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Santa Marta

Santa Marta is a city in the Magdalena Department of Colombia's Costa Norte.

Understand

Santa Marta an important commercial port and tourist destination. Every day, there are cargo ships coming and going and the action is very much visible. From the beach, the view of the Caribbean Sea is more or less to the west (beautiful sunsets) with a huge rock of an island jutting up out of the water to make a somewhat dramatic effect. Off to the right is the port snug behind another even bigger rock. This is a decent beach if you like beaches that are right in town with lots of people, vendors, and noise. Vendors are extremely aggressive if you are on the beach.

Aside from the old center, the main attractions of Santa Marta are its two resort-like suburbs El Rodadero, to the south, and Taganga, to the north. El Rodadero has several high-end hotels and private "clubs" that cater mostly to wealthy Colombians, whereas Taganga used to be a fishing village and is very popular with (mostly foreign) backpackers. Taganga has many scuba-diving agencies.

There is a high and low season. High season is December through April, with its peak from mid-December to late January (due to school and university vacations). In the low season the sun burns less due to more clouds.

By plane

 * A public bus departs frequently in front of the Santa Marta airport. It goes to the main street of Playa El Rodadero and to the city centre to Carrera 4 and 5 (August 2021). The price is COP$2,500 (January 2024) and can be paid inside the bus. You can exit the bus anywhere, there are no bus stops. For the way back from Santa Marta to the airport the bus goes on Carrera 1, then Calle 22 and then Carrera 4 (January 2024). The bus has Aeropuerto written on the relatively small sign in the front window.
 * A taxi to the centro historico is around COP$33,000 (January 2022, no prepaid or metered taxis available).
 * A taxi to the centro historico is around COP$33,000 (January 2022, no prepaid or metered taxis available).

For better flying times or a better fare you may also want to consider flying to nearby Barranquilla. From there you can take a bus to Santa Marta. For international flights, there can be big savings when arriving in Medellin, Bogota or Cali and then taking a separate flight to Santa Marta.

By bus
It's all the way out of town on the main highway. To the city centre, take a bus that goes in the direction of Taganga, departing right on the highway (without crossing the street). The ride costs COP$2,300 (Mar 2023) and will take some 45 minutes to Carrera 5. If carrying a big backpack, you might be rejected by some colectivo drivers. Just wait for the bigger buses.

With a tax,i the trip takes around half an hour. In the bus terminal, you can get free WiFi at the tourist office.

If you want to stay in El Rodadero and come from the direction of Barranquilla, you can exit the intercity bus near El Rodadero and then take a bus or taxi to your accommodation. There is a city bus between the Terminal and El Rodadero, even though it takes some time as the bus goes through the centre of Santa Marta first.

From Santa Marta centre to the Terminal de Transporte you can catch a bus/colectivo with the sign "UCC TRANSPORTE" on Carrera 1.

Buses are available:
 * from Cartagena: 3½ hours
 * from Barranquilla: 2 hours
 * from Medellín: 15 hours
 * from Bucaramanga: 9 hours, COP$80,000 (Copetran, Brasilia) (Jan 2024)
 * from Bogotá: 16 hours
 * from Riohacha: 2½ hours
 * from Taganga: COP$2,000 (Sept 2021) with minibus or taxi for COP$10,000 (Aug 2016)
 * from Cúcuta: 14 hours, COP$120,000-140,000 (Mar 2023)

For more comfortable road travel across northern Colombia, a few companies offer air conditioned van services between Cartagena and Santa Marta, with stops in Barranquilla en route. Cochetur seems to be the most reputable of these. They will pick you up and drop you off at your desired location in each city. You will likely share the van with 6-8 people including the driver. Tipping did not appear to be expected but a thousand or two goes a long way here.

Get around
Streets are numbered. The beach can be considered "Carrera 1" or 1st St., and the first street is usually "Carrera 1A" or 1A St. The next street after the first row of buildings is Carrera 2 or 2nd St. Calles are streets running from east to west.

By bus
Moovit covers the area for finding connections. As there are no bus stops, buses can be entered and exited anywhere along their routes. The price is COP$2,000 (Nov 2021) and is paid to the driver when entering the bus.

By taxi
Unlike bigger cities in Colombia, taxis do not run on a meter. Payments start at COP$6,000 (August 2021) for a "lift" (usually a ride no more than 10 minutes).

If you meet someone who 'knows' a taxi driver, this can be a good opportunity to negotiate a price to your next point in Colombia. Some drivers will take you as far as Barranquilla, although you have to negotiate.

See

Do

 * You can go to the Nearby is the A bit more south you find the All of them have crystal clear water. If in El Rodadero, you can go to the And you can go to the beach directly at the airport. Watching airplanes arriving and departing while swimming in the sea.

 * Mamancana is a private game reserve where you can do wallclimbing and canopying.
 * Mamancana is a private game reserve where you can do wallclimbing and canopying.

Buy
ATMs of the bank BBVA are available in the historical centre and throughout the city. At the Parque Bolívar there are And at the Carrera 4 / Calle 23 there are

In the historical center the minimarkets have a rather small amount of products. On Carrera 5/Calle 20 there is the Also the Olimpica supermarkets have a big variety of products. Medium sized supermarkets are D1 and Ara.

Santa Marta is famous for its beach sellers. Since beaches are open 365 days a year, there are always people wandering up and down the beach selling anything.

The beaches in the southern suburb El Rodadero have aggressive sellers. Take this as an opportunity to haggle.

Postcard stamps can be bought at the post office at Calle 22/Carrera 2 (COP$2,900 for Europe). No stamps are sold at the Deprisa post office (Carrera 3).

Carrera 5th is a big shopping promenade, with stores accompanied by street stalls and vendors. Some streets are pedestrian-friendly, such as Carrera 3 between Calle 15 and 20.

Eat
There are a lot of eating options. They seem to be good at roasting and grilling chicken. They do a good job of grilling beef, tough but flavorful. Seafood is plentiful and relatively inexpensive with lots of shrimp and seafood cocktail vendors. Most varieties of fruit are available even those more common to cold climates. At night street vendors sell all types of snacks like pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, shakes, kabobs, rice in coconut milk, fried stuffed doughy things, etc. Coffee, hot chocolate, and both hot cinnamon and lemon are omni-present.

City center

 * In front of the big Exito supermarket you find Colombian style They are for COP$3,000 (Sept 2021) each and are served during the day and in the evening.
 * It's from 17:30 to midnight in Carrera 6 / Calle 16. You find:
 * hamburgers from COP$8,000 (Sept 2021)
 * pretty big slices of pizza for COP$3–4,000 (Sept 2021)
 * mixed meat skewers for COP$4,000 (Sept 2021)
 * Salchipapas
 * special Colombian style hot dogs for COP$3-7,000 (Sept 2021)
 * Colombian snacks for COP$1,500 (Sept 2021)
 * and more.
 * Excellent seafood soup from a man at the corner of 13th st. and 4th Carr (diagonally opposite the small church, next to the sunglasses vendors; you'll see huge pots of soup). Very cheap and delicious, but only in mornings. Sells out by noon. (updated June 2010)
 * There is a man who has been sitting on 14th street between 3rd and 4th carrera (behind the beach) selling shrimp cocktail at a reasonable price for 23 years. (updated June 2010)
 * There is another man who has been sitting on 22nd street on 1st carrera (in front of the beach) selling a delicious shrimp cocktail at a reasonable price and he is very reliable and well known in the city. (updated June 2010)

East of the center

 * It serves during the day and in the evening. It's near the hostel Avenia. They have hot dogs, salchipapas from COP$5,000 (Sept 2021), Hamburgers from COP$7,000(Sept 2021), Picadas from COP$7,000 (Sept 2021) and more.

Rodadero Beach

 * At the Rodadero Beach you can also find good-tasting It's on Calle 12 between Carrera 2 and the beach. They serve during the day until 17:00. (updated Sept 2021)

El Rodadero

Other local simple restaurants in the historical center of Santa Marta and around La Especial in El Rodadero have a main dish from COP$10,000-12,000 (August 2021). In the center of El Rodadero it's from COP12,000-15,000 (August 2021)

Drink

Because Santa Marta can get brutally hot during the summer (upwards of 35°C/95°F), it is a good idea to constantly have a bottle of water with you. During the evenings, when it gets cooler, beer and friends is often an excellent combination. It would be good idea to take a couple of "Stubbie Coolers" (Australian vernacular for an item which keeps the beer in your bottle cooler or longer) as the heat will have you drinking warm beer by the time you are at the end of your drink.

Soft drinks can be found at nearly every restaurant - sometimes you can even pick it up in glass bottles. They are cheap.

Ask about Ben´s Bar on the Beach. Barrio Samario, La Puerta, and El Garage.

Sleep
Hostels with dorms are available in the historical center, throughout the city and at the El Rodadero Beach. There are also accomodations in nearby Taganga, Minca or inside the Tayrona National Park. Santa Marta is quite hot, you may want to choose an accommodation with air conditioning.

Budget

Stay safe
Like in other Colombian cities avoid traveling alone, with visible expensive electronics, esp. in public areas or at night.

There's a new walking path "Sendero Peatonal Ziruma-Rodadero" from the outskirts of the downtown area to Rodadero and the beaches there. While they cover a beautiful scenery often hard to admire by bus or car, it has long and desolate stretches and goes through some poor and unsafe barrios. There's very little police presence along the different paths. Do not use these paths alone as a tourist to get to or from Rodadero. Tourists have been mugged at gunpoint on those walkways in broad daylight. Take the cheap blue buses, or a taxi.

Cope
Matters regarding your visa or visa-free stay are handled by the immigration office in Cl. 19 #8 - 68.

Go next
Both hostels and private rooms are available:

in the north-east:

 * Taganga – 5 km. A backpacker and hippie haven in a one-time peaceful little fishing village.

in the south-east:

 * Minca – 20 km. With pleasant temperatures. It's 580m above sea level towards the mountain top Cerro Kennedy.

in the east:

 * Tayrona National Park – 35 km. An unspoilt natural paradise of jungle, birds, ocean, and absolutely gorgeous beaches.
 * In the south of the national park along the Highway 90 are Las Tinajas (20 km), Calabazo (25 km), El Zaino (38 km) and Los Naranjos (41 km) which don't require the entrance fee.
 * Guachaca – 50km. Behind the Tayrona National Park. You can have a bath at one of the river beaches. You can also hike along the river.
 * Buritaca – 55 km. Also at a river.
 * Palomino – 80km
 * Cabo de la Vela – 340 km. An adjacent small fishing village in the desert. It's more comfortable to do an overnight stop in Riohacha and go from there.

in the south-west:

 * Cartagena – 230 km. The Heroic City, Capital of the Bolívar department is Colombia's tourist city par excellence

in the north-west:

 * San Andrés – Colombia's Caribbean island. There are direct flights from Santa Marta.

Destinations for a tour or trip are:

 * Ciudad Perdida — Santa Marta is besides Taganga the main jumping off point for the famous trek, and you should be able to arrange a trek on short notice with any of the hostels or tour companies.

title: Santa Marta


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Santa Monica

Anchoring the Westside of Los Angeles County, Santa Monica is a beachfront city popular with tourists for its expansive beach and its famous pier, which are among the most popular coastal attractions in Southern California. Within the city, visitors will find a number of urban shopping districts and plenty of restaurants and nightlife.

