Cheap flights from Birmingham to Santander from £71

This beach is just across the city on the other side of Santander Bay. You can get there by ferry or go around the bay by car. The beach is really large and not too crowded. Ideal place for those who want peace, quiet and some great ocean panoramas. If you get hungry, the bars and restaurants, scarce on the beach, are more plentiful in the nearby Somo town.

Bilbao, the largest city in the province of Biscay, lies 100km from Santander. You can easily get there by car, bus or train. The city is famous for its Guggenheim Museum — an architectural marvel housing modern and contemporary art. Besides, you can get acquainted with the Basque culture and explore Casco Viejo — the Old Town of Bilbao. If you have a couple of days to spare, visiting Bilbao is a must!

This air raid shelter is one of around a hundred built in the city during the Spanish Civil War. It became inaccessible after the fire of 1941 and was re-discovered during the last decade. Today you can visit the shelter if you book the visit beforehand. The special effects allow the visitors to feel what it was like here when the bombs exploded outside. You will also see one of those bombs, weighing 240kg, and a mannequin dressed as a German air pilot. An interesting experience!