Our route begins on Hernán Cortés street, where the history of the city and a wide range of shops and catering establishments come together. At the beginning of it, is the Mercado del Este (Asset of Cultural Interest), the work of Antonio Zabaleta from 1840 and one of the first covered commercial galleries in Spain. Currently restored, it houses the regional tourist office, shops of various kinds, a catering establishment and in its basement, the Museum of Prehistory and Archeology of Cantabria (MUPAC).
At the end of Hernán Cortés street, cross to reach the Monument to the Raqueros, a group of sculptures by José Cobo Calderón in homage to the lower-class children who jumped into the water doing pirouettes from the pier to collect the coins that the boats threw at them. wealthiest, described by José María de Pereda in his novel Sotileza.
Continuing along the quay, you reach the rationalist building of the Real Club Marítimo, and then Puertochico, an old fishing port that concentrated marine activity during the s. XIX and beginning of the XX, today marina.
The ascent begins along Casimiro Sainz street, leaving a large Spanish flag on our right. Our steps take us to the roundabout of La Sardinera, with the sculpture by Ramón Ruiz Lloreda, which honors all the women who sold the products landed here in Puertochico.
Turning to the right, we take Tetuán street, the old sailors neighbourhood. Here there are plenty of traditional restaurants and eateries. There is also the Walk of Fame, inaugurated in 2015, which, with its stars, recalls famous Cantabrian characters.
Advancing in the direction of the Camino neighborhood, we find the access to the recently reopened Pombo train tunnel, which connects Tetuán street with Joaquín Costa street, el Sardinero; shortens the path for pedestrians and cyclists between the city center and the beach area.
The east side of the tunnel ends at Joaquín Costa street, where we find palaces and houses from the early 20th century linked to the summer vacations of the wealthy classes. In the part of the street closest to the Plaza de Italia, presided over by the Gran Casino del Sardinero, there are a large number of hotel establishments, as well as restaurants, some with great tradition.