Santander
Country: Spain · 175,425 inhabitants · Founded: 1755
Attractions
Wikivoyage
Santander is the capital and largest city of the province of Cantabria in Spain. It's on the north coast, with many beaches, ferries from Britain, and a small historic centre. The bars and restaurants of the old town are popular with tourists, as is El Sardinero beach a couple of kilometres away.
Wikipedia
Santander (UK: SAN-tən-DAIR, -tan-, US: SAHN-tahn-DAIR; Spanish: [santanˈdeɾ]) is the capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria, Spain. It has a population of 172,000 (2017). It is a port city located in the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Cantabrian Sea.
It is believed to have been a port since ancient times, due to its favourable location, and is documented as far back as the 11th century. Much of the old city was lost in the Great Fire of 1941. The city was then rebuilt realizing Francoist ideals of social segregation. Today, its remaining old town, beach and other attractions are popular with tourists and other visitors and its economy is mainly service based. The port is still very active and a regular ferry service operates to the United Kingdom. Fish and seafood dominate the local cuisine. Santander notably houses the headquarters of multinational bank Banco Santander, which was founded there. The city has a mild climate typical of the Spanish northern coastline with frequent rainfall and stable temperatures. Cold snaps and heat waves are very rare.