The pretty, recently refurbished gardens around the Centro BotÃn are named after 19th-century Cantabrian writer José MarÃa de Pereda, whose bronze effigy tops a stone monument decked with scenes of Cantabrian life described in his works.
The bayside promenade continues east to Puerto Chico (Little Port), a marina, and is busy with strollers or joggers whenever the weather is half-decent.