Understand

Santa Monica developed as a seaside retreat at the turn of the 20th century. The railroad owners built the first version of the amusement park on Santa Monica pier as an attraction to fill empty train seats on weekends. Santa Monica grew into an urban, eclectic, and prosperous beach city whose real estate values are amongst the most pricey in the world. Santa Monica is a very desirable city whose people are drawn to its accessibility and its progressiveness as a community. Today, Santa Monica is a mixture of very affluent, single-family neighborhoods, renters drawn by the high quality of life, lifelong surfers, young professionals and students.

Tourists visiting the Los Angeles region will find Santa Monica one of the best situated locations to base their trip. There are plenty of hotel, restaurant and entertainment options, as well as close accessibility to major sights like Venice Beach, Malibu and Beverly Hills. Visitors can also take advantage of the beach cities' moderate climate; during the summer and fall, as the mercury soars to in the San Fernando Valley and  downtown, Santa Monica usually remains at a very comfortable.

Santa Monica has three Visitor Information Centers that feature experienced Travel Counselors, foreign language line, tickets to area attractions and free visitor information on attractions, hotels, dining, museums, galleries and entertainment.

By car
Santa Monica sits at the western terminus of the 10 (Santa Monica) Freeway, about west of downtown Los Angeles and  north of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The city is roughly bounded by Centinela Blvd to the east, Ocean Park Blvd to the south, San Vicente Blvd to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

The tourist center of Santa Monica is the downtown area near the famous Santa Monica Pier, which was once the western end of historic Route 66. By car, take the 10 Freeway to the 4th/5th Street exit, then head left toward the ocean. From the north, turn left off the Pacific Coast Highway (California 1) at the California Incline, which deposits you just a few blocks north of the pier.

By public transit
The county-wide Metro public transit agency offers service to Santa Monica from throughout the Los Angeles region. Santa Monica is the western terminus for the Metro Rail Expo Line, which runs out to Culver City, Exposition Park, and onward to Downtown LA. The line ends in Downtown Santa Monica at Colorado Avenue and 4th Street, just a few blocks from the Santa Monica Pier. Prominent Metro bus lines to Santa Monica include the 20/720 via Wilshire Boulevard from Downtown LA and the 04/704 via Sunset Boulevard and Santa Monica Boulevard from Union Station in Downtown LA. Lines 720 and 704 are Rapid lines which stop only at major intersections, making them faster than their local-stop counterparts 20 and 04 (however, the 20 and 04 run later into the evening). Service tends to be every 10 to 20 minutes. Metro fare is $1.75.

Santa Monica is also served by its own Big Blue Bus, which runs bus lines to surrounding neighborhoods such as Venice Beach and West Los Angeles, as well as an express line to Downtown LA (requires extra fare). Local fare is $1.25, with a day pass costing $4, both of which can be purchased from the driver onboard the bus. The reusable TAP card is good on both Metro and Big Blue Bus.

By plane
If arriving on commercial flights, the closest airport is Los Angeles International Airport just a short drive south.

If you are arriving via LAX, you and your luggage can access the Santa Monica Downtown area for $1.25 by taking airport shuttle C and asking the driver to let you off closest to the stop for Big Blue Bus line 3. Once you step off the shuttle, exit the lot, and turn right, and look for a blue triangular-shaped sign at the corner of the street. Buses arrive every 15-20 minutes on weekdays, and every 15-30 minutes on weekends; this is a regular route, the fare is $1.25. Also, Big Blue Bus line 3 connects Santa Monica to the Los Angeles light rail Green Line at Aviation Station.

Get around
Many of Santa Monica's tourist destinations are within easy walking distance of each other. The city Big Blue Bus system operates a number of lines that link not only places within the city, but also neighboring Brentwood, Westwood and Venice Beach, making Santa Monica one of the relatively few places in Los Angeles where one needn't drive to get around. Some lines run every 10 minutes or so, which means you may not need to coordinate your plans around the schedule. Traffic is very heavy in the downtown area, and during rush hour and weekends the city's main arterial streets (Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica Blvd, Lincoln Blvd) are choked with cars. Santa Monica also has a fairly extensive bike share system, Breeze, with bike stations throughout Santa Monica and adjacent Venice Beach.

♿ Both the Big Blue Bus & Metro Rapid (Red Bus) fleets include pneumatic wheelchair ramps & chair anchor points. Most stations are level and paved and stops are pre-announced (audio & visual). Fares for passengers with a disability are at 50%.

See
Throughout Santa Monica there are numerous pieces of public art to discover. From large murals to huge sculptures, there are almost 40 of these to check out.

Do

Buy

Santa Monica like the rest of the LA area is very cosmopolitan and attracts a lot of tourist shopping dollars.

Eat
Very diverse food selection, from high-end cuisine to burgers and tacos.

Drink
Santa Monica offers over 50 Happy Hour specials all over town, from dive bars to the high end hotels.

Because LA and specifically the west side of LA are famous the world over for their night life, going out and drinking in Santa Monica is expensive, normal prices for a domestic beer are $5 and martinis frequently range over $15. The bars listed below are sorted by type and not price:

Stay safe
Crime rates in and around the tourist areas are relatively low, thanks to an increased police presence and "neighborhood watch" campaign by business owners. While there is a large homeless population in the area, you're unlikely to be seriously bothered.

The small neighborhood around Pico Boulevard and 20th Street can be a little rough, side streets in this area are best avoided at night.

Connect
Santa Monica has several free City Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the area.

Media

 * Santa Monica Daily Press – the local "paper of record", a free newspaper published five days a week with an emphasis on local and state news. Claims to be more widely circulated in Santa Monica than the LA Times, and it's believable with all the newspaper boxes on street corners. Editorials and reporting give an idea of local culture and issues of concern.
 * Santa Monica Mirror – free weekly newspaper with a strong local focus, including articles about new restaurants and exhibitions.
 * The Santa Monica Star – a free monthly paper with the vibe of a community newsletter – columns include "Do You Recognize These Neighborhood Celebrities?" and "People 'n' Pets". The writing won't win any Pulitzers, but the local event listings and restaurant coupons are useful for visitors.

Go next

 * Brentwood. An upscale neighborhood on Santa Monica's northern border that is home to the rich and famous.
 * Malibu. Just a few miles to the northwest and accessible via the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), Malibu is a beach town that is home to many entertainment stars and offers great beaches, surfing and restaurants for visitors.
 * Pacific Palisades. A neighboring town that is home to multi-million dollar homes set amongst the hills overlooking the ocean, as well as the J. Paul Getty Villa which features classical sculpture.
 * Culver City. A neighboring city and the home of Sony Pictures Studios that has undergone a rebirth and has many food, shopping and entertainment options.  Accessible by Metro's Expo Line.
 * Venice. The neighboring beach town offers miles of sand, an eclectic nightlife, and the infamous Muscle Beach.
 * Marina del Rey. The "marina of the king" is home to a vast number of restaurants, hotels, and the largest man-made pleasure craft harbor in the world, yet is not as touristy as some of the neighboring beach cities.
 * Beverly Hills and its fabled shopping is accessed by driving east on Santa Monica or Wilshire Boulevards.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Santa Monica


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Santana

Santana is a port in Amapá, about 25 km southwest of central Macapá. Macapense nightlife comes this way, and it is also where the larger passenger boats depart for Amazonian destinations. 14.000 population is second Amapá

Understand
Its location is nearly on the equator. The planet's second longest river, the Amazon, is to the south.

Santana has developed into the main harbour and industrial centre for the state, and has become the second most populous city.

By taxi
Taxis from Macapá can be negotiated as low as R$30.

By car
The main federal road that passes through the city is BR-156, which is largely paved, but has many holes and not every path is paved.

By bus

 * Santana Bus Terminal, with direct buses from Macapá, Laranjal do Jari, Mazagão, Porto Grande and Oiapoque.

Get around
The are metropolitan area buses.

See

 * You can go to the port to watch the loading and unloading of imported products and pine chips, and to the floating port for loading manganese pellets.
 * In the center of Santana there is also the Praça Cívica which around it has small restaurants and pizzerias, as well as facing the Church of Nossa Senhora de Fátima and Sant'Ana.

Do

 * On Santana Island, which is on the other side of the city, is the Balneário Recanto da Aldeia, a popular seaside resort on weekends.
 * The most significant event is the Círio de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré, which attracts 50,000 people. It takes place on the third Sunday of October.
 * Independente Esporte Clube and Santana Esporte Clube are the football clubs based in the city of Santana.
 * Independente Esporte Clube play their home games at Estádio Antônio Vilela, nicknamed Vilelão.
 * Santana Esporte Clube play their home games at Estádio Municipal de Santana.

title: Santana


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Santander

Santander is the capital and largest city of the province of Cantabria in Spain. It's on the north coast, with many beaches, ferries from Britain, and a small historic centre. The bars and restaurants of the old town are popular with tourists, as is El Sardinero beach a couple of kilometres away.

Understand
In 2018, Santander was home to 172,000 people.

The port is still very active and a regular ferry service operates to the United Kingdom. Fish and seafood dominate the local cuisine.

The city has a mild climate typical of the Spanish northern coastline with frequent rainfall and stable temperatures. Cold snaps and heat waves are very rare.

History
There appear to be good practical reasons for ancient settlers to have chosen the north side of the bay, sheltered from it and safer from the storms of the Bay of Biscay, on the north side of the promontory of Somorrostro and along the ancient Becedo estuary. Moreover, the hillside provided good visibility for spotting potential attackers, making this the ideal place for the foundation of a stable settlement, which was to evolve throughout the Middle Ages.

In the 9th century Alfonso II the Chaste founded the Abbey of the Holy Bodies in the existing chapel on the hill of Somorrostro, housing as holy relics the heads of Saint Emeterius and Saint Celedonius and the graves of other unknown martyrs, giving the abbey its name. By the end of the 15th century Santander had a population of about 4,000 or 5,000 inhabitants.

The city owes its existence to the excellent harbour of the Bay of Santander. Santander was an important port for Castile in the later Middle Ages, and also for trade with the New World. It became a city in 1755.

Santander fell victim to a great fire in 1941. Fanned by a strong south wind, the fire burned for two days. The fire destroyed the Old Town Hall, Jesús de Monasterio and Vargas streets and Atarazanas square buildings. It led to a major change in the architecture of Santander, away from the older small stone and wood buildings with balconies to the enormous blocks of flats built during the reconstruction. There was only one casualty of the fire, a firefighter from Madrid killed in the line of duty, but thousands of families were left homeless and the city was plunged into chaos. The fire destroyed the greater part of the medieval town centre and gutted the city's Romanesque cathedral

By plane

The Alsa bus runs to the bus station every 30 min (06:30-23:00) from outside Arrivals, taking 10 min. Buy tickets (€2.90) from the machine in Arrivals (which also sells tickets to other cities) or from the driver.

