The Best Bars in Santander, Spain

Bar Caribe can be found along El Sardinero beach, right underneath the glitzy Santander Casino. It’s a relaxed and friendly place, specialising in gin and tonics, with various additions of fruits and spices. There are also snacks available such as hamburgers and filled baguettes if you get peckish.

Little Bobby is a 1920s-style speakeasy, decorated with old-fashioned lamps and vintage furniture. It was named after ‘Little Bobby’, who was part of the Chicago mafia and opened his own speakeasy, where a password was required to enter. The bar takes patrons back to the clandestine world of Chicago in the 1920s and specialises in classic cocktails, particularly gin and tonics and those based on rum. There’s also a full champagne menu to choose from.

A very popular nightspot in Santander, Malaspina has been going strong for over 20 years and is true Santander institution, being one of the longest-standing bars in the city. It has a chic, industrial feel with bare brick walls, old wooden rafters and lots of colourful lighting. As well as drinking, it’s a place to come and dance to the best classic rock, funk, blues and Spanish pop tracks.

A disco and pub, Pub Stop is based on the concept of an English-style pub. Decked in dark green wood panels and light blue walls, it has many small tables where you can sit with friends and enjoy a colourful gin and tonic with a variety of flavours. They also serve free snacks with cocktails such as chewy sour sweets, chocolates and salty mixed nuts.

Situated on the Plaza de Cañadío, swish Pub Blues has tables that spill out onto the square outside. It’s a great place for cocktails and mixers, and also sometimes has live music such as rock, jazz or blues.

Canela, meaning ‘Cinnamon’ is another Plaza Cañadío bar. It’s a perfect spot for live music and attracts local bands from around the area. Dark and dingy with bare-brick walls, it has the feeling of an underground jazz club.

Another live music bar, Rvbicón is a cosy little jazz bar, filled with old black and white photos. It’s the perfect place to just sit with your drink and and appreciate various live jazz bands.

A cross between a cafe and bar, Café las Meninas is based around the theme of Diego Velázquez’s famous Las Meninas painting, which now sits in the Prado Museum in Madrid. Reproductions of parts of the painting and small figurines of its characters can be found dotted around the cosy bar. This place is equally good for a coffee as it is for a glass of wine.

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