San Sebastian, Spain

San Sebastian is a vibrant and exciting city located on the Basque coast in north west Spain and only about 20km from the French border.

Beaches: The three major beaches in San Sebastian are Playa de la Concha, Playa de Ondarreta and Playa de la Zurriola. Playa de la Concha is the largest beach and the main location in which to partake in water sports like kayaking, canoeing, and sail boating. At night, the beach turns into a magical place where there are paths leading to the beach lighted by little fairy lights. Playa de Ondarreta is much smaller and a better place to watch sailboats versus actually swimming because the high tide often reaches the barrier wall very quickly. Playa de la Zurriola is a hot spot for surfers looking to ride the Atlantic waves.

Some great places to go see while in San Sebastian include Iglesia Parroquial San Salvador, which was a church that essentially established the territory on July 6th, 1397. The Palacio de Aiete is a palace built in 1878. It is surrounded by ponds and gardens and perfect for sightseeing due to its elevated location. The Funicular de Igeldo is a cable car that was built in 1912 that connects Ondarreta Beach to the Igeldo Amusement Park. Another couple places in which to view breathtaking sights of San Sebastian include Monte Urgull and Monte igueldo.

Food and Festivities are a primary activity in San Sebastian. The inhabitants of this area have their own version of tapas, called pintxo. Pintxos are typically bedded on small pieces of bread or on tiny half-baguettes. Topping the bread are mouthwatering mixtures of foods like seafood, marinated anchovies, squid, crab, pate or mushrooms. One of the best places to go if you are in the mood to party is Parte Vieja (Old Town). This area contains more bars per square metre than anywhere else on Earth. The folks of San Sebastian celebrate a custom called Poteo. This customer includes meeting up with friends after work for food, drinks and conversation.

Annual Events: Some of the favorite events that take place in San Sebastian include the San Sebastian International Film Festival in September, the International Jazz Festival in late July as well as the “Aste Nagusia in mid-August. This festival lasts an entire week and is filled with traditional Basque music, dancing, sporting events, fireworks and lots of traditional foods. It is a party you won’t want to miss!