Taxis from the airport to Santander are available in front of the terminal (see pricing below). You can also hire taxis with English-speaking drivers, you can ask for the price of your trip and make reservations. Credit cards are accepted.

Santander Airport has direct access to motorway A8 to Bilbao.

By bus
or Estaciones is the local name for the trio of the bus, Renfe railway and Feve railway stations, all adjacent in city centre. The bus station has the most facilities. Local buses drop off and pick up on the surrounding plaza, including the airport bus south flank of the terminal building. Most is underground, with cafés, ticket offices & machines and left-luggage. Long-distance buses run from the lower basement.

The station timetable is online. The main operator is ALSA, with buses to Santander from Madrid (5 hours), Barcelona via Zaragoza (9 hr), Gijon, Oviedo, Bilbao (90 min) and Irun. International buses don't come here nowadays, change in Madrid.

By train
There are two rail stations in Santander almost next door to each other. Both stations are run by ADIF and departure times can be found on at their website.

When facing them from front, the one on the right has standard Iberian gauge tracks and in served by renfe main line trains and renfe local services on the C-1 line. Mainline (which are all operated by renfe) trains run 5-6 times a day to Santander from Madrid Atocha & Chamartín, taking 4-5 hours via Segovia, Valladolid and Palencia. A few of these trains start from Alicante.

The station on the left (formerly FEVE) is served by narrow gauge lines with infrequent services to/from Bilbao, San Sebastian and Irun/Hendaye (for SNCF trains across France), and west from  Oviedo (for Gijon), Aviles, Ribadeo and Ferrol. There are frequent modern local electric services on lines C-2 & C-3.

Although renfe operates all the trains their long, medium & regional distance and local services (Cercanías) are operated separately and use different websites & ticket machines.

By boat
Britanny Ferries sail to Santander from Plymouth and Portsmouth. The routes are:
 * Plymouth to Santander (20 hours) sails Mar-Oct on Sa, plus May-Sep on Tu, and returns M and W.
 * Portsmouth to Santander (24 hours), twice a week year round, sailing days vary. They also sail to Bilbao. There is a ferry from Rosslare to Bilbao.

All routes cross the Bay of Biscay, notorious for Atlantic swells and upchucking.

is very central, off Calle Antonio Lopez near the bus and railway stations.

By car
France: Santander is 246 km (150 mi) from Biarritz, 437 km from Bordeaux, 537 km from Toulouse, 937 km from Marseille and 1103 km (685 mi) from Nice.

Spain: Santander is 832 km (517 mi) from Alicante, 709 km from Barcelona, 279 km from León, 399 km from Madrid, 1014 km from Marbella, 364 km from Salamanca, 763 km from Santiago de Compostela, 250 km from Valladolid, 505 km from Vigo and 401 km from Zaragoza.

Portugal: Santander is from Lisbon and 648 km from Porto.

On foot
Santander is reasonably small. The distance from one end of town to the other is about 6 km (4 miles) and can be walked in 2 hours along the coast road. Within the city centre everything is within walking distance (15 min walking).

By bus
Public buses are available at reasonable prices. Each journey costs €1.30 (more for journeys out of the city), or €0.66 with a rechargeable card at tobacco shops or kiosks which costs €1 and requires a minimum charge of €5-6 (2024). Buses can take you to the main beaches some 2-4 km from the city centre. Timetables and a route planner are available from the TUS website.. There are network maps at most bus stops. Unfortunately Google Maps doesn't have any information about local buses but the Moovit! smart-phone app does work here.

 * Hop On Hop Off Bus, departs from the Cathedral Fr-Su at 10:45 and 11:25, 12:00, 13:15, 13:55, 16:45, 17:20, 18:00 and 18:35, with stops at Pasea Pereda, Museo Maritimo, Palacio de Festivales y Planetario, Palacio de la Magdalena, Casiono/Playa de Sardinero, Faro de Cabo Mayor, Matalenas/Campo de Golf. Estadio, Universidad, Avenida Valdecilla, Cuatro Caminos and Barrio Pesquero, the entire journey taking about 75 min. Internet rates: for 24 hours €21.00 per adult, €11.00 per child (5 to 15). Children under 5: free of charge. Explanations given in Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Dutch and Japanese plus a commentary for kids.

By taxi
Taxis are widely available throughout the city.
 * Radiotaxi: . Tariffs: M-F 06:00-22:00, Sa 09:00-15:00: €1.41 plus €0.96 per km, min €4.15, waiting time €18.82/hour). M-F 22:00-06:00, Sa 00:00-08:00, 15:00-00:00, Su holidays: €1.83 plus €1.25 per km, min €5.25, waiting time €25.05/hour; luggage €0.68, airport supplement €7.06, interurban fares are 30-40% lower (2020)

By bicycle
The city offers bicycle rental, for a very low price, at a number of locations around Santander (Jardines de Pereda, El Sardinero, La Magdalena). Bikes are loaned for the day, so get in early to avoid missing out.

See

Parks

 * Parque de La Magdalena: see earlier listing.
 * Parque de La Magdalena: see earlier listing.
 * Parque de La Magdalena: see earlier listing.
 * Parque de La Magdalena: see earlier listing.
 * Parque de La Magdalena: see earlier listing.
 * Parque de La Magdalena: see earlier listing.
 * Parque de La Magdalena: see earlier listing.

Do

 * Picnic on Magdalena Peninsula
 * Learn how to sail
 * 5 city walks: go to the Santander Tourist Office in the city centre (Old Market, near the Old Banco de Santander) and get a free city guide; the free city guide describes these 5 itineraries. These 5 itineraries are enough to keep you busy for 1-2 days.
 * Boat round trip: There is a regular boat service through the Santander Bay, boats run from Santander to Pedreña, Somo and back. For a 45-minutes round-trip you have to pay €3.90 and the boats starts at least every hour.
 * Football: Racing play soccer in Segunda División, the second tier. Their home Ground Campos de Sport de El Sardinero (capacity 22,200) is 2 km east of town centre near the beach.
 * Enjoy the beaches. Walk up to the lighthouse at Cabo Mayor, visit the museum and enjoy the view from the top.

Beaches
Santander has a lot of fine beaches.
 * Mataleñas Beach (Playa de Mataleñas)
 * Magdalena Peninsula (see the penguins in the 'mini-Zoo') & Magdalena Palace (Palacio de Magdalena)
 * Lighthouse at Cabo Mayor (faro de Cabo Mayor), and the devil's bridge (puente del diablo), a bizarre rock formation.
 * Playa de Bikinis, safe and lovely beach on the Peninsula de la Magdalena, protected from big waves, very calm.
 * Playa de Covachos, Cotero (Santa Cruz de Bezana), one of the most attractive beaches,
 * Playa de El Bocal, Corbanera, peaceful and quiet,
 * Playa de El Camello, Avenida de la Reina Victoria, near Magdalena Peninsula,
 * Playa de El Puntal, Somo (Ribamontán al Mar),
 * Playa de La Concha, in the middle of Sardinero,
 * Playa de La Magdalena, Ensenada del Sardinero, with fine views of the bay,
 * Playa de La Maruca, Monte,
 * Playa de la Virgen del Mar, San Román, peaceful and quiet,
 * Playa de Langre, Langre (Ribamontán al Mar), spectacular situation between the cliffs,
 * Playa de Los Molinucos, small beach north of Segunda Playa,
 * Playa de Los Peligros, Avenida de la Reina Victoria, quiet beach in a sheltered bay,
 * Playa de Mataleñas, between Cabo Mayor and Cabo Menor, the 'luxury' beach of Santander,
 * Playa de Somocuevas, Liencres (Piélagos), with fine golde sands,
 * Playa de Valdearenas, Liencres (Piélagos), fine sand dunes,
 * Playa Primera de El Sardinero, Plaza de Italia, the most famous beach of Santander,
 * Playa Segunda de El Sardinero, Playa de Castaneda.
 * Somo Beach is a little bit outside of Santander. It can be reached from downtown Santander by boat. Boats leave every 10 minutes and the boat ride takes about 10 minutes. Somo Beach is about 3 km long and is less crowded than beaches in Santander.
 * Playa Primera de El Sardinero, Plaza de Italia, the most famous beach of Santander,
 * Playa Segunda de El Sardinero, Playa de Castaneda.
 * Somo Beach is a little bit outside of Santander. It can be reached from downtown Santander by boat. Boats leave every 10 minutes and the boat ride takes about 10 minutes. Somo Beach is about 3 km long and is less crowded than beaches in Santander.

Festivals

 * Fiestas Virgen del Mar (Lady of the Sea festival): May 19
 * Los Baños de Ola: July 16 until 20
 * Fiestas de Santiago (St.James's Festival): July 25
 * Mercado medieval (medieval market): second half of August
 * Romería del Faro (pilgrimage to the lighthouse): August 23

Learn
The Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo offers summer courses for university students, including Spanish language courses for foreigners, that take place both at the Magdalena Palace and at Residencia Las Llamas.

The Universidad de Cantabria offers Spanish language courses of 4 to 10 weeks duration throughout the year through the Centro de Idiomas (CIUC). CIUC also coordinates exchange students at the university.

Eat
Santander's cuisine is characteristic of Cantabria in that it is based mainly on seafood. Popular shellfish include almejas (clams) and navajas (razor clams); fish include seabream, red mullet, anchovies, seabass and sardines; and squid and cuttlefish are also commonly eaten.

Some typical dishes from the city of Santander are the fried calamari called rabas, double donuts, bean stew called cocido montañés, and seafood dishes ranging from seabass and sardine to products such as morguera.

The best area to eat fish is around the fishing harbour (Barrio Pesquero), although locals usually regard this as a tourist trap.

Santander has many Regma ice-creamery outlets, with servings of 8 popular flavours. Other chains such as Capri on Paseo de Pereda have a greater range of choices.

Lots of low-priced cafés are in and around the bus station. A coffee and pincho for breakfast won't exceed €3.

Drink
The main spot is Plaza de Cañadío in the centre of old town. It's a hive for young Santanderinos and exchange students, with many bars and restaurants. A favourite drink is calimocho, a red wine/coca-cola combo.

Go next

 * Castro-Urdiales: seaside village east of Santander with a nice Gothic church and lighthouse.
 * Laredo (Spain): another seaside village to the East, the old quarter is worth a visit.
 * Potes: this small village is the key to the Picos de Europa mountain range (which is a national park), and the Liébana region. Good eating place, and the local orujo (a strong spirits drink) is highly recommended.
 * Reinosa: the main town on southern Cantabria, it's a good base to explore the Cantabrian mountain range (Cordillera Cantábrica), with the Alto Campoo sky resort, the Roman city of Julióbriga and several Medieval churches close by.
 * Santillana del Mar: Picturesque stone village 1 hour away by bus; visit the famous cave of Altamira.
 * San Vicente de la Barquera - Sea-side fishing village, about 30 minutes by bus. See the fishing vessels unload what Madrid will be eating tomorrow. Fantastic tides, so stay for at least 6 hours. Nice Roman bridge.
 * Valles Pasiegos: for a taste of rural Cantabria, no better place than the Valley of the Pas river, especially Toranzo, Selaya, Villacarriedo, Vega de Pas, San Roque de Riomiera and San Pedro del Romeral. Try the typical sobaos and quesadas, two traditional desserts.

title: Santander


text:
Santa Nella

Santa Nella is a city in Merced County in California's San Joaquin Valley along Interstate 5.

