Our Overseas Haven Report on Santander, Spain features a destination of simplicity, cleanliness, friendly people, and a real look at Spanish living.

With its magnificent view over the Bay of Santander, it’s not surprising that Santander, a small but bustling and interesting city on Spain’s Atlantic Coast, is justly proud of being a member of the “Most Beautiful Bays in the World Club.”

Located on the Costa Verde—or Green Coast, so-called thanks to its lush greenery—Santander is built on a series of hills overlooking the Bay of Biscay. It is largely a modern city that was rebuilt in 1941 following a huge fire. Almost all of the Old Town was destroyed, but what emerged was a handsome city built along an accessible and beautiful seafront with several white-sand beaches. That modernity is really summed up by the moving sidewalks that climb between the residential areas.

This used to be the haunt of Spanish royalty, and much of the architecture reflects the glamour and richesse that that long relationship endowed with the Royal Palace and courtiers’ homes all along the seafront, a ritzy casino, and very well-manicured parks and beaches.

This is not a hot location; in fact, it has a damp, mild, and Atlantic climate, with fairly constant average winter temperatures between 46ºF to 53ºF, while the summers rarely go above 86ºF. On the plus side, it is rare for snow to fall, but it does rain—expect some every month and the most (up to 7 inches) in November.

If you like the outdoors, sports, and a four-season, temperate climate, you will enjoy Santander and the beautiful scenery surrounding the city and its immediate environment. There is enough to keep culture vultures happy, but if you tire of what’s on offer, it’s a short journey to Bilbao or even Madrid for a weekend to top up on the latest exhibitions and shows.