May 23, 2022, 4:17 am | Read time: 5 minutes
San Sebastián–or as the Basques call their city, Donostia–on the Bay of Biscay near the French border is an architectural gem with many cultural and culinary highlights. Additionally, San Sebastián offers one of the most beautiful city beaches in Europe.
The cityscape of San Sebastián in the Basque Country has largely been well preserved. The architectural sightlines with views of the beautiful Concha Bay have remained unchanged since the 19th century. The name Concha means shell, as the bay is shaped like a shell.
La Concha Beach in San Sebastián–an Impressive City Beach
Visitors who are in San Sebastián for the first time often exclaim a delighted “Ooooh” at the sight of Playa de la Concha beach. Not only is it located right in the city, but it is also extremely long (1.35 kilometers) and quite wide for a city beach (up to 40 meters).
In the middle of the bay with its stately promenade and the Miramar Palace (former summer residence of Habsburg Queen Maria Christina) lies the Isla de Santa Clara. At the ends of the bay, the masses of Monte Igueldo and Monte Urguli tower. On Monte Igueldo stands a picturesque lighthouse, and there is also a small amusement park. On Monte Urguli, a statue of Jesus rises.
It may take some getting used to that the facades of houses stand close together behind the beach, but you have all the amenities of a city directly available, such as countless bars, restaurants, and shops. Directly behind the beach, there are free changing rooms, showers, toilets, and lockers every 100 meters, and everything looks very well maintained.
The wide promenade with many benches is particularly beautiful, where street musicians and other artists create a great atmosphere. Right around the corner is the beautiful old town. Here, you should definitely try the famous Pintxos de Donostia, a special type of tapas for which the city is famous.
Attractions in San Sebastián
An outstanding photo opportunity in San Sebastián is the town hall housed in a former casino. The palatial building was completed in 1897 and represented the Belle Époque with its large ballroom and elegant salons. When gambling was banned in Spain in 1924, the casino in San Sebastián also closed. Since 1947, the city administration has been housed in the magnificent building, which was remodeled in 1943.
Many magnificent palaces, theaters, churches, and townhouses can also be found in the old town around the Plaza de la Constitucion. The central promenade is the Boulevard de la Libertad. The fishing port of San Sebastián is also worth seeing.
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Cultural Events in San Sebastián
The San Sebastián International Film Festival, held every September, is known nationwide. Also noteworthy is the Jazzaldia jazz festival in July. During the week of August 15, the Great Festival Week of Donostia is celebrated with concerts, street performers, and large fireworks.
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Excursions in the Surrounding Area
From San Sebastián, it’s about 100 road kilometers by car to Bilbao–for example, to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. The drive via the A8 highway takes about an hour. To the Costa Verde, however, it’s more than 250 kilometers along the northern Spanish Atlantic coast. A trip to the nearby wine region of Rioja is also worthwhile–there are some of the most spectacular wineries in Spain.
Getting to San Sebastián
The nearest international airports are Bilbao (about 100 kilometers away) and Biarritz (France, about 50 kilometers away). Trains run from both cities to San Sebastián, otherwise a rental car is recommended.