Santander Tours & Holidays 2023/2024

Join us on a holiday to Santander

Lush mountain settings, picture-perfect white sandy beaches, and ancient architecture, Santander, Spain is a truly unique city.

Northern Spain tours differ from the rest of the country climate-wise, with temperatures in Santander a lot more variable than other parts of the country, but it retains its timeless beauty come rain or shine.

The best time to visit Santander is definitely in the spring and summer, when temperatures soar and the gorgeous plant life bursts into a vibrant rainbow, especially in the Jardines de Pereda. These botanical gardens are just outside the intriguing Centro Botin Arts Centre, designed by the famous architect Renzo Piano. The rest of the city centre is jam-packed with other attractions too, including the famous Cathedral de Santander. Venturing a little further out you’ll come to the iconic Palacio de la Magdalena, a royal summer residence that overlooks the sea. With Newmarket Holidays, you’ll be whisked through all these highlights, with plenty of opportunities to linger in places you feel most attracted to.

While the city is undoubtedly a mecca for history lovers, it has a thriving contemporary culture that’s as rich and complex as any well-curated exhibition. The city’s university is named after its most famous son, the historian and critic Menendez Pelayo. It isn’t the only place you can learn about his legacy in the city, with plenty of smaller museums dedicated to or including exhibitions about his life and works. There’s also a plethora of other attractions to explore, from galleries to dance shows. Santander holidays truly are a perfect fit for all kinds of traveller.

Our featured Santander tours

Explore Santander's scenery and vibrant colours on a tour.

Historic Paradors of Hidden Spain

Spain

5 Excursions Included, 11 Meals Included
Flights Included - 3 Airports
9 Dates - May 2024 - Oct 2024

8 days from £1472pp

was ~~£1635pp~~

Explore

Santander tours for solo travellers

Be inspired to travel solo. Newmarket Holidays welcomes solo travellers on all our group tours. In fact, many of our customers choose to join our tours on their own. And the best part is: you won’t really be alone. With a group of like-minded travellers and a friendly, informative tour manager (as well as incredible locals all over the world!), you will love your holiday experience. Joining a tour as a solo traveller is also a guaranteed way to feel safe and confident when travelling alone. While you can join any of our regular tours on your own, we also have a range of tours designed exclusively for solo travellers.

Things to do in Santander

Dive into the arts, culture, and history of Spain with a visit to top-notch arts exhibitions and museums, or simply (wander the local beaches where you might be lucky enough to spot a sea lion!).

Wander the Centro Botin Arts Centre

Spending a day wandering around the Centro Botin Arts Centre is a must-do on any Santander holiday. The building itself is awe-inspiring, and the exhibitions and attractions on show within, which vary from season to season, are just as incredible.

See the Palacio de la Magdalena

The Palacio de la Magdalena perches on the edge of the Magdalena Peninsula, but a visit to this outcrop offers so much more than just a chance to see this enchanting residency. With sea lions to make friends with and vast, gorgeous gardens to take in, you’ll quickly see why this tail of land is so popular.

Visit the Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria

If you’re interested in the long, storied history of Santander, then a visit to the Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria is a must. Its exhibitions cover thousands of years of history, so coming here offers a fascinating glance into the pre-human story of the region.

Things to see in Santander

Experience gothic cathedrals and the lapping waves of quiet beaches on a holiday to Santander.

Food and drink in Santander

Cantabrian people are proud of their seafood.

However, no matter where you go to eat the fish soup will stand out. Filling but not too heavy, while also managing to be healthy and explode with flavour, there is a unique recipe in every restaurant and is a must-eat during your Santander trip.

Translating to ‘fried milk’, leche frita might not seem like the most appealing dessert, but once you bite into the sweet, firmly textured dish, you’ll see why every region in the north of Spain is quick to claim it as their own.

After eating far too much of the delicious food on offer, a few glasses of orujo will help it all go down. Similar to grappa but a bit sweeter, it’s the perfect aperitif.