In 2014, having discovered a new-found love of Spain, I set about discovering more of the country. And as well as taking a few day trips from Madrid, I found myself enjoying weekend trips to Valencia, Andalucía and Galicia. For my final trip of the 2013/14 academic year, I went to Cantabria.
As the capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria, Santander is surprisingly small. It's really only known for its beautiful beaches, there being little else to do there. But, after a busy year, a quiet, seaside town was exactly what I was after. The town itself was fairly unremarkable, but I was mesmerised by the Bay of Santander and the breathtakingly beautiful beaches...
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| The Modernist style Palacete del Embarcadero, a former customs house dating from the early 20th century |
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| Looking across the Bay of Santander |
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| Boats on the bay |
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| Los Raqueros – bronze statues of typical Santanderinos during the 19th and 20th century |
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| Close up of one of the bronze figures |
My wanderings took me past the marina and on to the first of the beaches,
La Playa de los Peligros. Walking along the fringes, suitcase in tow, I reached the next one
– La Playa de la Magdalena. With soft, white sand and expansive views across the Bay of Santander, it was absolutely stunning.
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| La Playa de los Peligros |
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| The stunning Playa de la Magdalena |
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| Wooden walkway linking La Playa de la Magdalena to the aptly named Playa de Bikini |
I was in beach heaven... Until I saw the next one. Then I was blown away! But the best was yet to come. A stone's throw from my hotel, facing the Bay of Biscay, was one of the loveliest stretches of seaside I'd ever seen
– Las Playas de El Sardinero. Being so close to such perfection reinforced my desire to one day live by the sea.
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| La Playa del Camello, the first of four amazing beaches in Sardinero Cove |
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| A hint of what's to come... |
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| La Primera Playa de El Sardinero |
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| Looking out across the Bay of Biscay |
When not taking day trips, I spent my time in Santander walking along the many beaches or simply admiring the ever-changing skies and sea views from a conveniently-located outdoor balcony. I could have stayed there forever, just gazing out to sea. It was the perfect way to end my second academic year in Spain.
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| A study in white and blue |
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| My viewing platform |
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| Dusk draws in |
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| The beach in the early evening |
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| Sunset |
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