Go next

 * Los Banos - about a 20 minute drive along 152 East.

title: Santa Nella


text:
Santa Paula

Santa Paula is a small town in Ventura County in California. The town was an early center of California's petroleum industry and today advertises itself as the "Citrus Capital of the World".

Go next

 * Ojai - Located 17 miles to the west, Ojai is a popular weekend getaway for Southern California residents, offering wine tasting, art galleries, hiking, horseback riding, spas, and a rustic environment for those looking to escape the big cities.
 * Ventura - Located on the coast 12 miles southwest of Santa Paula, Ventura is home to many interesting shops, the historic Mission San Buenaventura, and is the gateway for excursions to the Channel Islands National Park.
 * Fillmore - Located 10 miles to the east, Fillmore is primarily an agricultural area, although it does have a historic downtown that dates back to the late 1800s when the Southern Pacific railroad built a line through the town.

title: Santa Paula


text:
Santaquin

Santaquin is a small town in the Wasatch Range region in the state of Utah in the United States. It hugs the bottom of Utah Valley and is generally considered the southernmost city in the Wasatch Range. Santaquin has a population of approximately 11,000 as of 2017.

Understand
Although Santaquin appears to be a rural farming community - and it's true that there are a number of farms and orchards in the area - many people who live in Santaquin commute to work in other areas in the valley, such as Payson, Springville, or Provo.

Get in
The I-15 freeway runs through Santaquin. Exit 244 takes you directly to Main Street. Exit 242 will take you to the Frontage Road (also called South Ridge Farms Road); heading north (right) will take you to South Ridge Farms at the southern edge of Santaquin. By car on I-15, Santaquin is approximately 30 minutes south of Provo, 1 hour 15 minutes south of Salt Lake City, and 5 hours 30 minutes north of Las Vegas.

Get around
Santaquin does have public transportation that runs down its Main Street, and then follows I-15 to cities Northward.

See

Hotels
There are no hotels in Santaquin. The closest hotel is in Payson:

Camping
The nearest campground is up Santaquin Canyon, about 7 miles from Santaquin.

Connect
The Santaquin Public Library (20 W 100 S, M-Th noon-8PM, F noon-5PM, Sa 10AM-2PM) offers public computers and free wireless (obtain access code at front desk).

Go next

 * Young Living Lavender Farms in Mona.
 * Tintic Historic Mining Area.
 * Yuba State Park.
 * Uintah-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.
 * Payson Lakes.
 * Nebo Loop Scenic Byway.
 * Utah Valley - Payson, Springville, Provo, and Orem.

title: Santaquin


text:
Santarém

There is more than one place called Santarém:

Brazil

 * Santarém (Brazil) - A town in Brazil.

Portugal

 * Santarém (Portugal) - A city in Portugal.

title: Santarém


text:
Santarém (Brazil)

Santarém is a city on the southern bank of the Tapajós River (a tributary of the Amazon), in northern Brazil. It's the second-largest city in Pará, and located just about midway between Manaus and Belém.

By boat
Santarém is about 36 hours by river boat from Manaus and 60 to 70 hours from Belem, making it an ideal place for a few days' stopover on a trip along the Amazon. Boats leave Manaus every day besides Sunday. There are usually 3 boats leaving from Manaus, however on Wednesdays only one boat leaves and costs R$10 more than usual for first class. Usual cost is about R$155-170 for first class (top deck with a hammock.)

Do
You can enjoy good moments in the various bars of the city with live music, pizzerias, cinemas and nightclubs. Besides a pleasant walk along the waterfront in front of the meeting of the waters of the Amazonas and Tapajós rivers.

Eat
You can to taste the rich regional cuisine that includes the famous tacacá, duck in tucupi, pirarucu in escabeche sauce, the delicious farofa de piracuí with banana, calderada de tucunaré, manissoba, macaxeira cake and diverse fish dishes, in addition to the tasty creme de cupuaçu, bombom de cupuaçu, Brazil nut biscuit and tapioca.

Drink
You have the opportunity to sample the tasty and nutritious açaí, bacaba and assorted tropical fruit juices such as cupuaçu and graviola.
 * A few bar-come-restaurants along the Beira Rio, particularly downstream from the center.
 * For a happening Wednesday, pay R$10 for a cab to Vila Arigó where there is live open air pagode with dozens of plastic tables and chairs around.

Connect
There is free wifi available at Praça da Matriz.

Go next
Santarém has two ports: Docas do Pará serves farther destination like Manaus and Belém, while a smaller port near Praça Tiradentes serves destinations on the Tapajós river and other local destinations like Monte Alegre and Macapá. You should be aware that boats advertised as departing for Macapá actually dock in Santana and from there you will need to take a bus or taxi.
 * Alter do Chão is nearby and its river beach is the city's biggest attraction.
 * Itaituba is located to the south about 15 hours by boat along the Tapajós River, or 8 hours by bus. From here you can explore the Amazônia National Park.
 * Alenquer is a small town on the north bank of the river. From there, it's about two hours by taxi to Vale do Paraíso, an eco-resort built around the Véu da Noiva waterfalls.
 * Fordlândia is a small historic town on the east bank of the Tapajós River. It can be arrived at by boat.

title: Santarém (Brazil)


text:
Santa Rosa

There is more than one place called Santa Rosa:

Brazil

 * Santa Rosa - A town in Rio Grande do Sul.

Colombia

 * Santa Rosa (Colombia) - A town in Colombia.

Ecuador

 * Santa Rosa (El Oro) - south of Machala

Philippines

 * Santa Rosa (Cebu) - a town on Olango Island
 * Santa Rosa (Laguna) - a city in Laguna

United States of America

 * Santa Rosa (California) - A city in the state of California.
 * Santa Rosa (New Mexico) - A town in the state of New Mexico.
 * Santa Rosa (Texas) - A town in the state of Texas.

title: Santa Rosa


text:
Santa Rosa (California)

Santa Rosa is the largest city in Sonoma County, California, and fifth largest in the San Francisco Bay Area. The city is a jumping off point for visiting the wine country of Sonoma County and the Napa Valley, or driving out to the beautiful coastal and parks throughout the Sonoma County.

History
Santa Rosa's history is rich in culture and many different groups have called the area their home. Pomo, Miwok, and Wappo Indians first settled the area followed by the Spanish in the early 1800s. The first deeded land was held as the Rancho Cabeza de Santa Rosa and was given to Senora Maria Ignacia Lopez de Carrillo by Spanish authorities.

In 1867, the county recognized Santa Rosa as an incorporated city and in 1868 the state confirmed the incorporation, making it the third incorporated city in Sonoma County, after Petaluma, incorporated in 1858, and Healdsburg, incorporated in 1867.

The city continued to grow when other early population centers declined or stagnated, but by 1900 it had been, or was being, overtaken by many other newer population centers in the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California. According to a 1905 article in the Press Democrat newspaper reporting on the Battle of the Trains, the city had just over 10,000 people at the time.

The April 18, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake essentially destroyed the entire downtown, but the city's population did not greatly suffer. However, after that period the population growth of Santa Rosa, as with most of the area, was very slow.

In 1943, Alfred Hitchcock filmed his thriller, Shadow of Doubt in Santa Rosa. He would continue to use Santa Rosa, and later Bodega Bay in many of his films. Thanks to this, Santa Rosa became, and continues to be a major hub in the Bay Area for numerous movies.

By car

 * US 101.svg Santa Rosa is north of San Francisco via Highway 101 (through the famous Golden Gate Bridge). Depending on traffic conditions, this drive can be done in less than an hour; during commute hours, the trip may be as long as two hours. It is best to avoid highways during weekday rush hours, and on the weekend after sporting events. Beautiful and alternative routes exist on Highway 1, and through Sonoma Valley.
 * California 12.svg

By plane

 * Alaska Airlines (Burbank, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, Portland (Oregon) and Seattle-Tacoma)
 * American Airlines/American Eagle (Dallas/Ft Worth and Phoenix Sky Harbor)
 * Avelo (Burbank, Las Vegas and Palm Springs)
 * Sonoma County Transit (SCT) #62 bus connects passengers from the airport into town (downtown Santa Rosa), Mendocino Transit #65 & 95 for going up north to Mendocino County, and Groome Transportation for going to Santa Rosa P&R (1350 Maple Ave), Petaluma, Rohnert Park and San Rafael. Click here for a list of car rental companies at the airport and other ground transport options. SMART Connect is an on-demand shuttle for going to the nearby SMART Railway Station for the train into town (see below on under 'By train').
 * Sonoma County Transit (SCT) #62 bus connects passengers from the airport into town (downtown Santa Rosa), Mendocino Transit #65 & 95 for going up north to Mendocino County, and Groome Transportation for going to Santa Rosa P&R (1350 Maple Ave), Petaluma, Rohnert Park and San Rafael. Click here for a list of car rental companies at the airport and other ground transport options. SMART Connect is an on-demand shuttle for going to the nearby SMART Railway Station for the train into town (see below on under 'By train').

 * San Francisco International Airport is the next nearest airport south with flights from destinations all over the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America, Europe, East/Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Hourly shuttle service is provided by Groome Transportation. For a cheaper option, take BART or SamTran #292 to the downtown Salesforce Transit Center, a few blocks from the Embacardo Station. Transfer to Golden Gate Transit #101 bus or Greyhound to downtown Santa Rosa (see "By bus" in the below).

By bus
The central bus station for the following is the on 2nd St between Santa Rosa Ave and B St:
 * Golden Gate Transit,, operates express buses from San Francisco and between other cities in Sonoma and Marin counties:
 * Route 101 goes down to San Francisco via Rohnert Park, Novato, Petaluma, San Rafael and the Golden Gate Bridge Plaza.
 * Route 172 goes down to San Francisco via Rohnert Park, Petaluma and the Golden Gate Bridge Plaza. Both the 172 and 101 buses travel on the same route, only the #101 bus makes more stops than the 172.

 * Greyhound,, travels along the US Hwy 101 corridor to the Bay Area (Arcata, Eureka, Rio Del, Garberville, Willits, Ukiah, Santa Rosa, San Rafael, Oakland and San Francisco). Passengers transfer in Oakland or San Francisco to reach additional destinations.
 * Mendocino Transit, bus service from Mendocino County with the following routes:
 * Route 65 goes up to Fort Bragg via Hopland, Ukiah, and Willits
 * Route 95 goes to Point Arena through Bodega Bay and Gualala.

