An excellent culinary offer
Santander is the ideal place for savouring the excellent culinary offerings of a city that boats the best products from the sea.
Santander is perched on its beautiful bay, from which it draws the ingredients for its finest dishes. The bay is rich in clams, razor clams, red mullet and sea bass.
The large fishing port is the source of freshly caught Atlantic fish and shellfish for Santander’s restaurants , taverns, bars, and covered markets. Albacore, sardine, fresh anchovies, squid, hake, bream...all these fish species become succulent dishes, either with the simplicity of a grill or in more sophisticated preparations.
Local tapas
Famous among Santander’s local tapas are the renowned rabas, squid rings or strips fried in light butter. Santander gastronomy- regarded as one of the most refined and prestigious in northern Spain-reflects all culinary traditions of Cantabria and its local produce.
Santander`s restaurants have built on the local traditions and brought them up to date to create a highly characterful cuisine using excellent ingredients. Fine restaurants are dotted around the whole city, but the neighbourhoods where the top tables and tapas bars are most densely clustered are Barrio Pesquero, Puertochico and el Sardinero.
The fantastic cuisine of Santander , products from the sea, Cantabria meats, cakes and pastries, artisanal products like the “sobaos pasiegos”and “quesadas” can be enjoyed at any restaurant.
Traditional shops
The city centre, around the city hall and along Paseo Pereda, specialises in high-quality local shopping. It features the most tradicional shops inherente to the memory of all those from Santander, which are dedicated to furniture, clothing, jewellery, nautical ítems and various perfumeries. This area is also home of clothing shops, of the most well- known fashion brands, hair salons and other establishments dedicated to personal care.
Behind the City hall is the Mercado de la Esperanza market (1904) which brings together numerous stands that sell food, fish, meat, etc as well as clothing and footwear on certain days of the week.
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