Santander situated on Spain’s northern coast is currently not thought of as a popular stag/buck’s destination. However with cheap bars flowing with high quality beer and wine and some of Spain’s best food as well as its late night party atmosphere, it should be looked as a serious contender for a weekend away with your best mates. I want to take a closer look at whether Santander is a stag/buck’s bachelor destination.
How long does it take to fly to Santander?
Flights from the U.K take just under two hours and cost around $80 return. For more up to date prices check the latest at Skyscanner. Note the prices for flights jump considerably during summer months so best to book ahead.
How to get to Santander from the airport?
Santander airport is close to the centre at only 6km. There is a bus service called ASLA costing 2.90 euros, the journey takes around 25 minutes. If you wanted to all pile in to a taxi then it should cost 25 euros which seems a better option for a larger group. Uber does operate in the city if you want to use that in the city itself.
Is Santander worth visiting?
Absolutely! We love visiting this city. It’s small city size (population 180,000), makes it easy to find all the bars and restaurants without taking additional transportation. The old town is packed with tapas bars and restaurants and with its seafront promenade gives Santander a relaxing feel in the day which then comes alive at night. If you visit Santander in the summer then you can also take advantage of its stunning beach.
What is Santander known for?
Santander apart from it’s drinking and eating spots is also famous it’s football team Real Racing Santander which the locals are fanatical about. If you are there when Santander are playing at home it is well worth catching a game as tickets are not expensive, sometimes as low as 10 euros. In addition the staadium is only 2.5km from the historic centre. Away from football, if your group is into hiking then this area of Spain forms the middle part of the Camino Norte. There are many trails around the city that can be used for day trips.
Is Santander expensive?
No Santander is not expensive, a plate of fresh tapas will set you back around two euros and a beer or small wine will be similar. Santander has a buzzy student life from locals and international students on the Erasmus scheme so there are many bars and tapas places catering to them that go late on in to the night. Accomodation if booked ahead is very reasonbale, a 3 star hotel room in the centre summertime will go for aorund 60 euros and 40 euros in off season. Best to see Booking for lastest prices.
Where can I get a sim card?
Need a sim card on landing or about to fly off? Rather than the hassle of finding/getting a physical sim card, an easier method these days is to get an e-sim. Simply select the country or region you are in and get data and calls on your phone. More info can be found here.
Prices are reasonable, usually only $25 for 20GB of data. We now always use this method when travelling as it just saves so much time and bother!
Best drinks in Santander?
There is a drink unique to this part of the world called Sidra, an apple cider with a difference. This flat cloudy cider is poured from a great height above the waiters head at your table into the glass below to allow bubbles to aerate the liquid. Don’t be alarmed if they miss and it goes on their hands and all over the floor, this is to be expected! If the sidra has been sitting in your glass for too long, the taste is no longer good and they will come throw your sidra on to the bar floor and pour you another one. With this drink the inevitable happens where someone will ask it to be poured directly into their mouth. Caliente! This drink alone might possibly make Santander a good stag/buck’s bachelor destination.
Best activities in Santander?
We’ve looked around and these are the best activities in Santander:
Is there an old town in Santander?
Named Puertochico, Santander’s compact old town is one of the highlights for any stag/buck’s trip. With more tapas places and bars than you could possibly visit in one weekend. We didn’t manage to get a table at most places but you can just stand outside in the street as open air drinking is tolerated. I’ve listed below some great tapas places and bars in this area.
How many days do you need in Santander on a stag party?
I would recommend a least a weekend for a stag party to Santander. If you had longer then a visit to Bilbao would make an awesome extension.
Free things to do in Santander
Here are our top five things to do for free in Santander.
- Head to Primera beach
- Puerto Chico promenade
- Walk around the Mercado de la Esperanza
- Kick back with a few beers in Jardines de Pereda
- Plaxa Porticada
Could we do a day trip to Somo or Bilbao from Santander?
Yes Bilbao is only a short hop away by bus and definitely worth a visit if you have time. While Somo is a short boat ride away. I would recommend staying the night if you do decide to go. It should not be expensive, see latest prices here.
Best tapas in Santander?
Here is our list for some amazing tapas places in Santander Spain. I’ve selected ones close to the old town so not far to move.
- 1/ Bodega Fuente De
- 2/ Tasca Bonifaz 5
- 3/ Dos Calles Cafe bar
- 4/ Cas Lita
- 5/ Arrabal 11
Best bars in Santander?
Santander has so many excellent bars to choose from that this is small list of what we thought we were some bars suitable for stag parties.
- 1/ Covers
- 2/ Irish Bar Dorian
- 3/ Little Bobby
- 4/ Drinkers Santander
- 5/ Kings Pub
Best places to eat in Santander?
You may be perfectly content with just grabbing multiple tapas around the city from bar to bar which is absolutely fine and a well trodden path. However if you want to plan a more formal dinner these are some good options.
- Frida Street Food
- Cadelo Restaurante
- Querida Margarita Santander
- Daria
- Captain Chicken Santander
Overall is Santander a stag/buck’s bachelor party destination?
I believe Santander will make a great stag/buck’s bachelor destination with its compact size. The old town is an excellent roaming ground for any stag group looking for quality and value in their food and drinks. Summer would make a better time to visit as you could chill on the beach during the day, but winter would still be fun. It is also unlikely that many of your group will have visited making it an interesting destination for them.
Ratings
- Food and Drink | 8.5/10
- Value for Money | 7/10
- Activities | 6/10
- Nightlife | 7.5/10
TOTAL | 7.25
Costume for the groom? Find them here on Amazon.
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