The Whirlpool Aero Car, designed by Spanish engineer Leonardo Torres Quevedo, has been transporting passengers across the Niagara River since 1916. Suspended from six sturdy cables, the antique red cable car offers a unique perspective of the Niagara Whirlpool, a mesmerizing natural phenomenon formed where the river abruptly changes direction. Far below, witness the torrent of water as it escapes through the narrowest channel in the gorge, creating a swirling spectacle that is both captivating and awe-inspiring.

The beach across the bay from Santander is much-loved for its soft sand and relative tranquillity. There is a surf school–the first of its kind in Spain–on the beach, too (Escuela Cántabra de Surf, Calle Isla De Mouro, 12). The best way to get there is by regular boat service run by Los Reginas on the Paseo Marítimo.

Perched atop the stark white cliffs of Pamukkale lies Hierapolis — an ancient city that's as rich in history as it is in thermal springs. Once a Phrygian cult centre and later a flourishing Greek city, Hierapolis boasts a well-preserved amphitheatre, an array of atmospheric ruins, and the famed Sacred Pool, a thermally heated delight where you can immerse yourself amidst submerged Roman columns, scattered by an ancient earthquake. Just a stone's throw away, the terraces of Pamukkale steal the show. These gleaming white formations, made of travertine — a sedimentary rock deposited by the mineral-rich hot waters — give the town its name, meaning 'Cotton Castle'. With temperatures ranging from 35°C to a steamy 100°C, these hot springs have been creating an expanding landscape of terraces for centuries, as calcium carbonate from the waters crystallises into the soft gel of travertine. Awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, Hierapolis and Pamukkale offer a unique fusion of cultural history and natural wonder that should not be missed.