Santander, Ferries and Ferry Crossings

Welcome to the Santander (Spain) section of FerryCrossings.org, the site for information about major UK and continental ports and the ferries between them. Our site includes an introduction to a number of ports and feature pages about the various crossing ways, lanes and routes and companies operating between them to help you plan your journey and discover interesting travel destinations along the way. You can even compare prices and save money on your ferry tickets with ads from major booking sites and selected major ferry lines.

Port of Santander, Spain

Santander. Santander is a large town in Cantabria on the northern coast of Spain. It is the destination of the ferry from Plymouth and is the gateway to explore northern Spain or a beautiful holiday resort, in its own right, with a rich cultural heritage. It has museums and art galleries, gardens and nature reserves, a vibrant nightlife and casino, excellent shops and fantastic beaches. Located as it is, between the mountains and the sea, its local dishes reflect this. Try the 'rabas' - fried squid, 'rebozados' - whitebait or a stew made of beans, meat and cabbage called cocido montañés. Travelling away from the sea, towards the mountains, you'll find the Natural Parks of Oyambre, Peña Cabarga, Saja-Besaya, and the Picos de Europa National Park, which is the largest. Not far from Santander is the Cabárceno Nature Park which offers a day out for all the family.

The Romans attempted to stamp their authority on this area of Spain but were fiercely resisted. Santander owes its origins to the Roman harbour which was established with the name Portus Victoriae Iuliobrigensium. By the early 5th century the area had regained its independence. The Pilgrim's Route to Santiago de Compostela passed along this northern coatline of Spain passing through interesting towns such as Castro Urdiales, Santoña, Suances, Comillas, San Vicente de la Barquera and Santillana del Mar.

The city's prosperity and long history owes a lot to its harbour on the Bay of Santander, making it one of the most important Castillian ports in the Middle Ages. It gained the status of city, in 1755. It was also an important port for ships trading with the Americas. By the end of the 19th century Santander was a popular summer home for the Spanish Royal Family and King Alfonso Xlll built the Palacio de la Magdalena as the Royal summer residence. The palace and its gardens were designated a Cultural Heritage Site in 1982. Santander still enjoys its status as a very popular holiday resort for both Spanish and foreign tourists.

A devastating fire in 1941 gutted the ancient city cathedral and destroyed much of the mediaeval city centre. However, the cathedral 'Nuestra Señora de la Asunción', which dated back to the 13th century, was rebuilt and still houses many interesting relics.

Easily accessibly from Santander are the world famous Altamira Caves, which are now a World Heritage Site, with their superb wall paintings of Palaeolithic cave art dating back over 15000 years.It isn't possible to actually visit the caves themselves but a purpose built museum centre houses a replica cave with paintings and various exhibitions relating to the archaeology and reconstruction of life and conditions of the period. Many caves in the region have provided evidence of Palaeolithic activity but none in such a spectacular fashion as those found at Altamira. Their existence was only discovered in the late 19th century and it was not until early in the 20th century that they were accepted as authentic, as the representation of the animals was so superb it was suspected that they were not genuine.