Santander  ICALT08 conference hosting city

The ICALT08 conference will take place in Santander, Cantabria, Spain.

Description  * Localization  * Weather  * More Information

Description

Santander offers a city atmosphere combined with the very essence of Cantabria: beaches, countryside, nature, gastronomy and culture. The city  is built around a natural port, which has been used since before the occupation  of the Roman Empire. The surrounding countryside is stunning, with wide open verdant areas and beaches, particularly Mataleñas, Sardinero and La Magdalena, where Alfonso XIII had his summer residence. A short distance from the city are the bay's south shore and the coastal strip that stretches to the mouth of the river Pas, boasting some of the region's  finest beaches, which are extremely popular in summer, but practically   deserted for those who happen to be in the region during the first few days of the beach season (May and June).     

The rocky and steep coast to the north of the city has recently been  converted into a natural park. During migration season, many bird watchers gather there to observe the migratory birds. Just a few kilometres away  is the Dunas Liencres Natural Park, the most extensive dune system in the whole of the Cantabrian coast. To the south of the bay is the Peña Cabarga Park, and from the summit of Peña Cabarga itself you are treated to an impressive view of practically the whole of Cantabria. At the foot of the mountain is the Carbárceno Natural Park, the biggest zoo in Europe, where you can see tigers, elephants, giraffes, hippos and much more. The enclosures are so big it is almost as if the animals were in the wild.
Very little of Santander's old quarter remains; it was destroyed in 1941 in a fire that even consumed the cathedral. The temple, which has now been completely restored, is gothic in style, and characterised by its austerity. It was built on high ground, in a location which was, in antiquity, the port entrance, and was built on the ruins of a pre-Roman  settlement, whose remains can still be seen in the Romanesque Chapel of Santo Cristo.

 
                                                     

Localization

          

 

 

Weather

Santander localization  Cantabria, in the north of Spain, covers an area of 5,289 square kilometres  between the mountains of the Cordillera Cantabrica and the Cantabrian   Sea. Its boundaries are defined by: the Cantabrian Sea in the north,  the Principality of Asturias in the west, Palencia and Burgos (Castilla And León) in the south and Vizcaya (part of the self-governing  region of the Basque Country) in the east. Santander is the main city of Cantabria.Santander has often been described as Spain's most elegant city with its extraordinary landscape overlooking the Cantabrian sea. The climate throughout much of the year is mild, so the area is covered with lush green trees and rolling green hills which surround the city. It is often referred to as the Costa Verde and with this green backdrop Santander¢s beaches are truly natural spaces, offering both small and large sandy beaches, some sheltered from the wind with calm waters and others open to the bay with more surf.
The climate is very mild and humid throughout the year with an average temperature of 20-25 ºC (68- 77ºF) in July.
See daily forecast