In Santander Bay, about 25 minutes from Bareyo, there are two ways to get onto a sailboat: sign up for a beginner course with schools like Bahía Sailing, or rent a boat directly, with or without a skipper, at clubs like Alpha Sailing Club, in Maliaño. You don't need previous experience or your own licence for most outings.
Bareyo faces the Cantabrian Sea, but the water you sail on is somewhere else: for that you need to head down to Santander Bay, a sheltered stretch of water between the Magdalena peninsula and the El Puntal sandbar, with Somo facing it on the other side of the channel. It's an almost enclosed bay, with minimal swell and a thermal wind that blows regularly during the warmer months, which makes it a natural sailing school: you sail without worrying about groundswell, yet there's still enough wind to really heel the boat over.
You don't need your own boat or to know anything about knots. In the bay, schools that teach from scratch coexist with clubs that rent out boats ready to go, with a skipper if you'd rather just be a passenger, or without one if you already hold a sailing licence. September, with less traffic in the marina than in the middle of August and the water still warm, tends to be a good month to start out, or to book the last outing of the year before it cools down.
Bahía Sailing: sailing courses in Santander between La Magdalena and El Puntal
Bahía Sailing is a sailing school for adults and children, with beginner courses, improvement courses and sailing licence preparation. Its instructors sail daily between the Magdalena peninsula and Playa de El Puntal, so they know every gust of wind and every sandbank in the bay by heart. It's the simplest option if you've never held a tiller before: in a single session you'll learn to tack, sail close to the wind, and understand why the boat doesn't capsize even when it heels over much further than feels sensible the first time.
Alpha Sailing Club: boat rental with and without a skipper in Maliaño
If you already know how to sail, or would rather just be taken along without a course first, Alpha Sailing Club rents out sailboats from its base at Marina del Cantábrico, in Maliaño, right on the other side of the bay from Santander city centre. The fleet can be booked with a skipper, for anyone who just wants to enjoy the trip, or without one, for anyone who already holds a licence and would rather take the helm. Outings range from half-day trips of a couple of hours to full days with a custom route along the Cantabrian coast, and they also run sailing courses for anyone wanting to get their licence during their stay. If you'd rather compare options before booking, on peer-to-peer rental platforms like SamBoat, sailboats in Santander start from around €260 a day without a skipper, with the price varying by length and season.
The public school: Isla de la Torre and the Cantabrian Sailing Federation
Alongside the private options, the bay has a publicly run school on the small island of La Torre, managed by the Real Federación Cántabra de Vela, with summer courses for children and adults at more affordable prices than the private offer. Places sell out fast in July and August, so in September, with the summer course already wrapped up at most schools, it's worth calling ahead to check whether there are any drop-in classes or weekend activities left before autumn sets in.
What you need to know
- Santander Bay suits every level: sheltered waters, steady wind in the warmer months, and clearly marked boat traffic.
- Bahía Sailing and Alpha Sailing Club are both less than 30 minutes' drive from Bareyo, on opposite sides of the bay (La Magdalena and Maliaño).
- To rent a sailboat without a skipper you need a sailing licence (PER or similar); with a skipper, none is required.
- The Isla de la Torre school, run by the Real Federación Cántabra de Vela, is the cheapest public option, though in September it's worth confirming availability by phone.
- September and early October usually have less traffic in the bay than midsummer, with the water still sailable without a thick wetsuit.
"You don't need to know anything about sailing to get on a boat in Santander Bay: at most, you need half an hour and a willingness to get a little wet."
Between the lessons at Bahía Sailing, the rental at Alpha Sailing Club and the public school at Isla de la Torre, Santander Bay has an option for every level of commitment, from trying it for an afternoon to getting your licence. If you enjoyed our guide to kayaking and paddleboarding near Bareyo, add this sailing trip to your list of water plans that don't take you far from home.
