What you should know before hiring a car in Santander
| Santander city centre | ||
| Santander Airport (SDR): 2 mi from city centre | ||
Car hires in Santander: practical information
Where to rent a car in Santander
Spain’s northern coast is a dream to visit, especially in summer and with a car hire to make exploring easier. Take a look at all the Santander car hire deal when you book your flights to Santander International Airport (SDR). The airport is the perfect place to pick up your rental car. Choose from: Avis, Enterprise Atesa, Europcar and Hertz.
Santander isn’t really a big city, so most car hire companies in Santander only have locations at the airport. The airport is only a quick trip outside of the city centre anyways, so it’s the best place to pick up your car hire.
Driving in Santander: parking and other tips
Santander’s city centre is relatively small, so most visitors will do all their sightseeing by foot or bicycle. A car hire is really great for taking side trips to nearby cities like Bilbao or along the coast to the fab beaches near Santander.
Parking shouldn’t be an issue while on holidays in Santander. Be sure to confirm with your Santander hotel that they have parking available for guests. Some hotels may have special agreements with a nearby car park instead, offering discounted rates for hotel guests.
Road trips from Santander: what to do, what to see
Castro Urdiales
This small town is only a hop, skip and jump away from Santander but makes a great day trip. The town was founded by the Romans and today is popular for its beaches, pretty Gothic church and lighthouse. Watch out, in August this is one popular place to visit!
Potes
Santander may be on the coast, but it’s also a great hiking destination. Potes is a charming little town leading up to the Picos de Europa mountains range, one of Spain’s national parks. It’s a good place to eat, and don’t forget to taste the local spirit, called Orujo.
Santillana del Mar
About a 1-hour drive from Santander, Santillana del Mar is a great day trip in Canabria for medieval architecture and caves. People have been living here for thousands of years; there are trances of early civilisations in the nearby Altamira Caves.