El Machi

Santander


A welcoming, good-value seafood spot convenient to all transport terminals and the city centre. Go for a plate of the Santander speciality rabas de calamar (deep-fried squid), or clams pan-fried with garlic, or heartier choices such as seafood arroces (rices) or battered hake in a spicy sauce with patatas panaderas (fried potato slices). Also good for light breakfasts.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Santander attractions

1. Catedral de la Asunción

0.1 MILES

Santander’s serene cathedral comprises two Gothic churches, one above the other. The 14th-century upper church, extensively rebuilt after the 1941 fire,…

2. Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo

0.11 MILES

Two superposed Gothic churches make up Santander’s cathedral. In the lower, older, 13th-century Iglesia del Santísimo Cristo, glass floors reveal…

4. Centro Botín

0.2 MILES

Santander's newest and splashiest landmark, this ambitious waterfront arts and cultural centre opened to great fanfare in 2017. The futuristic two-block…

5. Plaza Porticada

0.21 MILES

An elegant ensemble of 64 porticoes frames this handsome plaza, constructed in the aftermath of a 1941 fire that ravaged the city centre.

6. Jardines de Pereda

0.22 MILES

The pretty, recently refurbished gardens around the Centro Botín are named after 19th-century Cantabrian writer José María de Pereda, whose bronze effigy…

7. Mercado La Esperanza

0.24 MILES

Housed in a 19th-century cast-iron structure, the bustling Esperanza market is a lively slice of Cantabrian life. Shoppers throng two floors of stalls…

8. Museo de Arte Moderno y Contemporáneo

0.28 MILES

Santander’s art museum offers an extensive eclectic collection spanning the 16th to 21st centuries. Much of it is secondary Spanish art, though you’ll…