5 reasons to visit Santander 2026 – and why it’s called the ‘Ireland of Spain’

Everyone’s heard of Santander, right? It’s a place where you go to check your bank balance or deposit a cheque.

But did you know it’s also a gorgeous coastal city in northern Spain?

First founded by the Romans as a strategic port in 26 BC, Santander is a charming place cradled between sea and mountains that has so far escaped the overtourism its southern counterparts are struggling with.

It’s unlikely to stay that way for long, though; it was one of the most Googled travel destinations in 2025.

With intriguing history, melt-in-your-mouth grub and Palaeolithic caves, there are many reasons to visit this relatively undiscovered hidden gem (including some unlikely parallels with Ireland that we’ll delve into later).

But for now, here’s the top five.

1. Cheesecake and anchovies

Forget San Sebastián (don’t really, we love that too), Santander is quickly becoming northern Spain’s new culinary star.

I’d never shed a tear over cheesecake, but the burnt Basque cheesecake this region is famous for, with its custard-like texture and caramelised kick, had me welling up after one spoon.

And that’s before we get to the cheese, the chorizo, the anchovies.

I was lucky enough to eat at Queseria Quesoba, which is nestled in the heart of the iron-clad Mercado de la Esperanza, one of the first covered markets in Spain, dating back to the 1850s.

Here is where you’ll find the esteemed president of the Cheese Association of Spain, José María Alonso Ruiz.

Meeting him had me more excited than when I found out my A-Level retakes would scrape me into uni.

Most of the cheese in Cantabria is from cow’s milk; however, my favourite was a hard sheep’s cheese by the name of Dulcinea. It reminded me a little of Parmesan, with a softer, sweeter taste.

The cheeses at Quesoba come from local producers, mostly in Cantabria, but the most thrilling thing for me was the chorizo, which comes from the pigs José looks after. We’re talking smooth as butter, melt-in-your-mouth.

Having never eaten at a Michelin-starred restaurant before. I wasn’t sure how it would work, or if I would fill up from microscopic portions, but my fears were unfounded: I couldn’t move afterwards.

Restaurante Casona del Judio serves a 16-course dining extravaganza created by Sergio Bastard. The first six are cooked in front of you by a chef who made creating Michelin-star food look as effortless as riding a bike.

After that, it’s on down to the dining room where this culinary symphony continues, perfectly paired with local Cantabrian wines.

From cabbage so light it made me feel like I was floating, to a savoury macaron that was the perfect mix of sweet and salty, this really was the dinner of dreams.

The only thing I wasn’t mad about was the beans. They just tasted like, well, beans to be honest.

2. The Centro Botín

Santander is great for culture vultures, and I got my fill at Centro Botín, an art museum designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano.

The standout for me was an exhibition of Maruja Mallo, a Spanish surrealist painter known as one of the greats of the Generation of 1927.

What struck me most about her art was the recurring themes of strong, independent women woven throughout.

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Particularly memorable was a striking image depicting a family with the woman positioned at the front while the father and child sit in the back. It felt powerful and progressive for its time; more of this, please!

Now, the views, let’s talk about that for a minute.

I have never seen views like this from an art gallery. The coastline stretches out in front of you, a bit like that scene in The Simpsons Movie where Homer thinks Alaska is a poster, but it’s actually what he can see through his windscreen. It was so beautiful, it almost felt fake.

If you’re really committed to spending a day there, the museum offers dinners paired with themes from the exhibitions, but we didn’t have time for that.

Elsewhere, the city of Santander is working on a huge cultural project for tourists and locals that’s set to open in the next few years.

Slated to launch in 2027, it will house contemporary art, a stunning viewpoint and some pieces on loan from the prestigious Reina Sofía in Madrid (that’s the home of Picasso’s Guernica, to you).

3. Palaces and a dark past

The guide tasked with schooling me on the history of Santander was most certainly a character; you could tell she felt passionate about everything to do with her city.

This place has seen a lot, from its foundation as a Roman trading port in 26 BC to the dark days of the Spanish Civil War.

My guide showed me, among other things, the Palacio de la Magdanela, a magnificent English-inspired palace gifted to the Spanish royal family, and an air raid shelter used during the 1936 revolution to depose Queen Isabella II.

The longest air raid in Santander lasted 22 minutes, and when you visit the shelter in the town square, they replicate the sound. It’s very intense. 

The city’s cathedral is stunning (I’m not religious, though I did use my time there for some quiet reflection), but quickly: back to the palace.

Have you ever fancied living in one? Because here’s the coolest thing… you can stay there for the summer.

Designed by Javier González de Riancho, who also designed the only 5-star hotel in Santander and its iconic casino, the Menéndez Pelayo International University holds Spanish courses there each year.

The rooms are divine, and the views of the bay are out of this world.

4. Irish twins?

Before going to Santander, a few people told me it was like the Ireland of Spain. But why?

That became clear as soon as I’d spent a few days there. The weather was different by the hour.

Hail, rain and shine, you name it, we saw it, which, to be honest, only made the trip more interesting.

Another parallel to the Emerald Isle is the landscape that runs along the bay.

We were treated to technicolour sunsets, the moon glistening over the water as locals surfed long after dark.

The beaches are beautiful, and to top it all off, you can go on a cliff walk past a golf course all the way to the Cabo Mayor lighthouse, built in 1839 and originally powered by olive oil.

Your reward after climbing 130 stairs is a spectacular 360-degree view, with the coast on one side and rolling green hills on the other.

If you’d told me I was on the south coast of Ireland, I would have believed it.

5. El Pendo Cave

Lord of the Rings could never, this cave is the real deal.

Part of a UNESCO-protected Palaeolithic cave network, the art in El Pendo dates back 27,000 years, while the cave itself has rock formations believed to be 84,000 years old.

I’ll stop complaining about losing my youth now.

Here’s a little story about the incredible Carlos Luce, who discovered the artwork.

Our guide for this section of the trip knew him and told us how he had two dreams in life: find a new insect in a cave and discover Palaeolithic art.

He did both.

The paintings were discovered in 1997, and our guide was there the day of the discovery. Listening to him speak felt like walking through a storybook about the people who lived in these prehistoric homes, hewn out of rock. 

Our guide also mentioned that they found flint flakes on the floor and suspect it is where a Neanderthal sat making a weapon. How crazy is that?

Thank you, Santander, for a trip I will never forget.

This article was originally published on 26 November 2025 and has been updated.

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