SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain – Ukrainian tourists usually go to Spain to visit Madrid or Barcelona. Or they check out the Costa Brava, Costa Dorada and Costa del Sol beaches.
But in northern Spain, in the Basque Country, the beauty is pristine and not overrun by tourists, yet.
Even Spanish natives, tired of crowds of visitors, go here in search of rest along the Atlantic Ocean.
San Sebastian is the largest city in the Guipuzcoa province of the Basque Country. It extends along a bay with the whitest sandy beaches amid mountains. Basques name it Donostia, and from 1980 it has been officially called Donostia-San Sebastian.
The city was founded in 1180 by the king of Navarre, Sancho the Wise, and was just a little fishing village. The inhabitants hunted whale and fished cod. The busy port exported wine and olive oil to France and England.
In the 19th century, when Queen Isabella II moved her summer residence here, the city won fame as a luxury resort. Her Miramar Palace still towers at the end of the half-kilometer Beach of La Concha.
Santa Maria Basilica combines gothic, baroque and neoclassical elements is one of the most popular attractions in San Sebastian. (Courtesy)
It is possible to get to San Sebastian from Madrid or Barcelona by Iberia Airlines, and there are lots of flights from Kyiv to Spain.
This cosmopolitan city is filled with the spirit of French romantic architecture, decorated with buildings in Art Nouveau style and other modern decisions.
It is definitely worth visiting the Basilica of St. Maria, St. Vicente Cathedral and San Telmo Ethnographic Museum, which in the 16th century used to be a monastery.
The beautiful Paseo Nuevo Boulevard sets the mood for pleasant walks. But because the promenade is located right above the ocean waves, it is always windy. Women often have to do a “Marilyn Monroe” in trying to push down their uplifted skirts.
In order to feel the ocean’s full force, you should walk to the very end of the quay. This place is famous for a wonderful sculpture called The Comb of the Wind. The Spanish sculptor Eduardo Chillida came up with a creative decision to imbed intricately twisted rail tracks into offshore cliffs. This place is considered to be one of the most romantic in San Sebastian.
Breathtakingly beautiful views open up from the top of Igeldo Mountain. The best way to get there is by funicular. The spirit of the Basque people comes alive in an unremarkable, mountaintop stone tower with walls decorated by old pictures.
The ethnic Basques have waged an ongoing struggle for independence from Spain. Only once did they succeed, briefly, in the 1930s. Longtime Spanish dictator Francisco Franco (1892–1975) tried to assimilate the Basques. At the end of his rule, however, the underground organization Basque Homeland and Freedom appeared, known by the ETA acronym, reviving the dream of an independent Basque Country through terrorist attacks.
But such civil conflicts are far from mind on San Sebastian’s sandy beaches. The three main beaches are: Ondaretta, for peaceful rest; La Concha, the central and biggest one; Zurriola, for surfers and young people.
The beaches are not crowded, especially in spring and autumn. The cleanliness is a welcome contrast to many of the beaches in our Ukrainian motherland.
Don’t forget about the exquisite Basque cuisine. World-famous pintxos are little masterpieces in the form of sandwiches, as well as canape and mini-shashlik. They are traditionally offered in street bars and go well with beer, wine and cider. In the city center, dozens of bars are clustered together, offering a gastronomic exhibition.
Festivals are another feature. The International Film Festival in San Sebastian was founded in 1953. It starts in September and attracts more than 100,000 visitors. But there are even more festivals, concerts, fireworks and other events to ensure that a visit to this northern Spanish paradise will never be boring.
| Useful links: www.donostia.org www.iberia.com www.renfe.com www.euskotren.es Trip budget: |
Kyiv Post marketing and communications manager Iuliia Panchuk can be reached at [email protected]
