Bueno (San Sebastian)

Member Name: magpie

Product:	San Sebastian
Date:	07/12/01 (312 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful, Good food, Nice beaches

Disadvantages: None

I visited San Sebastian in September this year, partly on business, and then a few days on my own on holiday.

Being a married person, I don't often go on holiday on my own, and so I was slightly anxious about spending four days on my own in a foreign city, where I had only a basic understanding of the language. I needn't have worried though, everyone in San Sebastian (SS from now on) was very friendly.

SS is in the North of Spain, on the coast of the Bay of Biscay. It is at the heart of the basque country, something which you can never forget, as the basque flag is very evident, and the whole of the city feels quite different from the rest of Spain.

Because it is in the north, the weather is less reliable than in the south. It rains alot! However, there was only one bad day while I was there. Of course, with lots of rain, and sun, you get alot of greenery. Unlike southern Spain, which has alot of desert, SS is incredibly verdant. Everything from palm trees, figs, to bindweed grow here! And this makes it a truely beautiful part of Spain.

As I said, SS is on the coast. The beaches here are long and clean, and not too busy when I was there. The city is located around a perfectly shaped half moon bay, with a small island in the middle of the bay. On a sunny day, it is incredibly beautiful. You can walk along the bay at any time of day or night, and feel perfectly safe, and admire the view. At each end of the bay there is a headland -- high cliffs, which you can walk up, and get great views.

Of course, while SS is probably one of the most beautiful places in Spain, there is alot more to the city than this.

The basques are (quite rightly) very proud of their cuisine, and in SS you will find the very best restaurants in Spain. The food is great. You can also go out for 'pinchas' -- tapas available in all the bars. The best area for pinchas is around the old part of the city. Until 11 ish
all the bars are open, with inviting plates of food. You simply go in, and eat what you want. At the end of the night, you tell them what you ate, and you will get charged appropriately. Each portion of pinchas costs from 150 ptas (about 80p) to 300 ptas (1.50).

What else does SS have to offer? There is a funicular railway up one of the cliffs, to a very naff 1960s amusement park. There are lots of places to walk. Every September there is an international film festival (excellent!). There are many museums, gift shops, an aquarium, boat trips, parks, a University, and so on.

All in all, I would without hesitation recommend SS to anyone, as a holiday or weekend break destination. Viva Espana!

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