Melao Santander: salsa and Latin music by the Plaza Porticada

If you want to dance salsa in the centre of Santander, Melao is the name that comes up. It is a Latin club on Calle Guevara, next to the Plaza Porticada, with DJs, live acts and a programme that goes beyond music. Here is what to expect.

Where it is

Melao is at Calle Guevara 12, 39001, right by the Plaza Porticada, in the heart of the centre. That makes it the easiest Latin option to reach: you can walk from most central hotels and restaurants. The square itself is part of the city's summer: during Semana Grande it hosts the free open-air concerts of the Escenario Porticada series, so in July the area around Melao is full of people.

What music they play

Its DJs play salsa, rumba and merengue alongside the Latin hits of the moment. That combination is what makes the floor work for different people: those who dance properly in pairs and those who just want to enjoy the songs they know. It is not a reggaeton-only club and it is not a dance school; it sits in between.

Social Fridays, live acts and football

The programme includes "viernes sociales", themed parties, live performances and birthdays, and Melao also shows football matches on a big screen. There are raffles for bottles and dinners and drink promotions. It has a cloakroom and security, which you will appreciate on a cold Cantabrian night. Football nights are a good excuse to start early with friends and stay for the dancing.

Hours: check before going

The opening hours published online for Melao are inconsistent, with values that are clearly wrong for some days. We prefer not to give you a timetable we cannot stand behind. Check its Instagram, @melaosantander, for the week's plans, or message us and we will tell you what we know for a specific night.

Melao or Amarras?

Santander has two clear Latin options. Melao is in the centre, mixes classic Latin rhythms with current hits and works for a mixed group. Amarras is in El Sardinero, has a retro room, a crowd that is mostly over 30 and free Latin classes on Fridays. If you want to learn or dance seriously in pairs, Amarras; if you want a Latin night in the centre that everyone can join, Melao.

Birthdays and groups

Melao openly hosts birthdays, and with promotions and raffles it suits groups that want a lively night without the cost of a table at a big club. Tell us the date, the number of people and what you are celebrating, and we will tell you what can be arranged. Bring ID; the venue does not publish a minimum age.

Planning a night in the centre

Melao's location makes the plan simple. Dinner around the Plaza Porticada or the centre, Melao for the dancing, and if the group wants a change of music later, Cañadío and Puertochico are within walking distance. On a match night, arriving for the football and staying for the DJ means you skip the usual question of where to go next.

Quick answers

• Is Melao only for people who dance salsa well? No, the DJs also play current Latin hits.
• Does it have a cloakroom? Yes.
• Is it far from the centre? No, it is next to the Plaza Porticada.

How we can help

We are a guide to the night, not the venue. With Melao we can help you organise a birthday or a group night, tell you what we know about the week's plans and suggest where to go before or after. Send us a WhatsApp with the date, how many you are and what you are celebrating.