Getaways and things to do in Bay of Santander

The Bay of Santander is one of northern Spain's largest natural harbours, covering 22 km² between the Magdalena Peninsula and the Puntal sandbar. Around its waters revolve the life of the Cantabrian capital and the eastern-shore villages of Somo, Pedreña and El Astillero — a space where a commercial port, contemporary architecture, urban beaches and resident dolphins coexist.

The Magdalena Peninsula divides two worlds: to the south, sheltered bay waters ideal for sailing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding; to the north, the open coast of El Sardinero with its fine-sand beaches and Atlantic swell. El Puntal, a long sandbar accessible only by boat, physically separates the bay's calm from the ocean's energy.

The Centro Botín, designed by Renzo Piano over the water, anchors the cultural transformation of the waterfront. The Palacio de la Magdalena (1912), former summer residence of Alfonso XIII, presides over the peninsula with its 25-hectare park. Across the bay, Pedreña — birthplace of Severiano Ballesteros — is home to the Real Golf de Pedreña (1928), while Somo has Cantabria's highest concentration of surf schools.

The bay is also a transport hub: ferries to Somo in 15 minutes, ships to the UK and Ireland with Brittany Ferries, and the gateway to the Pasiegos Valleys, the Western Coast and the Picos de Europa.