Car hire in Santander

Santander is the regional capital of Cantabria on the northern coast of Spain. It's both a bustling Atlantic port and a fashionable seaside resort, mainly for Spanish tourists.

Most overseas visitors are students on Spanish study courses, business people and tourists passing through en route to other parts of Spain. Those who take the time for a closer look will find this ancient city is home to a host of attractions.

But city lovers interested in history, architecture, culture or simply the discovery of what lies beyond the harbour of one of Spain's major ports will not be disappointed in Santander.

Many visitors arrive here by ferry from the UK, anxious to press onwards to the Mediterranean costas after a 24-hour journey across the Bay of Biscay.

If you get the chance, stay a while and discover why King Alfonso XIII chose this part of the Cantabrian coast as his summer retreat in the early part of the 20th century.

This seasonal descent of the royal court on Santander transformed the city into one of the most desirable residential and holiday destinations for well-heeled Spaniards.

An impressive casino, the Gran Hotel, a theatre and many fine buildings sprung up to accommodate the needs of the aristocracy and court officials who followed the king and his queen, Victoria Eugenia, wherever they went.

There are some beautiful beaches within easy reach of the city centre but Santander's maritime climate means it will never be top of the sun seeking package holidaymaker's list.

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