The Centro Botín is the most talked-about building in Santander. Opened in 2017, this contemporary arts centre was designed by Renzo Piano and sits at the edge of the Jardines de Pereda on stilts above the bay — a gleaming, asymmetric structure clad in thousands of hand-glazed ceramic discs that shimmer in the Atlantic light. It was funded by the Botín Foundation, the cultural arm of the family that owns Banco Santander, and from the moment it opened it redefined the city's cultural identity.
Inside, the two main buildings (connected by a public walkway that passes beneath them) host rotating exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, with a particular focus on Cantabrian and Spanish artists. There is also a permanent collection, a rooftop terrace with sweeping views across the bay, a bookshop, and a café. Even if the current exhibition doesn't interest you, the building itself justifies a visit — and the surrounding public space, with its ramps, terraces, and views, has become one of the most enjoyable urban spaces in northern Spain.