Paseo de Pereda

The Paseo de Pereda is the main seafront promenade of Santander, running along the edge of the bay in the city centre. It is a broad, tree-lined avenue, with palms and plane trees, wide pavements and benches, and it follows the line of the waterfront between the harbour and the gardens. It is named after José María de Pereda, the nineteenth-century novelist from Cantabria, and a monument to him stands in the gardens by the shore. A walk along it gives you an introduction to the city, and it is the place where residents come to stroll, meet friends and take the sea air.

Santander's centre looks different from that of many Spanish cities because it is largely modern. In February 1941, a huge fire, helped by a strong south wind, destroyed much of the old town, and the city was rebuilt in the following years. The Paseo de Pereda dates from before the fire, but the buildings that line it today, with their glazed balconies and stately façades, reflect the rebuilding, and the avenue has an elegant, orderly look. On the seaward side, the Jardines de Pereda stretch along the water, with lawns, flower beds, paths and sculptures. The most popular sculpture is a group of bronze figures of boys diving, the Raqueros, who recall the street children who used to dive for coins from the quays.

Several important sights lie along the promenade. The Centro Botín, an arts centre designed by Renzo Piano, stands on a pier jutting into the bay, with a pair of white volumes raised on stilts, clad in thousands of pearly discs, and it hosts exhibitions and concerts. The old embarkation building and the tourist office are nearby, and the Cathedral and the Mercado de la Esperanza, the city's main food market, are a short walk inland, along with the Plaza Pombo and the town hall. Free guided walks and other tours often begin from the tourist office on the promenade.

From the Paseo, you can see across the bay to the hills of Cantabria, and the view is especially pleasant in the evening, when the light turns warm and the lights of the opposite shore come on. Cafes and terraces serve coffee and snacks, and local specialities such as anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea and cheese pastries called sobaos and quesadas are on sale. The promenade is lively in the summer, when people crowd the pavements, and calmer in winter.

The Paseo de Pereda is free and open at all times, and it suits everyone. It links easily with the Playa de la Concha, the Palacio de la Magdalena and the Parque de El Sardinero, which lie farther along the coast.