Albergue de Peregrinos Santos Mártires

The Albergue de Peregrinos Santos Mártires is a pilgrim-only hostel in the centre of Santander, run by the local Friends of the Camino de Santiago association and staffed by volunteer hospitaleros. It serves walkers on the Camino del Norte and the Camino Lebaniego, both of which pass through or begin from Santander.

The hostel takes its name from the Santos Mártires, a nearby church in the old part of the city dedicated to Santander's early Christian martyrs, whose relics have been venerated here since the medieval period. The neighbourhood around Calle Ruamayor sits in one of the older quarters of the city, close to the cathedral and within easy walking distance of the port and the main waterfront.

With 50 beds spread across five dormitory rooms, the hostel is a mid-sized operation that keeps things simple and functional. Pilgrims have access to a free kitchen with microwave and fridge, a washer and dryer, and free bicycle storage. Credentials can be purchased on site for four euros. The hostel is open from April through the end of November, with check-in from 1pm and doors closing at 10pm, or 11pm during July and August. Reservations are accepted, including via WhatsApp.

For pilgrims starting or continuing the Camino del Norte, Santander is a natural embarkation point, and this hostel is the obvious first or last stop in the city.