Configuring the northern coast of Spain as a privileged tourist enclave: the cities of San Sebastián and Santander, 1902-1931

Abstract

This paper is a contribution to the international history of tourism concentrating on Spain and more precisely on the specific tourist region of the northern coast, the Cantabrian Cornice. The central-eastern sector of the northern Spanish coast, which followed a pattern somewhat similar to other European locales, notably Brighton and Biarritz, became an elite tourist area and one of the earliest tourist destinations in the country in the first third of the twentieth century. Although there were earlier precedents dating to the mid-nineteenth century, it was during the early twentieth century that tourist development in the cities of San Sebastián and Santander coalesced, creating an enticing and coherent leisure region. The most privileged members of Spanish society, as well as foreigners from both Europe and America, were drawn to the area. The continual presence of King Alfonso XIII and the royal family, the support of local entrepreneurs and bourgeoisie, and the promotion of such sports as yachting, horse-racing, tennis, and golf encouraged this process. Specialisation in tourism also impacted significantly on the urban development of both cities.