Santander has a striking new art museum, and it’s about to become one of the top reasons to add this corner of northern Spain to your list. Faro Santander opens on September 8, 2026 as the new art, culture and technology centre run by Fundación Banco Santander, housed in the historic Edificio Pereda right on the bay. If you’re planning a trip to Cantabria from that date onward, here’s everything you need to know before you go: what’s on show, how much it costs, how to get there, and what to expect once you’re inside.
The project is meant to be a living, open cultural space, with programming built around four strands: Art and Technology, Education and Mediation, Participatory Projects, and Public Programmes. Its opening comes with three major exhibitions, which we cover below.
As always on Glutendtrotters, everything here is drawn from official sources — no made-up hours or prices. Let’s get into it.
Before your trip to Faro Santander
If you’re flying in, we’d recommend renting a car to get around Cantabria at your own pace. Don’t forget travel insurance with IATI, and if you’re travelling from outside the EU, an eSIM from Holafly so you have data from the moment you land.
What is Faro Santander
Faro Santander is Fundación Banco Santander’s new cultural project, conceived as a reference space open to culture, creativity and encounter. Its opening marks a milestone for the city: a dynamic, accessible centre meant for enjoying, discovering and sharing, with the ambition of positioning Santander and Cantabria as one of the major cultural hubs of northern Spain.
According to Banco Santander, the centre’s programme is built around four strands — Art and Technology, Education and Mediation, Participatory Projects, and Public Programmes — all aimed at bringing culture to different audiences and connecting Faro Santander with the city, the region and other cultural players.
The building: a new life for Edificio Pereda
The Edificio Pereda has quite a history: over the years it’s been a hotel, a sailing club, and for nearly a century, Banco Santander’s headquarters. It now begins a new chapter as a centre devoted to culture, art and technology, following a redesign led by British architect David Chipperfield’s studio.
If you’re as into architecture as you are into art, the building alone is worth the visit — it’s not every day you get to walk through a former bank headquarters turned museum, right on one of Spain’s most beautiful bays.
What to see: the three opening exhibitions
Faro Santander opens with three major exhibitions, aimed at a wide range of visitors:
Masterpieces from the Banco Santander Collection
A journey through art history from the Renaissance to contemporary work, featuring pieces by Titian, El Greco, Rubens, Velázquez, Goya, Tàpies, Soledad Sevilla and Juan Uslé, among others. Curated by María Dolores Jiménez-Blanco, it runs from September 8, 2026 through February 2027.
Modern Mexico in the Gelman Santander Collection
Works of major historical and cultural significance by key figures of Mexican modern art, including Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Rufino Tamayo, Orozco, Siqueiros and Gunther Gerzso. Curated by Marisol Argüelles, it’s on view until January 10, 2027.
The Symptomatic Surreal: Leonora Carrington
An exhibition centred on the period the surrealist painter spent in Santander, bringing together for the first time the two pieces she created during her stay in the city. It includes the painting Villa Pilar (1940), unseen for decades until now.
Hours and prices
According to official information from Faro Santander, the centre’s regular hours are 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, Wednesday to Monday (closed Tuesdays, except public holidays). Reduced hours apply on January 6, and December 24 and 31 (10:00 am to 2:00 pm), and it’s closed entirely on January 1, May 1, and December 25.
Ticket prices from September 18, 2026 onward:
- General admission: €14
- Reduced rate: €7 (Cantabria residents, students aged 18-25, unemployed visitors, over-65s, and Banco Santander customers)
- Free admission: under-18s and Banco Santander employees
Opening days: September 8-17, free entry
To mark the opening, Faro Santander is running ten days of free entry, from September 8 to 17, 2026, with special hours of 10:00 am to 7:00 pm every day. One important detail: even though entry is free during this period, you still need to book a ticket in advance through the website; from September 8 onward you’ll also be able to book at the door, subject to that day’s availability.
How to get to Faro Santander
The centre is at Paseo de Pereda, 9-12, right in the heart of Santander, facing the bay and just a few minutes’ walk from Plaza Porticada — so if you’re staying in the centre, it’s essentially on your doorstep.
By bus, several city lines stop nearby: line 3 (Ojáiz-Puertochico-Piquío), line 4 (Barrio Pesquero-Sardinero), line 12 (Corbanera-Carrefour), line 51 (Santander-Astillero) and line 58 (Santander-Liencres-Mompía). By car, the closest car parks are Parking Alfonso XIII and Parking Machichaco. And if you’re flying in, Seve Ballesteros-Santander Airport is just a few kilometres from the centre — from there you can reach Faro by taxi, rental car, or the S4 bus line.
📍 Want to pair your visit with the Cathedral and Centro Botín, guided? We’d recommend this private tour of Santander with the Cathedral’s interior and Centro Botín — worth knowing it’s a private tour (your own group, up to 5 people) rather than a shared small-group tour, which is reflected in the price. A good way to turn your Faro visit into a full cultural morning in the city.
Food and drink at Faro Santander
The centre has two dining spaces on its top floors, run by chef Nacho del Corral: Restaurante Lumen, with its own separate entrance on Calle Ataulfo Argenta and independent opening hours, and the Los Jardines de Faro terrace café, with views over the bay.
As always, we can’t confirm whether either space has a specific gluten-free protocol, because no official source details this yet. Our usual advice: if you plan to eat there, call ahead and ask directly about gluten-free options and how they handle cross-contamination.
Audio guides
During your visit you can access Faro Santander’s audio guides for free on your own phone, by scanning the QR codes placed around the galleries — a simple way to go deeper into the exhibitions at your own pace, at no extra cost.
Glutendtrotters tip
Even though entry is free during the opening days (September 8-17), book online several days ahead — the daily walk-in quota is limited and you don’t want to miss out. If you’re eating at Restaurante Lumen, use the booking call to ask about gluten-free options too.
Faro Santander joins an already strong cultural scene in the city, alongside Centro Botín and Santander’s other museums. If you’re spending a few days in Cantabria, that’s one more good reason to set aside a full morning for culture before heading out to the bay, the beaches, or the villages inland.
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- The Ultimate 3-Day Cantabria Itinerary
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does Faro Santander open?
Faro Santander opens to the public on September 8, 2026, with ten days of free entry through September 17.
How much does it cost to visit Faro Santander?
General admission is €14, with a €7 reduced rate for Cantabria residents, students aged 18-25, unemployed visitors, over-65s, and Banco Santander customers. Entry is free for under-18s and Banco Santander employees.
Do I need to book even during the free entry days?
Yes. Entry is free during the opening days from September 8 to 17, but booking a ticket in advance online is required, since the daily quota is limited.
Where is Faro Santander located?
Faro Santander is at Paseo de Pereda, 9-12, in the centre of the city, facing the bay and a short walk from Plaza Porticada.
What exhibitions can you see at Faro Santander?
At opening, Faro Santander presents three exhibitions: Masterpieces from the Banco Santander Collection, Modern Mexico in the Gelman Santander Collection, and The Symptomatic Surreal: Leonora Carrington.
Is there parking near Faro Santander?
Yes, the closest car parks are Parking Alfonso XIII and Parking Machichaco. It’s also an easy walk or bus ride from central Santander.
