Magdalena Palace
Palacio de la Magdalena
An English-style palace on a peninsula jutting into the bay. It was once the summer palace of the Spanish royal family, and the peninsula park has sea lions, penguins and an old sailing ship.
The palace was built between 1909 and 1912. Citizens raised funds to give it to King Alfonso XIII as a summer residence. It blends English and French styles, and today it hosts the summer courses of the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo. Guided tours of the interior last about 45 minutes, and tickets are sold with limited time slots. The peninsula park is free to enter. It has a sea lion pool, a penguin pool and the sailing ship of navigator Vital Alsar. Walking the full loop of the peninsula takes about an hour, and a tourist mini-train runs in summer.
Opening hours
Peninsula park about 08:00–22:00 (shorter in winter); palace tours by timed session
Nearby sights
- El Sardinero Beach
- Gran Casino del Sardinero
- Museo Marítimo del Cantábrico
- Somo & El Puntal Beach
- Mataleñas Beach
- Cabo Mayor Lighthouse
- Jardines de Pereda & Paseo de Pereda
- Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology of Cantabria