 * Sonoma County Transit (SCT) goes further out to other parts of Sonoma County, outside the Santa Rosa city limits and local shuttles in the other surrounding towns of Sonoma County with the following serving Santa Rosa Transit Mall:
 * Route 20 Coddingtwon Mall, Santa Rosa Transit Mall, Sebastopol, Forestville, Russian River area
 * Route 30/30x Coddingtwon Mall, Santa Rosa Transit Mall, Sonoma Valley (Sonoma, Petaluma, Sonoma State University). Route 30x does not continue from Sonoma (town) to Sonoma State University via Petaluma.
 * Route 34 Santa Rosa Transit Mall to Sonoma Plaza in Sonoma via CA-Hwy 12.
 * Route 42 Local route from Santa Rosa Transit Mall to Industrial West Business Park south of town.
 * Route 60 Santa Rosa Transit Mall, Windsor, Healdsburg, Cloverdale.
 * Route 62 Santa Rosa Transit Mall, Charles M Schultz Airport, Windsor (Windsor Rd & Windsor Depot).

 * Santa Rosa City Bus operates local bus connections in and around Santa Rosa
 * Groome Transportion operates regularly scheduled buses to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Oakland International Airport (OAK) and the San Francisco Cruise Terminals (Pier 27) from Sonoma County Airport via Santa Rosa P&R (1350 Maple Ave), Petaluma, Rohnert Park and San Rafael. They do not stop into the Santa Rosa Transit Mall. Ask if they offer door to door pick-up and drop off.

By train
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, or SMART, connects Santa Rosa with Sonoma County Airport, Rohnert Park, Petaluma, Novato, and San Rafael. The train and bike path connects to the Golden Gate Ferry in Larkspur, with connecting service from San Francisco; it provides commuter mass transit between some of the most major cities in the Wine Country with local stops in:
 * is the northern terminus of the SMART Train from Lakespur, through Marin and Sonoma County. "SMART Connect" on demand shuttles (or SCT #62 bus) connect passengers between the train station to the airport terminal. Plans are underway to extend this route further up to Cloverdale, Healdsburg and Windsor.
 * is the northern terminus of the SMART Train from Lakespur, through Marin and Sonoma County. "SMART Connect" on demand shuttles (or SCT #62 bus) connect passengers between the train station to the airport terminal. Plans are underway to extend this route further up to Cloverdale, Healdsburg and Windsor.
 * is the northern terminus of the SMART Train from Lakespur, through Marin and Sonoma County. "SMART Connect" on demand shuttles (or SCT #62 bus) connect passengers between the train station to the airport terminal. Plans are underway to extend this route further up to Cloverdale, Healdsburg and Windsor.

By thumb
Hitchhiking in the North Bay is an accepted practice, but as always have your wits about you. Travelers will find more luck along the coastal highway, which are teaming with tourist, rather than near Highway 101. If you are looking to escape San Francisco, walking across the Golden Gate to Vista Point, where all traffic will be heading north bound after leaving the scenic spot. Ask nicely, and many of the friendly Bay Area residents will be happy to give you a ride north toward Sonoma County and Santa Rosa.

Get around
Being largely suburban, a personal vehicle remains the most common method of getting around Santa Rosa and the surrounding area. There is the Santa Rosa CityBus, but frequency, operating hours, and coverage leave much to be desired. Sonoma County Transit and Golden Gate Transit also provide service in Santa Rosa, but focus mainly on inter-city travel.

Bicycling in Santa Rosa is a reasonable option. Most destinations are reachable via not-too-busy roads, and notable car-free pathways exist from downtown to and beyond the western city limit. The primary off-street bicycle and pedestrian path system is the Prince Memorial Greenway, extending along the banks of Santa Rosa Creek from City Hall in the heart of downtown, out beyond the city to the west. On the western edge of downtown, near the Marriott Hotel in Railroad Square, this connects to the Joe Rodota Trail, a paved off-street path going to Sebastopol paralleling CA highway 12. Much of the city is relatively flat.

The downtown core is easily walkable, and if one were staying downtown they could conceivably while away a day on foot.

Do

 * Visit some nearby wineries. Santa Rosa sits in the center of the famous Sonoma Wine Country and has nearly 200 wineries to choose from.
 * Play golf. There are three public courses: Bennett Valley Golf Course (18 holes), the Fairgrounds Golf Course (9 holes), and Valley of the Moon Club (36 holes).

 * Indulge in culture:
 * Sports, indoors:
 * Sports, indoors:

Downtown Shopping
Downtown Santa Rosa consists of two main shopping areas, divided by Highway 101:
 * The 'main' downtown, centered around 4th St. east of Santa Rosa Plaza mall, primarily from B St. to E St., with less-concentrated options within a several-block radius of that core. Bookstores, newsstands, a music (instrument) store, small specialty shops, jewelry stores, and a number of restaurants are on offer.
 * Railroad Square, centered around 4th St. west of Santa Rosa Plaza mall and the freeway, primarily between Davis and Wilson streets. This growing area includes a number of antique shops, art galleries, and shops focusing on wares from places such as Indonesia and Mexico.  A large local outdoors outfitter is on 3rd St.

title: Santa Rosa (California)


text:
Santa Rosa (New Mexico)

Santa Rosa, the "City of Natural Lakes", is a town (pop. about 3000) in northeastern New Mexico. The nickname sounds improbable for a town in the middle of some very dry country, but it's appropriate because of the presence of the Blue Hole and several other lakes based on springs. Santa Rosa is on historic Route 66.

 * Santa Rosa Visitors Center, +1 575 472-3763.

Get in
Interstate 40 and US Routes 54 and 84 intersect at Santa Rosa.

Go next

 * Santa Rosa is the key decision point for travelers following the Route 66 itinerary: follow the standard "historic" route directly to Albuquerque, or the "original" route to Santa Fe? Either continue west on I-40 or jog north on US 84 just west of town, respectively.

title: Santa Rosa (New Mexico)


text:
Santa Rosa Island (Peru)

Santa Rosa is a small settlement on an island in Amazonian Peru. It is the Peruvian contribution to the triple border that includes Tabatinga in Brazil and Leticia in Colombia, both of which are more substantial settlements.

Understand
The island lies closer to the Brazilian/Colombian side of the river but is entirely in Peru. Santa Rosa is a significantly less developed village than either Tabatinga or Leticia.

Immigration
Movement between all three countries' border towns is unrestricted; but of course, make sure you're stamped into the correct country if leaving the border area. Try to minimize the number of times you go through immigration: i.e. if entering the region from one country and leaving from another, just get one exit and one entry stamp - even if you visit all three towns in this area. Anything more seems to annoy the immigration officers.

The Peruvian immigration office in Santa Rosa is fairly central and easy to find, just ask someone. The Brazilian immigration office is located some way down Tabatinga's main avenue, Avenida da Amizade.

The Colombian immigration office is at Leticia's airport, so if you're flying in and moving on to a different country you may as well get an exit stamp when you land. Don't wait several days between getting your exit stamp and the next entry stamp; however leaving it one day doesn't cause any problems.

By boat

Fast (about 10 hr, US$75 or S/200) and slow (about 2-3 days, US$20-25) boats run upstream to Iquitos. Small ferries run the short distance across the river to Leticia in Colombia and Tabatinga in Brazil.

If on the slow boat, take a hammock (available in Santa Rosa/Tabatinga/Leticia), as beds aren't provided, and something to eat out of and with (food is provided, plates and cutlery aren't - tip: a 2 litre plastic bottle cut in half makes a good bowl).

By plane
There are airports in Leticia (for Bogotá) and Tabatinga (for Manaus).

Get around
The town is small and easily covered on foot. Small boats run across the river to Tabatinga and Leticia.

See

 * Floating market
 * The Amazon River

Do
Marvel at being in the middle of nowhere.

Buy
All three countries' currency are freely traded in this area.

Sleep
Santa Rosa is the cheapest of the three towns for accommodation.

title: Santa Rosa Island (Peru)


text:
Santa Rosa de Cabal

Santa Rosa de Cabal is a town and municipality in the department of Risaralda, in Colombia's Zona Cafetera, on the western slopes of the Andean Cordillera Central. It is a commercial and manufacturing center for the fertile agricultural and pastoral hinterland. Silkworms are raised in the vicinity, and there are silver, gold, and mercury mines nearby.

The town is a great base for making the most of the surrounding lush countryside – activities include trekking, cycling, exploring waterfalls or visiting thermal baths. A waterfall and thermal pool called "Termales" is open for visitors.

Do

 * Soak in the soothing warm mineral waters of the termales

Eat
Chorizos

Go next

 * Pereira
 * Manizales
 * Los Nevados National Park

title: Santa Rosa de Cabal


text:
Santa Rosa de Copán

Santa Rosa de Copán is the largest city in western Honduras and departmental capital of Copán.

Get in

 * International Highway of the West west from San Pedro Sula or east from El Poy, El Salvador and Agua Calientes, Guatemala.

Get around
Taxis are about US$0.75 per person anywhere within the city center. The Urbanos, a school bus, runs up and down the main hill to the bus terminal, and through the city center. It stops at the central park. Walking within the city is the easiest way to get around. Santa Rosa is pretty small and compact, and all of the hotels, restaurants, and bars are within a handful of blocks from the central park.

See
The central park is beautiful and well-maintained, with plenty of benches for people watching. There is a Tourist Information Center in the kiosk in the middle of the park with maps, internet and information about the city. Across the park, the white-washed catholic cathedral makes for great photos.

The old cemetery is an interesting visit, about a 30-minute walk from the center of town. It is a colorful and maze-like place. The tourist office can give you directions on how to get there.

At the far end of town, there is a overlook with an OK view of the city. To get there, climb the more than 100 steps to the top, where there is a replica Mayan statue.

Do

 * Take a tour of the Flor de Copan cigar factory, given weekdays at 10:00 and 14:00 in Spanish, and at 11:00 and 16:00 (?) in English (the guide speaks fantastic English). Learn all about the process of hand rolling fine cigars. Tours are very detailed, very interesting and not rushed at all. Price is $5 per person, with a minimum of three people, but you can just pay $15 if you only have 1-2 people. Call +504 2662-0185 to book tours (phone calls may only be in Spanish). Strongly recommended to anybody with a passing interest in cigars. Note that you cannot buy cigars here. Instead, visit their shop that is located downtown (Tabacos Hondureños, SA de CV)
 * Shop in the weekend Farmers Market in Barrio Santa Teresa, and pick up some fresh veggies and fruits from the area.
 * Cool off at one of the small water parks outside of town, Las JJJ, Balenario San Antonio or Doricentro.

Buy

 * baleadas, the traditional Honduran snack food, at Tipicos La Porra or Buffet Baleadas y Mas. Order them with egg and avocado!
 * a granita, a tasty and refreshing frozen coffee drink at Ten Napel Cafe.
 * freshly cut delicious pineapple from one of the many women selling bags in the park- only L5 (lempiras) (about US$0.25s) each!
 * a map of the city at the Tourist Information Office for L15 (about US$0.75).
 * one of the many colorful, plastic woven bags that the women of Santa Rosa use to haul their veggies and fruits back from the market.
 * one of the popular Honduran beers: Port Royal or Salva Vida, ice-cold at the local hangouts: Zotz, El Rodeo, or Antigua Haciendas.
 * the perfect remedy for the hot and dusty Honduran summer afternoons is a paleta from the pulperia by the track- homemade popsicles with milk and your favorite ingredient- choose from strawberry, coconut, chocolate, orange, blackberry, peanut, and other flavors.

