bahía
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, 6631 reviews)
$83+
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Santemar
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 5339 reviews)
$73+
View
Silken Coliseum
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 3719 reviews)
$92+
View
Hotel Torres de Somo
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 1003 reviews)
$111+
View
Silken Rio Santander
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 3657 reviews)
$82+
View
Château La Roca
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 1205 reviews)
$63+
View

Renting a car in Santander

Renting a car in Santander costs $58 per day, on average, or $174 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 21% more expensive than at Santander.

Expect to pay $6.51 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 $78.13 and $104.17. The most frequently booked car type in Santander is Intermediate (Honda Civic or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Ford Fiesta or similar) are, on average, 67% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Santander costs $58 per day, on average, or $174 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 21% more expensive than at Santander.

Expect to pay $6.51 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 $78.13 and $104.17. The most frequently booked car type in Santander is Intermediate (Honda Civic or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Ford Fiesta or similar) are, on average, 67% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Santander

Santander Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Santander city guide for the best Santander travel tips. To help you organize your Santander trip ideas, this Santander visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.