As you sail into Spain’s Bay of Santander, with its spectacular beaches and elegant waterfront architecture, you realise immediately that the capital of Cantabria is a place where people live very well indeed.
The beauty of arriving by ferry, slap bang in the heart of the city, is that you can dive straight into local life by heading for the Mercado de la Esperanza, a short stroll from the port. The imposing iron and glass structure was built in 1904 and is still the city’s main market today. Seeing the dazzling array of super fresh fish glistening on slabs on the rows of stalls is enough to give you an idea of the high gastronomic standards throughout northern Spain.
