Okay, we have to admit, we gave it an extra star simply because we spent the night listening to…read moreleprechaun music in Spain. Not that we like leprechaun music but, in Spain? An ersatz Irish pub well out of the tourist lanes Cerveceria Triskel evidently sits well with the locals....music be damned. This neighborhood hangout does a robust business in take-out food. Not something you see everyday. The clientele looks like a cross representation of the local population with the well dressed mixing well with the not so much. There is a generous supply of complimentary tapas to go along with your drink but the light that shines the brightest here are the burgers. We started out with the idea of a simple hamburger but like most simple things our simple burger got out of hand pretty fast. We don't know how we did it but our burger ended up with: A hamburger patty Two layers of goat cheese Tomato Lettuce Onion Lomo Egg And a sesame seed bun All for 7 euros. And the best part was it was delicious. Cervecería Triskel is a blue collar eats place and we will be sure to wear our best blue collar when we return...which we will.

Cool bar up a cobbled street with outside cosy snug-bar and chillled out background music. Very…read moreattentive staff who know about the great craft beers on offer and suprisingly great value for a bar in such a popular mountain setting. well worth a visit.

This swanky spot is located the the Hotel Gran España. They offer class cocktails, intimate…read moreseating, late night service, and will even help you out with bottles to go after the stores are closed. A nice winding down here is highly recommended.

Bars. They seem to…read morebe a Northern European/American thing. The Mediterranean nations have the word, but not the place: their socialization centers are tables at cafés and restaurants, where you hang out with people you knew before you arrived. They appear not to appreciate the benefits of a drinking establishment you can patronize specifically to meet strangers. They know that nice hotels are supposed to HAVE bars, though. That's why in the basement of Oviedo's Gran Hotel is a gorgeous, elegant, wood-paneled bar with comfy chairs perfect for lounging in, and hi-top stools perfect for chatting in: they know they're SUPPOSED to have them. Maybe they saw it in a movie, or something. The problem is, nobody here knows how to use it. Or if they do, they choose not to. That's why I'm sitting here alone drinking an Armagnac, admiring the beautiful, empty room, sad that none of the (Oviedons? Oviedites?) the people of Oviedo know what a fabulous watering hole in their midst. This place would be shoulder-to-shoulder in NY, SF, Chicago, Boston, LA, name it. The bartender is excellent; he comes out to check on me every three minutes or so, before disappearing into the back to resume his conversation with his unseen coworker (the chef, perhaps? An unneeded waiter?). But this place is a ghost town. It is a great shame, because a lot of work and money obviously went into making this a first rate bar. So if you're in town, and desire an awesome cocktail lounge, come to the Black Bar (a name, one assumes, taken from its black granite bar top). Bring all your friends - you'll have the place to yourselves.

Great cocktails (the mango caipirinha...), great location with view on the sea, great music, and…read moregreat staff. What else?! All kind of people, single, families, couples, friends, young, not so, oldies, beautiful ambiance and seriously, the staff super friendly. Perfect spot in city centre. Love it. Oh, I forgot: sometimes live bands playing!.

We really liked this spot. It's practically on the water, it has a cool vibe and the bartenders…read morewere really nice. It was of course helpful that we went to an afternoon event (yeah for afternoon drinking) where we knew we'd like the music and where we'd have something in common with most of the cats there, which was nice because we were able to meet a bunch of people to hang out with for the rest of the weekend. I hope everyone else enjoyed it as much as we did.

Most things in Santander can be done within 2 days and loses its appeal after. Little Bobby's…read moreSpeakeasy is very different. It's like walking back in time and submerging yourself in old fashioned vibes. The decoration is perfection and spacing and music is smooth. Perfect ambiance for a night out with friends you've known for years and friends you just met. It a place I keep going back to in a town that can be lackluster after a few days.

Lucky for anyone who loves a good glass of wine and pintxos (and who doesn't?!), Santander has a…read morevery lively pintxos bar scene. Around 8pm, people start to trickle into the bars to have a glass of wine before dinner. Bodega Cigaleña is one of the most memorable of the pintxos bar - first and foremost, the sign at the door declares it is a "museo del vino". As soon as you enter, you very much feel that you are walking through someone's wine collection. Vintages of Rioja that go back as far as the 1920s decorate the shelves and the slate gives the feeling that you are in a cellar. The decor and the way that the bar zig-zags (it is not one long bar) gives the impression of coziness, privacy as you snag your own little nook, and a non-pretentious atmosphere to enjoy wine. Old people and young people alike choose to hang out here. As for the selection of wine, there is tons of it! Each denominación de origen (Spain's terminology for wine appellations) that surrounds Cantabria was well-represented and whether you wanted a red, white, or rose, there were plenty of choices priced under 3 euro. Silly me, I set a goal of wanting to taste every wine on the list; in reality, I tasted three on my two visits here. The bartender seems to have the power to read minds and always knew when me or one of the other clients was ready to try something new. And then there are the pintxos, which are of just of good a quality as the wine served. The tortilla was perfect and made the "Galician way" - just a little bit raw and softer in the middle. After a glass of wine on an empty stomach, the tortilla was all the more satisfying (and prevented me from becoming very drunk). The anchovy pintxo is just three anchovies served over a slice of bread; not overly impressive, but I think that the lack of flavor and texture of the bread was probably to blame. Bodega Cigaleña was definitely one of the most memorable "food and wine" portions of the trip to Santander. The wine, the food, the service - everything is of very high quality.

They have a selection of inexpensive, high quality wine and a selection of expensive high quality…read morewine. The place is small, bit as it is not as popular anymore, there was no issue finding room. It is not a place I would suggest for finding sates, but it is a nice place for wine and snacks.