Eat

 * Tipicos La Porra for the best baleadas in town- nice thick tortillas stuffed with beans and cream!
 * Cheros Antojitos Mexicanos for mouth-watering plato tipico or quesadillas.
 * The 4-cheese pizza at Weekends Pizza- its no wonder it is the first stop for Peace Corps volunteers looking for a taste of home.
 * Ticucos de huevo from the lady in the park- corn masa, beans and a whole hard boiled egg wrapped up in a corn husk.
 * Ten Napel Cafe for a bagel, panini, or croissant, all home baked!

Drink

 * One of the Honduran beers (Port Royal, Salva Vida, Imperial, or Barena), served ice cold.
 * Atol de Piña, a local drink made of pineapple and corn.
 * Copan Dry, the fruit flavored soft drink made right in town- Strawberry, Fruit Punch, Pineapple, Banana, Grape or Orange. Comes in a cute 7 oz glass bottle.
 * Bar Hijo de la Madre - a cheap, lively, friendly, locally famous dive bar that specialises in "madrazos", special drinks that are supposedly only sold here. Madrazos are made with Honduran aguardiente (a liquor) mixed with fruit juice and ice, and drinks are STRONG. Cheap Honduran beer is also sold here.

Sleep

 * Hotel Antiguo Robles, a beautiful new hotel in the center of town. Reasonably priced.  +504-662-0472
 * Hotel Casa Real, one of the only hotels in town with a pool! +504-662-0801
 * Posada de Carlos y Blanca, a friendly Bed and Breakfast +504-662-4020

Connect

 * The Tourist Information Office at +504-662-2234.
 * The city´s tourism website: www.visitesantarosadecopan.org
 * Email the Tourism office at turismosrc@yahoo.com

Go next
Buses leave from the terminal by the JM restaurant at the bottom of the hill. The following companies have daily buses to San Pedro Sula: Sultana, Toritos, Copanecos, and Congolon. Old school buses leave frequently to nearby villages.

title: Santa Rosa de Copán


text:
Santa Rosa de Lima

Santa Rosa de Lima is a city found in the department of La Union, El Salvador. People there are very generous but it is an unorganized place in the matter of speaking about how the stores are made. The city had a rapid burst of growth after Honduras and El Salvador opened their borders to imports and exports, and after free trade agreements that El Salvador has signed. The general view of Santa Rosa de Lima is that its a great place to go shopping and to enjoy life in a place where crime is very rare and to enjoy the natural surroundings.

Get in
Santa Rosa de Lima is near the Panamerican Highway, a very safe highway to use.

See
Santa Rosa de Lima has many geothermal geysers around it. Also you will be able to find ancient buildings and artafacts. When you go to the city you will find many stores with cheap stuff that will cost tons of money out of the city.

Carnavals in Santa Rosa de Lima are in August 25–31. During the carnavals you will find ferris wheels and many other rides

Buy
Santa Rosa de Lima is well known for having many stores, but be warned the stores are not like a store you would find in a developed country but more like home-stores. Home-store are peoples homes turned into a store this happened after the opening of borders with Honduras which led to many Hondurans entering the country to buy Salvadorean products which led to many families opening stores all over the place.

Clothing
In the city you will notice that they sell many familiar clothing you would find in the USA but for more lower prices. For example, a Lacoste shirt will usually cost 40 to 50 dollars, there you will find the same shirt for 5 dollars. If you are going to purchase clothing take cash with you not a credit or debit card since there aren't any card machines.

Technology
Once you are in the city you if you are looking for any technological stuff you won't find much in the city, but there are some stores that sell technological stuff.

Eat
Once it is afternoon Santa Rosa de Lima turns into a super-restaurant. All the businesses put tables out and start selling food. Like all of El Salvador, Santa Rosa de Lima has a large variety of food. You will find typical foods such as pupusas, tamales, rigua con queso (a new dish), totopostes, and many other dishes. Drinks are also a specialty to the people. They are famous for their orchatas, hand-made lemonade, juices of fruits not found anywhere else in the world, and many other drinks.

If you are looking for something you have seen before you will find Biggest, a burger restaurant,and a newly added Burger King. Many stores sell Coca-Cola, Sprite, Pepsi and many other American drinks. A tip to enjoy the food is to not have much of one but to try all in a moderate measure.

Stay safe
The city is a very safe city with very little robbery and other crimes. If you want to stay safe as a family never split up since you might lose contact and get lost. Always stay in places where there is traffic and lots of people. Police are always on the lookout for any suspicious people.

title: Santa Rosa de Lima


text:
Santa Susanna

Santa Susanna is a resort city of 3,400 people (2018) on the Costa Maresme in Catalonia. The beaches, bays and facilities of the Costa Brava are nearby. It is a laid-back town set between the Mediterranean Sea and the mountainous wooded backdrop of the Massif Montenegre. It is a popular holiday destination for Spanish and foreign tourists.

Understand
Santa Susanna's narrow cobbled streets give it a medieval air, and there are many ancient buildings and monuments. Its region is known for its fruit and vegetables.

The town has a mild temperate and Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers, and mild winters.

Santa Susana is a municipality in the province of Barcelona in the autonomous region of Catalonia, Spain. It belongs to the province of maresme.

Santa Susana is a municipality located on the Mediterranean coast. It is 60 km away from Barcelona. The beach is surrounded by pine forests and a clean, golden sandy beach stretches for 2 km. The Santa Susana Tourism Authority claims that Santa Susana is the perfect place for family tourism.

Santa Susana is close to the El Monet Grey El Corredor Nature Park. Measuring 150 km2 in area, the park spans the regions of Valais-Oriental and Mahrezhme. Its highlands contain the Corredor Sanctuary, a hermitage built in the 16th century to honor the Virgin Mary. This is because the name of the natural park contains the El Corredor. The Corredor Sanctuary was built 657 m above sea level. The natural park is divided into the Corredor Mountains and the Monet Gresango (山 塊), which are bordered by the Balgorina and Arenis rivers.

History
The history of Santa Susana began around the 12th century when farmers settled on the Balask Plain. Due to the threat of pirates, the residents settled in places with less exposure to the sea and higher ground.

True history began in the 19th century. Juan Álvarez Mendisabal, the prime minister of the liberal regime who came to power in 1835, and Javier de Burgos, the minister, reorganized local administrative districts, making Santa Susana independent.

According to the 1849 Dictionary of Geographic Statistics of Spanish and Overseas Colonies, there were 120 residents in Santa Susana. They made a living by growing grapes and hunting rabbits. The dictionary evaluated that the land in Santa Susana was fertile while the forest was insignificant.

The book shows that Santa Susanna was then called Santa Susanna de la Bisbal. In the midst of Spain's civil war in 1936, the republicans changed the name of Santa Susanna to Montagut de Mar in a process to remove the color of religion from its place name. It was a one-sided decision. Later, some suggested changing the name to Montagut del Maresme but lost in a referendum. When pro-Catholic Francophans took power, the municipality's parliament changed the city name to "Santa Susanna" in 1939.

Today, Santa Susana municipality authorities are focusing on fostering tourism, saying that you can see both pristine and traditional Catalan rural areas here.

By plane
Barcelona El Prat Airport   is about 1 hour away by car. Barcelona city lies between the Barcelona airport and the town, so if you plan to go by car, it can take well over 2 hr in the rush hour. By train, travelling time is around 2 hr 30 min and you must switch trains at Sants station. Take line   to Sants. There, you must change to  , direction Mataró-Maçanet/Massanes.

Girona/Gerona/Costa Brava airport is about 45 min away by car. Going by bus/train is possible, but probably is eassier to go to Barcelona and then from Barcelona to Santa Susanna.

By train
Santa Susannais served by Rodalies-RENFE Rodalies-Renfe trains. It's on the line that goes from Molins de Rei to Maçanet/Massanes, crossing Barcelona city.

It is 64 km from Barcelona.

By car
It is from Barcelona

 * Free motorway (few years ago it was a paid motorway). It comes From Barcelona to the south, and from Blanes and Costa Brava to the North.
 * The  goes parallel to C-32 but along the coast, crossing all villages

Do
The neaby Parc del Montnegre i el Corredor provides a beautiful landscape for hikers, mountain biking, and horse riding.

There is a long strip of golden beach surrounding Santa Susanna. There are water sports facilities along the seafront.

Road Cycling
You can train along the coast in the N-II road between El Masnou and Santa Susanna. Or try the road from Arenys to Port of Collsacreu to Sant Celoni.

In Sant Pol de Mar starts the bv-5128 and then the BV-5031 until Mataro. This route is a favorite among locals. They call it "el pollastre" (the chicken).

Mountain Bike
Head up to the Parc del Montnegre i el Corredor, for trails along the forests.

Buy
At the weekly market on Tuesday, you can buy local produce. during the summer, an artisans' market is open in the afternoons.

Campgrounds

 * camping oasis
 * Càmping El Pinar Platja
 * Càmping Bon Repòs

Go next

 * Blanes beach resort with two botanical gardens and modernist buildings is easily reachable by coach or ferry.

title: Santa Susanna


text:
Santa Tecla

Santa Tecla is the second largest city in El Salvador. It is a suburb of San Salvador.

Understand
Downtown Santa Tecla preserves the antique architectural style found only in towns such as Juayua or Suchitoto, with the convenience of being located in the city. While El Salvador is considered by many to be unsafe, Santa Tecla is usually patrolled by the metropolitan guards, and by the police.

By car
Car is the easiest way to get in, as major roads, such as Monseñor Romero blvd. or the Panamerican highway, lead directly into the city.

Monseñor Romero blvd. exit to Santa Tecla leads to the 7a Avenida Norte, which can be driven through to get to the center of the city. The drive from downtown San Salvador can take as little as 15 minutes without traffic or as much as 40 minutes during la hora pica.

By bus
Bus routes are available all over town, with connections to neighboring cities and towns.

Get around
Walking is the easiest way to get around once inside Santa Tecla. Places such as Paseo el Carmen, during the weekend nights, are closed off to cars for the pedestrians to take over. You can have your hotel call for a radio taxi so you don't have to hail one on the street. Uber is available as well.

If walking through downtown Santa Tecla, common sense and precautions are needed, such as not flashing valuable objects or electronics around just to be on the safe side.

See

Drink
Paseo El Carmen is home to several bars that could interest thirsty travellers. El Quijote is one the busiest and most popular bars on the street. Thekla is pub-themed... pub with an Irish twist to the decor. Strumers is an alt-bar located inside the vegetarian restaurante Yemaya. This place has live music on the weekends, as well as art exhibitions up for sale by independent artists. Quite interestingly, this place also has home-brewed beer, one of the few places in El Salvador that sell them.

Go next

 * El Boqueron National Park
 * Santa Ana
 * La Libertad

title: Santa Tecla


text:
Santa Teresa

There is more than one place called Santa Teresa:

Brazil

 * Santa Teresa (Espírito Santo) - A town in the state of Espirito Santo.
 * Santa Teresa (Rio de Janeiro) - A neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Costa Rica

 * Santa Teresa (Costa Rica) - a town in the province of Puntarenas

Italy

 * Santa Teresa Gallura - a town on the island of Sardinia

Peru

 * Santa Teresa (Peru) - A town in the province of La Convención.

