Introduction
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Hiring 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. Consider staying at least one whole day in Santander to see all of its attractions.

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When to visit Santander

Santander in November
Estimated hotel price
S$ 98
1 night at 3-star hotel
Santander in November
Estimated hotel price
S$ 98
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Santander in August, when the average temperature is 20 °C, and the highest can go up to 24 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 6 °C, with an average temperature of 10 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 130 mm. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Santander, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.

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 centre.

Train

Renfe is the only carrier operating train routes to Santander. The train journey from Santander to Madrid takes 4h 20m and costs around S$ 43 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alicante, expect to pay about S$ 98 for a 7h 38m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city centre, Santander is the busiest station in Santander. Another popular train station is Santander Valdecilla, located 1.1 miles from the centre.

Car

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

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santander, including ALSA, FlixBus and rede expressos. From Bilbao, the bus ride to Santander takes 90 miles and will cost you around S$ 24. From Oviedo, the ticket costs about S$ 66 for a journey of 135 miles. The most popular bus station is Santander, located 0.2 miles from the city centre of Santander. Santander Peñacastillo is also a commonly used station, and is 3 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Santander, you’ll arrive at Santander Airport (SDR), which is located 2 miles from the city centre.

Train

Renfe is the only carrier operating train routes to Santander. The train journey from Santander to Madrid takes 4h 20m and costs around S$ 43 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Alicante, expect to pay about S$ 98 for a 7h 38m trip. Located 0.3 miles from the city centre, Santander is the busiest station in Santander. Another popular train station is Santander Valdecilla, located 1.1 miles from the centre.

Car

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

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Santander, including ALSA, FlixBus and rede expressos. From Bilbao, the bus ride to Santander takes 90 miles and will cost you around S$ 24. From Oviedo, the ticket costs about S$ 66 for a journey of 135 miles. The most popular bus station is Santander, located 0.2 miles from the city centre of Santander. Santander Peñacastillo is also a commonly used station, and is 3 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Santander

SDRSantander
VITVitoria-Gasteiz
BIOBilbao

Airlines serving Santander

Lufthansa
Good (7,974 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,511 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,944 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,459 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,350 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,936 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,210 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,585 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (914 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,683 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,769 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,727 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,999 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,193 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,392 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (405 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,235 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,433 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,313 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (1,202 reviews)
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Where to stay in Santander

From 5-star hotels such as the Eurostars Hotel Real to great affordable options like the Las Carolinas Garden, Santander offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around S$ 103 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to S$ 238 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hospedaje Magallanes and Hotel Picos De Europa.

Where to stay in popular areas of Santander

Most booked hotels in Santander

See all
Santemar
4 stars
Excellent (8.9, Excellent reviews)
S$ 121+
View
Hotel Chiqui
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, Excellent reviews)
S$ 157+
View
Gran Hotel Victoria
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, Excellent reviews)
S$ 121+
View
Hotel Montañés
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, Excellent reviews)
S$ 80+
View

Hiring a car in Santander

Expect to pay S$ 2.29 per litre in Santander (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between S$ 27.39 and S$ 36.52. The most frequently booked car type in Santander is Full-size (Renault Scénic or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Class Intermediate SUV or similar) is, on average, 62% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Expect to pay S$ 2.29 per litre in Santander (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between S$ 27.39 and S$ 36.52. The most frequently booked car type in Santander is Full-size (Renault Scénic or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Class Intermediate SUV or similar) is, on average, 62% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Find car hire in Santander