Matalenas

Located in the city of Santander on Spain’s northern coast, Playa de Matalenas is a small, wide, and white sand beach that is among the most famous beaches in Santander.  Also known as Playa de Matalenas Beach, Playa de Matalenas is situated in front of a cove between two rocky headlands making it a family friendly beach with calm waters.  Playa de Matalenas has been awarded the Blue Flag by the European Union for its cleanliness.  The beach features a promenade that starts from behind the beach and runs south to Primera Playa de Sardinero Beach – the promenade has many hotels, restaurants, shops, and a casino. 

Playa de Matalenas offers many amenities including lifeguards, restrooms, showers, water sport equipment rentals, and stairway access.  

There are many fun activities at Playa de Matalenas including swimming, fishing, diving, biking, bicycling, sunbathing, and beach walking.  

Getting to Playa de Matalenas is very easy – there is a free parking lot at Av. del Faro, 39012 Santander that is within walking distance to the beach. 

If you are looking for attractions near Playa de Matalenas, you can drive 10 minutes to Palacio de la Magdalena, a palace that was built in 1911 as a seasonal residence for the royal family of Spain and has been the setting for the Spanish television series Gran Hotel.  Parque Cabo Mayor is located at 39012 Santander and offers amazing views of the Bay of Santander, cliffs with hiking trails, and a lighthouse with an art gallery.  Mirador De Los Tranquilos is located at Bo. el Bosque, 92-98, 39160, Cantabria and features wooden benches that offer amazing views of the Bay of Biscay.  Another great attraction near Playa de Matalenas is Parque de Matalenas that is located at Av. del Faro, 12, 39012 Santander, has a playground, and is a great spot for picnicking and clicking Instagram-worthy pictures.

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a five-minute drive of Playa de Matalenas.  Restaurante El Barco is an upscale restaurant featuring beach and sea views, indoor seating with live music, and outdoor seating with shaded areas.  Restaurante El Barco serves mountain stew, prawns, ham, salmon flakes, homemade desserts, and wine.  Restaurante Chino Mulan has a nice menu that includes spring rolls, pumpkin curry, coconut rice, basil chicken, salmon rolls, and crab meat noodles.  Surf Garden is a popular dining destination for locals and tourists, has outdoor seating available in a garden area, and serves sandwiches, tapas, tortillas, coffee, and beer.  Enuno has a spacious dining room and a terrace where you can enjoy your meal while watching the awesome views of the nearby area – it features risotto, salmon, pad Thai, sushi, desserts, cocktails, and wine.  Another good restaurant near Playa de Matalenas is Restaurante El Duque that has an elegant and stylish decor and offers soups, French fries, red tuna tataki, crunch chicken, and cheesecakes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Playa de Matalenas, you can drive 12 minutes to the 4-Star Bahia Hotel that offers guests a range of comfortable and well-equipped rooms with modern amenities and has a variety of on-site facilities including a lounge and restaurant.  Hotel Torres de Somo is a stylish 4-Star hotel that is well-known for its romantic environment and features a pool, bar, and restaurant.  If you are looking for affordable hotels near Playa de Matalenas, the 3-Star La Posada de Somo has suites with amazing wooden decoration and a nice café – and Arena Surf Hotel is a 2-Star pet-friendly hotel that focuses on surf culture by providing surfing tours and has a surf school on-site and a restaurant.