Far from Spain’s most popular tourist trails, Santander will surprise you – in the very best of ways. Behind a misleading façade that lacks the magnificence of other Spanish towns, Cantabria’s character-packed capital is a city of atmospheric plazas, grand belle-époque buildings, seaside promenades, sensational beaches, and superb surf, thrown in with an unbeatable setting along the northern side of the Bahίa de Santander and an intriguing historical track dating back to 21 BC. The food is fantastic too, and the city centre’s bubbly tapas bars burst with Cantabria’s most exquisite flavours. The surrounding coast is sprinkled with some of the finest sandy stretches in Spain and, over in El Sardinero (east of the centre), it’s the beach action that takes centre stage.  July and August are festival season in Santander, with all kinds of extra musical and after-dark fun to keep you entertained until the early hours; of course this is the top time for hitting the beaches too. Visit in winter, however, and you’ll likely get the sands all to yourself (and save on accommodation), but those lively tapas bars, nightspots, and surfers will still be going strong.  Brittany Ferries (brittany-ferries.co.uk) sails from Plymouth and Portsmouth to Santander and Bilbao (Basque Country). Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies to Santander from London Stansted and Edinburgh (April to October).  A royal welcome awaits at the grand, early-20th-century, oh-so-Santander Eurostars Hotel Real (1 on map) (Paseo Pérez Galdόs 28; 00 34 942 27 25 50; hotelreal.es), which enjoys the finest views around from its idyllic position atop town. Doubles from €130, including excellent breakfasts.  The intimate and impeccably styled Le Petit Boutique Hotel (2) (Avenida de los Castros 10; 00 34 94276 4564; lepetithotelsantander.com), 300m from El Sardinero beach, has seven elegant, contemporary rooms, each superbly themed around a different international city. Doubles from €75, with breakfast.  On a handy central Santander street, Jardίn Secreto (3) (Calle Cisneros 37; 00 34 94207 0714; jardinsecretosantander.com) is a handsomely renovated late-19th-century town house with just six individually fashioned rooms, all beautifully done up in a cosy, quirky, neo-rustic design. Doubles from €50.  Handsomely renovated late-19th-century town house with just six individually fashioned rooms.  Join the crowds spilling out from enticingly bubbly tapas bars in Santander city centre. Just above rowdy Plaza de Cañadίo is La Conveniente (4) (Calle Gόmez Oreña 9; 00 34 94221 2887), an enormous, packed-out, old-style bodega serving simple but superb platters of local meats, pates, and cheeses (around €12), along with hundreds of wines. Get here by 9pm to snag a table.  Kick things off with a leisurely stroll along the seafront Paseo de Pereda promenade and Jardines de Pereda gardens, stopping for coffee and pastries outside under the umbrellas at Café Suizo (5) (Paseo de Pereda 28; 0034 94221 5864), one of Santander’s oldest cafés (now suitably modernised).  The Banco de Santander arch takes you into the city centre proper; turn left, passing through grand Plaza Porticada on your way to the majestic, two-church Catedral de la Asunción (6). Then venture west to the Biblioteca and Casa Museo de Menéndez Pelayo (Calle Rubio 6), picking up traditional Cantabrian treats at the Mercado de la Esperanza (Plaza de la Esperanza).  Yes, it’s finally lunchtime. Take the Spanish lead and make this your main meal, with the fantastic contemporary-Cantabrian offerings at classy Cañadίo (7) (Calle Gόmez Oreña 15; 0034 94231 4149; restaurantecanadio.com), overlooking Plaza de Cañadίo. Pinchos from €2; meals around €40.  It’s a lovely walk east from the centre to the green-clad Penίnsula de la Magdalena headland and its awe-inspiring views, but otherwise jump on a bus from the Jardines de Pereda or Puerto Chico. Try to catch a tour (€3) around the luxurious interior of the Palacio de la Magdalena (8) (00 34 94220 3084; palaciomagdalena.com).  Try to catch a tour around the luxurious interior of the Palacio de la Magdalena.  Santanderinos would be lost without the golden, silky-soft sands of El Sardinero (9) (northwest from La Magdalena), made up of two stunning, kilometre-long beaches backed by lavish early-20th-century architecture. Parade along the promenade, admire the Gran Casino, and don’t forget to stop for a sundowner.  You’ll probably have worked up an appetite by now, so head back into town to colourful little Asubio Gastrobar (10) (Calle Daoίz y Velarde 23; 00 34 94203 5238; asubiogastrobar.com) for absolutely divine, prize-winning pinchos, from €2.  We all know things start, and go on, pretty late in Spain, so, if you’re keen for more, knock back post-pincho drinks at stylish nearby lounge-bar Balenciaga Jazz (11) (Calle Gándara 3; 00 34 94276 4116), where DJs amp it up on Saturday nights.  From the Estaciόn Marίtima Los Reginas (Paseo de Pereda), take the ferry over the bay to Somo, enjoying fabulous views of Santander as you leave the city behind. Stroll the peaceful golden sands of Playa de Somo and, if you’re feeling active, hit the waves for a surfing session.  Back in town centre, head to the excellent Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueologίa de Cantabria (12) (Calle Bailén s/n; 00 34 94220 9922; museosdecantabria.es; €5), which takes you through 175,000 years of local history – from World Heritage-listed prehistoric cave art to the medieval kingdom of Asturias – underneath the 19th-century Mercado del Este. Free Sunday afternoon.  antabria’s character-packed capital is a city of atmospheric plazas.  Pop across the road and round things off to perfection with top-notch tapas at long-time local favourite El Diluvio (13) (Calle Ataúlfo Argenta 14; 00 34 94221 8563): just take your pick from the pincho-packed bar (from €2.50).  1. For further information on Cantabria, see telegraph.co.uk/cantabria  2. Tourist offices: Oficina de Turismo Municipal (Jardines de Pereda; 00 34 942 20 30 00; ayto-santander.es) and Oficina de Turismo de Cantabria (Mercado del Este; 00 34 942 31 07 08; turismodecantabria.com).  3. Handy bus stops for El Sardinero and the Penίnsula de la Magdalena include Correos, Jardines de Pereda, and Puerto Chico; tickets €1.30.  Explore the cities, beaches and mountains of this beautiful, relatively undeveloped Spanish region.  More Telegraph Travel expert guides  Follow Telegraph Travel on Twitter
An insider's guide to short breaks in Santander, including advice on the best hotels, beaches, restaurants and bars. By Isabella Noble, Telegraph Travel's Cantabria expert.