Interesting Facts

Santander, the capital of Cantabria, is a large bay city that is popular among royalty as a summer vacation spot. Supposedly, Queen Isabel II first came down in the 1860's in hope that the sea air would improve her health.
During its history, Santander has suffered from some great disasters. Two of the more recent were the explosion of a dynamite laden ship in 1893, which killed 500, and a fire in 1941 that destroyed most of the old city center.
The Festival Internacional de Santander has taken place every August since 1951 and consists of different performances of music and dance from all around the world.
Santander's Cathedral was destroyed during the fire of 1941. The gothic-style building was rebuilt. However, it retains its original twelfth century crypt.
A fun and clean day at the beach. El Sardinero Beach in Santander proudly boasts a flag that declares it as one of the eight cleanest beaches in the world. Its cleanliness does come with a price, as it's a popular spot and is often very crowded.
Santander's seaside zoo is located on the Peninsula de la Magdalena. Popular with children, the zoo is home to animals of all kinds, including polar bears and lions. The zoo is housed in the gardens of the old Palacio Real, which was built by Alfonso XIII.
Something's fishy around here! That's okay because it's the Museo Maritimo. Located near the port, the museum houses exhibits that include a pickled two-headed sardine, a complete whale skeleton, and an aquarium with 350 species of local fish.
Unfortunately, Santander is not known for its food as well as San Sebastian, but you can almost always bet that any seafood item you order will be delightful to your taste buds. In fact, the city places a lot of pride on its local fish market.
Santander has a sort of split personality. One side of the city is more a rough, working town. On the other side, you'll find a vacationer's dream retreat, with beaches and a wealth of attractions.
Santander owes much of its initial fashionable success to Alfonso XIII. The monarch and his wife, Victoria Eugenia, came to Santander for many vacations, which greatly contributed to the city's reputation as a vacation town. In honor of their visits, the city built Magdalena Palace and offered it as a gift to the royal couple. Today, the palace and its grounds are home to the Men�ndez y Pelayo International University.