Situation
 Santander, capital
of the Autonomous Region of Cantabria, sits on the south-eastern edge of
the peninsula which forms the promontory of Cabo Mayor. In the centre of
the Cantabrian coast, with the bay to the south and the Cantabrian Sea to
the north, Santander is a modern city and full of activity. It is a big
tourist centre in summer which came into fashion at the beginning of the
20th century, when it became the summer residence of King Alfonso XIII.
The natural beauty of its spacious and clean beaches has been recognised
by the European Community which has awarded them its blue flag. Integrated
into the city - in little more than three kilometres - eight beaches follow
one another: Los Peligros, La Magdalena, El Camello, La Concha, La Primera
and La Segunda (in El Sardinero), Los Molinucos and Mataleñas, the
beaches of Santander are the pride of Santander people and the admiration
of all who visit us. The novelist Benito Perez Galdos, a regular visitor
to Santander, wrote the following about El Sardinero: "All the luxury
here, has been organised by Nature".
Scenery and nature meet in Santander to form a cultural tradition which
is exemplified in the world-wide renowned Menéndez Pelayo International
University, located in the refurbished Real Palace of the Peninsula of the
Magdalena, in the Santander International Festival and the City of Santander
International Piano Competition, to list only a few of the most outstanding
cultural events which take place in the capital of Cantabria.
Santander is the big commercial and administrative centre of the Autonomous
Region of Cantabria. With nearly 200,000 inhabitants the city is home to
almost one third of the total population of Cantabria. |
