Discover the beauty of San Sebastián

As throughout Spain, the oldest section of any city is always utterly charming; well deserving of time spent exploring and, of course, stopping in small cafes for a pintxo ( the Basque word for tapa) and a glass of txakoli, the red wine from la Rioja or a zurito – the often seen small glass of beer,

Considered the most emblematic church in Donostia, the current Basilica was constructed between 1743 and 1774. However, like so much else in Spain, fire destroyed the original church which had been attached to the city fortification walls - a fact that makes Santa María del Coro not only the oldest

The 16th century Gothic Church of San Vicente is one of the very few buildings that survived the city-wide fire that resulted when Napoleon’s troops torched the city during the Napoleonic War in 1813. As such, San Vincente is now considered to be the oldest building in San Sebastián. But very littl

Dating from 1871 Bretxa Mercado is one of the most traditional markets in Donostia. The original design harkens back to classical Greek and Roman architecture utilizing primarily stone and iron. The name, La Bretxa, comes from the market’s location. The market was originally constructed at the weake

The commanding and impressive Belle Époque building we’re coming up on is the Victoria Eugenia Theater. She stands watch over Okendo Plaza and the river Urumea which flows out to the Bay of Biscay. The theater, designed by Francisco de Urcola, was built to cater to the increasing numbers of the Span

We’re entering the section of San Sebastian known as the “Romantic City” and what better an introduction than to sit a moment in the utterly charming very French gardens – or depending on your perspective, English woods - created by Pierre Ducasse. The Gipuzkoa gardens are home to a vast variety of

Of all the beaches in San Sebastián, La Concha is, without doubt, the most famous. The perfectly arched-shaped bay, with Santa Clara Island rising from the Cantabrian Sea, makes the very spot on which we are standing one of the most photographed locations in the world. The Kontxa Pasealekua, promen

The gardens of Miramar Palace are at our back now as we round the rocky outcrop and Ondarreta Beach stretches before us. We can walk along the promenade or on the sand; you decide. Almost half as long as La Concha at 0.5km (0.3 miles) but with nearly double the amount of sandy beach, the beach is a

And now we are off to revel in one of the many spectacular views of San Sebastián – a view that many claim to be the best. We can either walk the path up the mountain or ride Spain’s oldest funicular which opened August 25th, 1912. For those of you who want some amazing photos, sit facing downhill

Towering over the city center, Monte Urgull offers magnificent views in all directions. We are going to walk to the summit via the path behind the aquarium. It is not an arduous walk by any means but do wear athletic and/or flat heeled shoes and remember to watch your step as photographing every vi