United States of America

 * Santa Teresa (New Mexico) - A town in the state of New Mexico.

title: Santa Teresa


text:
Santa Teresa (Espírito Santo)

Santa Teresa is a city in Espírito Santo, Brazil.

By plane
Vitória Airport (VIX) - also known as Eurico Salles Airport - in the capital city of Vitória, is the closest airport to Santa Teresa. It receives daily flights from most state capitals in the country. Among the main airlines serving the airport are TAM and Gol. A number of smaller carriers also serve the airport, including Azul, TEAM, and TRIP.

Connect
The telephone area code for Santa Teresa is 27 (as well as in central and northern parts of Espírito Santo).

Go next

 * Vitória — The capital of the state of Espírito Santo, famous for its bay, beaches and nightlife.
 * Vila Velha — Famous for Convento da Penha (a 16th-century hilltop Franciscan convent), and the beaches of Praia da Costa, Itapuã, and Coqueiral de Itaparica.
 * Guarapari — A popular beach resort town. Famous for its lively ambiance, with many clubs and beach parties, especially during the summer months.
 * Domingos Martins - To get a taste of a town colonized by German immigrants, and the famous Pedra Azul (Blue Rock).
 * Itaúnas — Famous for its dunes and forró, a Northeastern Brazilian dance.
 * Rio de Janeiro — World-known city famous for its breathtaking landscape and annual carnival.

Santa Teresa

title: Santa Teresa (Espírito Santo)


text:
Santa Teresa (New Mexico)

Santa Teresa is a city in New Mexico. It is located just west of El Paso, Texas.

title: Santa Teresa (New Mexico)


text:
Santa Teresa (Peru)

Santa Teresa (La Convención) is a town in the Southern Sierra of Peru in the province of La Convención.

Understand
Santa Teresa offers an alternative, cheap way of getting to Machu Picchu, not to mention amazing thermal springs.

Get in
Take the bus from Cusco towards Quillabamba and get off at Santa Maria. From Santa Maria either hike up the Santa Teresa river or take the bus to Santa Teresa.

Daily buses run to Quillabamba from the Santiago terminal in Cusco (7-8 hours, ~ US$4) via Santa María.

Do
Hike to Machu Picchu (four hours).

Visit the amazing Aguas Termales de Colcamayo - entrance S/5 (soles), shared taxi to there S/3 per person.

Go next

 * Choquequirao - Take a taxi or bus to the end of the road then hike for several days and finish in Cachora or Huanicapa.
 * Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu Pueblo) - Hike to the hydroelectric plant and catch the train (2 hours) or hike all the way (4 hours). In the morning you can also take a shared taxi to Hidroeléctrica for S/5 per person with locals who are boarding the 07:45 train.
 * Quillabamba
 * CuscoTake a shared taxi/collectivo to Santa Maria (3 soles, 1 hour), and from there another shared taxi to cusco (30 soles, 4 hours). Beware of collectivo drivers charging you a 100 soles flat fee for taking you all the way from Santa Teresa to Cusco.  You will have to change over in Santa Maria anyway and pay almost double for a supposed ‘direct’ service.

title: Santa Teresa (Peru)


text:
Santa Teresa (Costa Rica)

Santa Teresa is a small, but fast growing town in Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica. It is located about 150 kilometres (93 mi) west of the capital city of San José. Like other coastal villages on the Nicoya Peninsula, Santa Teresa started as a remote fishing village. The other principle industries were cattle ranching and logging. In the early 1990s, the town of Santa Teresa was "discovered“ by low budget tourists and started growing since then. It is one of the country's premier surfing spots along with the neighboring community of Mal País.

Understand
Santa Teresa, stretches over 5 kilometres (3 mi) of both paved and gravel roads. It is remote and has basic infrastructure with a few shops and some internet cafés. There are now more than 30 hotels, ranging in price from US$10 to $1000 per night. Santa Teresa is known for gold-grey beaches, good surf conditions and a relaxing atmosphere. Surfing conditions are generally best during mid to high tides. Santa Teresa has also become known for its many excellent restaurants, all started by various chefs who have moved to the area from various other countries.

Get in
Public transport in town exists and connects to the neighboring cities of Cobano, Montezuma and Mal Pais. Direct bus connections go as far as San José. Car and ATV rentals are also available. Many tourists rent ATVs due to the narrow and rough roads. Many visitors fly to San Jose and catch a 25min connecting flight to Tambor. Skyway Airlines and Sansa Airlines serve Tambor. Santa Teresa is approximately a 45 minute drive from the Tambor airport.

Get around
The roads are quite rough and are the typical mixture of deteriorating paved and gravel roads. The best way to get around Santa Teresa is to rent an ATV or an SUV if driving in from San Jose.

Beach access is not well marked, not well-lit, and rugged, but there are entry points at 9.6304589,-85.1541772 and 9.6429847,-85.167605 and 9.6455663,-85.1709777.

See
Surfing and eco-tourism are the top things in Santa Teresa to see and do. The Cabo Blanco Nature Preserve is less than 30 minutes away if you rent an ATV. The coast along the town as well as south and north of Santa Teresa has different breaks and a constant swell all year. Many hotels and surf instructors offer surfing-related services such as surf lessons and board rentals.

One of the most legendary surf breaks in Costa Rica is located in Santa Teresa and is known as “Suck Rock" located in front of the Red Palm Villas Resort. This right-hand point break can be good when the swells are large, and it’s known to get hollow at times

Next to Suck Rock, to the south is one of the most consistent beach breaks, on the gorgeous white sand beach known as “La Lora” (name given by the Disco Bar “La lora amarilla”).

Do
Surf - Boards rental places are everywhere. The normal deal is US$10 for 24 hours. Some places will ask for credit card details for guarantee. Better to look for places closer to the surf spot which is more on the northern end of Playa Santa Teresa. Dang shop is a good place right in front of the surf spot.

Eat
Most of the restaurants are fairly inexpensive and reflective the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Santa Teresa.

 * The top restaurant in town is Brisas Del Mar. The restaurant is located up the hill approximately 50 meters from the soccer field. Their specialty is fish and cocktails.
 * Pizza Tomate is one of two pizza restaurants in town. Their pizzas are fairly affordable and they will deliver for a nominal fee.

Additionally, there are a variety of unremarkable sodas that serve the usual pinto gallo and local cuisine along the main road.

Camping

 * Zenaidas: Right in front of the surfing spot of Playa Santa Teresa. The camping ground is right on the last tree line of the beach so you can see the surf from your tent. Bathroom and shower not so great but working, free wifi next to the owner's house. US$7 per person.
 * Sunset Camping: On the south end of Playa Santa Teresa. Nice spacious campground but pretty empty of people and far from the surf. Bathroom, shower and electricity. US$7 per person.

Hostels

 * Cuesta Arriba B&B Hostel
 * Hotel Casa Cecilia

Mid-range

 * Canaima Chill House
 * El Rey Patricio
 * Hotel Raratonga
 * Hotel Raratonga

Splurge

 * Flor Blanca
 * Flor Blanca
 * Flor Blanca

title: Santa Teresa (Costa Rica)


text:
Santa Ynez

Santa Ynez is a small community in the Santa Ynez Valley winery region of Santa Barbara County in Southern California. It's in a valley of small towns, rolling hills, majestic oaks and friendly people. There are beautiful horse ranches, unspoiled mountains, charming little towns, waterfalls, beaches, scenic drives, breathtaking countryside, fruit orchards, and authentic Spanish missions.

Go next

 * Solvang — 4 miles west of Santa Ynez, nearly one million visitors travel to this small town each year to see its Danish architecture and experience its (mostly) authentic Danish culture. Visitors can enjoy Danish food, a replica of the Little Mermaid sculpture, windmills, and the horse-drawn Hønen for sightseeing.  The Danish Days festival lasts through the weekend during September and has been held almost every year since 1936.
 * Santa Barbara — over the mountains 30 miles southwest of Santa Ynez, the "American Riviera" is a historic mission city that is an incredibly popular getaway destination. Its wide beaches, highly rated wineries, luxurious resorts, art galleries, and a large variety of excellent dining choices, enable the town of just 90,000 residents to enjoy the sort of cultural and social amenities which are usually found only in much larger cities.
 * Los Olivos — 5 miles northwest of Santa Ynez, this town has more than its share of wineries and tasting rooms, with around a dozen such businesses despite its tiny population of just over 1,000. The town also draws visitors wishing to pay their respects at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, which is 5 miles north of town but not open to visitors.

title: Santa Ynez


text:
Sant Boi de Llobregat

Sant Boi is a city near the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, in the south of Catalonia, 11 km from the biggest city, Barcelona. It has a population of 83,000 (2018).

Understand
The weather is Mediterranean, with hot summers and soft winters; it usually rains in spring and in autumn.

Get in
It is near Barcelona and the town has a very good connection with it, by rail and by bus. Both depart from Plaça d'Espanya. Trains are faster and run every 5 minutes on average, but the train stop is not central. Buses are slower and run less frequently, but will allow you to reach more places. Bear in mind that buses from Barcelona and trains run apart from each other. There are bus stops near the rail station but none of these buses will reach Barcelona; instead, they go to other neighbouring towns like Cornellà, Viladecans or El Prat (including the airport).

Get around
Sant Boi de Llobregat is in Barcelona's Zone 1: a single metro or bus ticket costs €2.40 (Sep 2023). Information on the Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona website

Festivals
In December, Sant Boi is famous for the Purissima's fair where different sectors of industry and trade show their new products. Also, there is a beautiful exhibition of fruits and vegetables by farmers, craft stalls and many activities for children and old people. In September we celebrate the festival of music Altaveu' which brings together many groups and Catalan singers. In December there is a popular festival called Fira de la Purísima there are a lot of exhibitions of vegetables, plants, decoration objects and machines. Another important festival takes place in May; La Festa Major and on 20th May honours the patron saint Sant Baldiri with firework displays. In summer, each neighbourhood celebrates its events with dances, parades and fireworks.

Buy
There are a lot of shops and five markets. Every Saturday, people can visit the two street markets in Sant Boi. There is a bigger shopping area called Alcampo where there are a lot of supermarkets: Alcampo, Kiabi, Toyr's, Leroy Merlin, Decathon and Boulangere.

title: Sant Boi de Llobregat


text:
Santee (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Santee:

United States of America

 * Santee (South Carolina) — a town in Santee Cooper Country
 * Santee (California) — a town in Inland (San Diego County)
 * Santee (Nebraska) — village of the Santee Sioux Reservation in Knox County

title: Santee (disambiguation)


text:
Santee Cooper Country

Santee Cooper country is a region in South Carolina.

title: Santee Cooper Country


text:
San Teodoro

There is more than one place called San Teodoro:

Italy

 * San Teodoro (Sardinia) - A town in Sardinia.
 * San Teodoro (Sicily) - A town in Sicily.

Philippines

 * San Teodoro (Mindoro) - A town in Mindoro.

title: San Teodoro


text:
San Teodoro (Mindoro)

San Teodoro is a municipality in Oriental Mindoro. It's a quiet place, out of the way of the bustling night-life and commerce of Puerto Galera and Sabang.

