Because wood-cutters know best!
The Joiner Who Sent Us to San Sebastián
It must have been over 25 years ago that I was first alerted to the charms of San Sebastian. At the time I was working in the building industry rather than hospitality, and a conversation on a building site with a joiner was my introduction to the city.
The joiner in question was in his late fifties and would spend his holidays in a camper van. Looking back, I’m not sure if he was an early adopter of today’s “Vanlife", or whether he may have been a staunch devotee of some late 60s laid back lifestyle choices.
Anyway, the conversation had turned to his forthcoming fortnight’s holiday and where he was heading. I knew he had recently embarked on a new relationship and his latest lady-friend had accompanied him in the van for some weekends away, but he told me he had bigger plans to impress her this time.
San Sebastian
“I’m taking her to San Sebastian. It’ll slay her!” he declared.
This caught me off guard. Not Ibiza, not Benidorm or Torremolinas, not even Barcelona! Only San Sebastian could be relied upon to take his relationship to the next level.
He went on to describe aspects of the city that had obviously made a big impression on him some years previously. The sheltered bay with its gentle sea, the lush tree covered hills rising up just beyond, the old town, the fresh fish (did I mention he was from Scarborough?). He was confident that this trip to San Sabastian was going to do wonders for his blossoming relationship.
And he was right. San Sebastian is possibly the most perfectly situated city in Spain - and that’s against some pretty stiff competition. We found this when we first visited it in 2001 and it's true to this day.
So where do we start?
La Concha beach & Santa Clara Island
La Concha beach is arguably San Sebastian’s centrepiece. In spite of its position right in the centre of the city, with buildings along its entire length, it somehow seems unspoilt. As a result of its crescent shape, and combined with Santa Clara Island that sits in the mouth of the bay, it is protected from the worst of the Atlantic, making it great for swimming …. or just sitting in the sun. The Victorian-era promenade just beyond is picturesque with a view that constantly changes as you walk around it. It's also the perfect length at just about a mile.The buildings facing the central section of the bay are mostly in keeping and at either end the heavily wooded headlands rise up from the sea. If you’re looking for sophistication in your Spanish beach holiday, San Sebastian has it in (bucket and) spades!
San Sebastian Old Town
An unusual and intriguing feature of San Sebastian is found in the Old Town. Situated on a peninsula between La Concha bay and the River Urumea, the old town isn’t actually that old (early 1800s). This is explained in some detail in Rob’s historical account of the city here, but the result is a regular grid pattern of quite imposing streets which is at odds with most other “ciudad vieja”, which tend to feature haphazard and seemingly unplanned thoroughfares. Personally, I think this suits the vibe of the city.
Other things to do? Well there’s a funicular to the West of the city that takes you up to Mount Igueldo. From here you can marvel once again at the perfect bay below. There's also an amusement park at the summit with several attractions including a lookout tower (for an even more elevated view of the bay) and a gentle “log flume” type ride that is powered by a primitive water engine. It's definitely worth an afternoon up there.
And then of course there’s the food! Naturally, pintxos is unavoidable in all its many & varied forms. Think of any ingredient, and it's a certainty that somewhere in San Sebastian it will be served on bread, speared with a cocktail stick. As is usually the case, the old town is foodie central and a pintxos and Txakoli (the exceptional local white wine - see Zoe’s account of it here) crawl around the streets is obligatory at some point during your visit.
Another speciality is Burnt Basque Cheesecake. Now, you may think you have already experienced the perfect iteration of this particular sweet treat. But allow me to correct that assumption. The Burnt Basque Cheesecake from La Vina (31 Agosto Kalea) is the absolute best - no question. The perfect recipe, perfectly cooked. This results in a cake that offers the perfect taste, with perfect consistency, and perfect caramelisation. In one twenty four hour visit to the city we returned three times - it's that good. It is the Burnt Basque Cheesecakes that all Burnt Basque Cheesecakes should be measured against - and they will all fall short in comparison. Don’t leave town without trying it ….. and have it with a glass of PX for maximum impact.
Txuleta Steak
Txuleta is another of the city’s specialities. Basically, big juicy steaks from older retired milking cows. As the redhead is vegetarian, these sharing-sized steaks have generally not been an option for me when we have visited. However, on one occasion we did arrange to meet up with some friends in the city so I had the opportunity to indulge. Cooked over coals with a perfect sear and the fat expertly rendered, we watched intently as the chef carved it into slices in front of us revealing a centre that ranged from pink to not-quite-blue. It was an epic piece of meat. The slack handful of chips it was served with was almost an afterthought. As the three of us greedily got stuck in, the redhead observed with a look of judgement and tucked into a large plate of flavour-packed Rosa de Barbastro tomatoes.
For fish, you have an abundance of choice in the city but if you are willing to put in a little more effort then a trip to Getaria (approx 30 mins to the west by car, taxi or bus) is a no-brainer. Fish is landed here daily and the local restaurants cook it simply over fire - many on outdoor terraces - so the air is filled with mouth watering aromas. It's a great excuse for more txakoli too! There’s also a couple of beaches and a small but charming old town to wander around.
San Sebastian at dusk
However, perhaps we should leave the last word to that joiner all those years ago who had one last trick up his sleeve. He told me that after dusk on a balmy, still summer’s evening, standing at the Old Town end of San Sebastian’s promenade, looking back across La Concha bay, with the lights of the city perfectly reflected in the still waters, was the place he planned to make his marriage proposal.
How could she say no?
Tim
Other Staff San Sebastian recommendations
Bar Sport - most famous for the sea urchin soup! Amazing. My favourite pinxtos bar in San Seb
Bar Martinez - oldest pinxtos bar in San Sebastian, most famous for grilled scallops
Bar Nestor - most famous for tortilla
Ambiente’s Map of Spain
If you’ve been inspired to head to San Sebastian or anywhere else in Spain we’ve featured so far, we’ve created an “Ambiente Map of Spain”featuring some of our favourite places to eat, drink and explore. And we'll be adding to it monthly as we discover more of Spain together.
San Sebastian in our Restaurants
Pintxos and Txakoli
San Sebastián may have an incredible past, but let's be honest… we're all here for the food.
This month we've been inspired by the Basque Country, with a selection of San Sebastián Specials celebrating the dishes and drinks that make the city famous. Think perfectly paired pintxos (standard & vegan), crisp txakoli and a little slice of northern Spain without the Ryanair baggage allowance.
Come and give them a try while they're on the menu. Available throughout July
Discover Spain
Keep exploring Spain with us...
From recipes and regional drinks to local history, travel tips and hidden gems, our Discover Spain series celebrates the places that inspire our menus.
Browse all of our Discover Spain features here.