Get in
Several ferry lines go to Puerto Galera and Calapan from Batangas. Prices are ₱150-200 per person. It might be worth while to check how long the ride will take, and also the size of the boat, especially if the weather is less than perfect.

There are also Ro-Ro ferries, if you want to bring a car. Depending on size, ₱1000-1200.

When in Mindoro, jeepney's go regularly between Calapan and Puerto Galera. As always in rural Philippines, jeepneys will be packed to the limit, including people on the roof. For a more comfortable ride, rent a van (₱2000-2500 for the day, including driver) or arrange a pick up from your hotel.

The trip from either Puerto Galera or Calapan is around 30 min by car and 1 hour by jeepney (they stop, frequently).

Get around
By jeepney (Puerto Galera - Calapan) or car/van (rent or arrange via your hotel)

See
The road going to Puerto Galera is breathtaking, and passes by Tamaraw Falls.

In San Teodoro there are several waterfalls and scenic spots, including Tukuban Falls, Binaybay Falls, Lambingan Falls, Botolan Falls, Aras Falls and caves, Punta (Ilag Point) and Tabunan Hot Springs.

There is also a small fish market in the center of town.

Do
One of San Teodoro's charms is that there's "really nothing to do". But if it gets too quiet you can swim in one of the above-mentioned falls. In Tamaraw Falls there's man-made pools on the mountain side (entrance ₱25/person), in Tukuban there's natural pools in the forest. The last stretch going to Tukuban includes a hike or carabao ride (₱350 for up to six people) across several streams.

River Kayaking can be arranged, ask your hotel.

Dive or snorkel. The snorkeling is not as good as in Puerto Galera, so you might want to rent a boat (banka).

Buy
Again, San Teodoro is the place to get away from the vendors. Nevertheless, some handicraft from the local Mangyan tribe are available.

Eat
Red Sail Resto Bar serves international and local cuisine. Prices vary from ₱70-400.

Sleep
(Contact number Rica Rañon, +63 918-691 1726, Jay Rañon +63 918-375 4456). Family Room or Honeymoon Suite for ₱2500/night, including breakfast. Standard Room for ₱1500/night, excluding breakfast. All rooms have air-con and cable TV. There is also a children's playroom available, free of charge.
 * Red Sail Resto Bar and Accommodations

title: San Teodoro (Mindoro)


text:
San Teodoro (Sardinia)

San Teodoro, the southern doorway to Sardinia's "Emerald Coast", is 25 km from Olbia.

See
San Teodoro coastline is characterized by impressive beaches and bays. The most famous beach (not only in Sardinia but in Italy too) is La Cinta. From there you can admire San Teodoro's lagoon with its vegetation and its fauna, including pink flamingos. Very beautiful too is Cala Brandinchi, another popular beach known also as Tahiti for its exotic appearance.

Do
On Tavolara Island, part of the Tavolara and Punta Coda Cavallo Marine Preserve, there is the VLF transmitter ICV, which is used for transmitting submarines on the frequencies 20.26 kHz and 20.76 kHz to submerged submarines. It uses as antenna a span between two mountains and is surely an interesting facility for people, who like towers and spans, but it may be situated, because of its military use in restricted area and may be only admirable from far away. The island is off the coast about 15 km north of San Teodoro.

Go next

 * San Teodoro is a perfect starting point for excursions to the northern Sardinia
 * From every San Teodoro coastline beach you can see the isle of Tavolara.

title: San Teodoro (Sardinia)


text:
Santiago (disambiguation)

There is more than one place called Santiago:

Argentina

 * Santiago del Estero

Brazil

 * Santiago (Brazil)

Cape Verde

 * Santiago (Cape Verde)

Chile

 * Santiago

Cuba

 * Santiago de Cuba - capital city of Santiago de Cuba (province)

Dominican Republic

 * Santiago (Dominican Republic)

Galapagos Islands

 * Santiago Island (Galapagos)

Mexico

 * Santiago de Querétaro - (formerly Querétaro)
 * Santiago (Nuevo León)
 * Santiago (Baja California Sur)

Panama

 * Santiago de Veraguas

Philippines

 * Santiago City
 * Santiago (Agusan del Norte)
 * Santiago (Ilocos Sur)
 * Santiago (Isabela)
 * Santiago Island (Philippines)

Spain

 * Santiago de Compostela

title: Santiago (disambiguation)


text:
Santiago (Cape Verde)

Santiago is an island of Cape Verde.

Cities

 * – the capital of Cape Verde.
 * – the former capital.
 * – has one of the most accessible swimming sand beach on the island and a collection of hotels plus access to adventure nearby adventure sports.

Other destinations
Note that the Aluguer public shared transportation may be sparse in the smaller towns. This is especially true in the afternoon and evening.

East coast
From north to south:
 * Calheta is a town on the east coast of the island of Santiago. It is the capital of São Miguel district. On the road going north, one can find spectacular cliffs falling into the ocean as well as great views up to the highest peaks of Serra Malagueta.
 * Playa blanca south of Calheta is a smaller beach protected against the waves by rocks.

Central Santiago
From north to south:
 * Sierra Malagueta is a national park in the mountainous region between Tarrafal and Assomada. It is more humid than most other areas of Santiago and offers hikes in multiple directions.
 * Assomada is a town on the main road between Praia and Tarrafal.

West coast
From north to south:
 * Ribiera da Prata lies on the coast south of Tarrafal. It is besides Praia da Prata (silver beach), a large black sand beach of volcanic sand.
 * Ribiera da Barca contains a small black sand beach and a small fishing port
 * Achada Leite is a small town with the impressive Pilon de Achada Leite rock in the sea
 * Aguas Belas is an uninhabited pebble beach with a large cave

By plane
Santiago has an international airport in Praia which is also a domestic hub.

By ferry
The port in Praia has direct and indirect connections by ferry to other islands.

By bus
Most of the buses ("aluguer") leave from the "central minibus station" at the bottom of the steps that lead from Parque 5 de Julho to the Old Town in Plato besides the market called Sucupira. If you repeat your destination loudly, the drivers will shuffle you towards the correct bus. The touts did not try to charge any money in March 2019. Be careful of your belongings as the station area seems to attract a seedier part of the population for the informal market nearby. Also of note, the minibuses often have destinations in decals on their sides (e.g. Cidade Velha, Assomada or Tarrafal). These black decals are not necessarily related to the route they want to take, which means it is necessary to ask clearly before taking one.

By taxi
Taxis are painted in yellowish color and carry an official registration sign. They are not metered, so fares have to be arranged individually.

By car
For the beautiful east coast road (Tarrafal to Achada Fazenda), it was not easy to find a direct aluguer from Praia or from Tarrafal in March 2019. In both instances, the drivers wanted passengers for Achada Fazenda or Calheta to go to Assomada and change, which means missing the best natural part between Calheta and Tarrafal.

See
The island is mostly comprised of precipitous mountains, which make for exciting roads and grand views. The historical and cultural sights are concentrated in Praia with some notable ruins in Cidade Velha and the former dictatorial prison in Tarrafal.

The island is dry and dusty with only a few narrow green gorges breaking up the yellow and red scenery. The cliffs on the east coast are spectacular, and the black beaches on the west coast make for good walking and picnicking. The very hospitable population makes travel pleasant, and there is almost always a cold water or grog to be had on any route.

Do
The local culture is friendly, fascinating, and West African. Santiago provides a good mix of beautiful nature in the north and center, modern West Africa in Praia, and historical colonial sights in Cidade Velha.

Santiago is not really a place to go for a resort experience or a typical beach vacation such as one finds in the nearby Canaries or as advertised for Boa Vista island.

Eat
Cachupa is the national dish and is a distant relative of Portuguese feijoada, and it can be ordered at a lot of places. Canjo is a type of chicken and rice stew but this dish is harder to find.

Papaya and banana are readily available on the island and of good quality.

As with most other former Portuguese colonies, the pastel is an important morning tradition in the cities. There are many bakeries making pastel de nata (sweet cream), pastel con peixe (savory fish), pastel de carne (beef/pork mixture), pastel de frango (chicken), and others.

Drink
Grog ("Grogu/Grogo") is the national drink, usually served 75-100ml straight, but there also appears to be a local dark rum. In English there is a difference between grog and white rum, but this appears not to be the case in Portuguese. Many flavored "grogs" are also available on the island.

Cold beer is generally inexpensive and plentiful, although some bars are funny about leaving with the glass bottles. In a country with ample roadside rubbish, the bar owners appear to be fanatic recyclers.

International beverages such as whisky are available in bars, but the prices are 5-10 times higher than grog and rum.

Stay safe
The roads are in relatively good condition, and the petty crime does not appear to be common. With that said, there are no street lights in general, which makes nighttime travel precarious. It would be wise to consult a local before heading out after dark, even in Praia.

title: Santiago (Cape Verde)


text:
Santiago Atitlán

Santiago Atitlán is a city in Guatemala on Lake Atitlán near Panajachel. It is famous as the largest indigenous population of Tzutujile Mayans.

Get in
You can get to Santiago Atitlán by chicken bus from Guatemala City, by pick-up truck from San Lucas Tolimán and nearby locations, and by speedboat or ferry from Panajachel or San Pedro La Laguna. Shuttles are also provided by travel agencies at Antigua, Xela and the capital city.

See
Recommended destinations are the Catholic church, which structure dates back to as far as 1571, and contains three plaques giving an overview of its history; the market street, running from the docks to the church, offers beautiful woven stuff, volcanic jade carvings and dubiously ancient Tz’utujil pieces allegedly unearthed from the grounds around. The neighborhood house where the syncretized deity Maximón resides for the current year is also a must.

Do
The Spanish schools around the lake also provide volunteer opportunities built into the school. EntreMundos, an NGO based out of Quetzaltenango, serves the purpose of connecting nonprofit organizations and volunteers throughout Guatemala.

Climb San Pedro, the large volcano west of Santiago. Do not use a guide from Santiago; take a lancha over to San Pedro first and find a guide there (many are bilingual). Climbing from the Santiago side is very long and dangerous, the San Pedro side has a developed trail with stairs and handholds in steep parts (although there is an entrance fee).

Attend the Sunday mass in the church at 10am. You will see all the locals dress up in their best traditional clothes, sing Spanish songs and hear some prayers in Tz'utujil language.

Find Maximón. He sets up his temple in a local house and moves to a new place every year around May. He is some kind of devil that protects the people and grants wishes, taking money and cigarettes in return. When you find him, you are requested to leave him an offer of Q2, more if you want to take a photo with him.

Eat
La Posada de Santiago - famed restaurant out the outskirts of town.

Restaurante El Pescador - Best food in the town, also some of the most expensive (Q40-80). Located near the center of town on "calle gringo".

Quila's - Clean, good food. Newer restaurant owned by a Belgian expat named Martin, their licuados are the town's best. Located in a somewhat secluded corner, best way to find it is to take a tuk tuk. Free Wi-Fi (with purchase) and ping pong.

title: Santiago Atitlán