Dining in San Sebastian

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Hotels in Europe > Hotels in Spain > San Sebastian Hotels

One of the attractions of visiting Donostia (San Sebastian) is its gastronomy. The Basque Country has a well-deserved reputation for fine wining and dining. In gastronomic terms, Donostia takes the biscuit: the best restaurants in the country can be found here. From the most expensive and luxurious type of restaurant, characterised by modern Basque cuisine (Arzak, Akelarre and Zuberoa), to pintxo bars (pintxos are appetisers accompanying a drink) such as Bergara, Aloña Berri and Banbara, and finally sandwich bars like La Cepa and Narrika, they all pay careful attention to quality and presentation. Here are some words of advice to visitors:
1.- Meal times in restaurants are fairly rigid (from 1pm to 3pm for lunch, and between 9pm and 11pm for dinner).
2.- Choose fish over meat. It is easier to find good meat in other places.
3.- Eating is a sacred activity, almost a religion in the Basque Country. Chefs are seen almost like gods.
4.- You ought to try txikiteo (this is like a Basque pub crawl, going from bar to bar having txikitos, - tiny glasses of wine - and pintxos in each one. It should be noted that people do not get amazingly drunk during these visits the way they do in the British equivalent!).
The most typical restaurants (Morgan, Clery, Bodegón Alejandro) are in the Old Quarter of the city, but the most refined restaurants are not in this area (Arzak, Akelarre). Aside from Basque cooking, there is a local custom that you must not miss sidrerías (cider bars). For the first three months of the year the cider bars open for dinner and for tasting the cider produced at the end of the previous year. Any day of the week is fine for going to a cider bar (Kako, Sidrería Illumbre). You can drink all the cider you want straight from a kupela (keg), and to accompany it you will eat only tortilla de bacalao (cod omelette), txuleta (pork chops) and queso con nueces (cheese with walnuts). For the rest of the year you have to drink bottled cider. It is important to note that the opening hours of the cider bars do not conform to any set timetable. Each place keeps its own hours. They generally open before dinner around 8pm, and closing time depends on how many people are around. For this reason it is a good idea to phone before going to any of the multitude of cider bars in and around San Sebastián.

Wine is the most popular drink in the Basque Country. Most wine comes from the Rioja Alavesa and Navarra regions. Recommended are the reds of the Rioja region and the rosés of Navarra. As far as more indigenous drinks go, you have to try cider, and the txakolí from Getaria. This is made from local white grapes, and is slightly carbonated. The flavour is a cross between white wine and champagne. You tend to drink txakolí more in summer, accompanied by fish and seafood dishes.

One of the preferred activities of Donostiarras (citizens of Donostia) is txikiteo, mentioned above. Groups of friends meet after work and go from bar to bar drinking small amounts of wine or other drinks. You drink your wine (or a zurito, which is a tiny glass of beer) and move on to the next place; in this way, you cover a lot of bars in a short time. Pub crawling in the Spanish context is a unique kind of activity. The aim is not to get drunk, but to socialise. The tradition is enhanced by sampling pintxos with your drink, which, although a little more expensive, makes it more enjoyable. A delicious accompaniment to a longer session of txikiteo are the local filled rolls (try them at Gaztelu and Senra). Although you can go pub crawling in any area of the city, the best place is the Old Quarter.

The txikiteo usually goes on till about midnight. To top it off, having a good, leisurely coffee in a café (Kai, Unión Artesana) to help settle your stomach.

Fiestas (public holidays, feast days) are another typical aspect of the Donostiarras' lifestyle. You will notice there are many fiestas throughout the year, that everyone takes part in them and that gastronomy is integral to them (San Sebastián, Santo Tomás). The Old Quarter is the main place to go for any fiesta.

Entertainment in San Sebastian

In entertainment terms, Donostia (San Sebastian) is pretty low key compared to what larger cities have to offer. During the week, social activity begins in the early evening and finishes around 10pm. There is not much night-time activity on weeknights. This all changes, however, with the arrival of summer. Weekends are different; people from all the surrounding areas, as well as Donostiarras (citizens of Donostia), pour into the citys areas of spirited nightlife. The main source of entertainment is 'txikiteo', or going from bar to bar, in the Old Quarter. Then people head off to the pubs (pubs in the Spanish context are more like refined cafés), and after that to the discotheques where San Sebastián nightlife really gets going. Pubs have no entrance fee, nor bouncer at the door - unless it is a pub-discotheque. Pubs are crowded with people drinking and dancing (try QQT and El Muro), or drinking and chatting (at La Colchonería and Biarritz), depending on how loud the music is. Most pubs close around 3am, and then everyone migrates to the discotheques (Bataplán, Ku, Discóbolo) and English-style beer joints (Wimbledons, Caledonian) until around 5am. Opening hours are not strictly observed, so in some places you could even arrive or still be there in time for breakfast in Dover for instance. Then you can carry on with your day of tourist activities.

The Old Quarter has always been the mainstay of San Sebastians nightlife. Coming a distant second are the districts of Reyes Católicos (Boss, El Nido), Sagüés (El Muro, La Bodegia), Gros (Kellys) and the central city (Hollywood, Txirula). These areas are all quieter than the Old Quarter.

Options for gays are fairly limited, but the best area for gay and lesbian nightlife is in and around Txirula.

In addition to entertainment and gastronomy, Donostia has a wide range of cultural offerings, considering the size of the city. Aside from cinema complexes (Astoria), the Cultural Trust provides many cultural activities in the Casas de Cultura (cultural centres) (Centro Cultural Jareño), as well as theatres such as Teatro Victoria Eugenia, Teatro Principal, and Centro Cultural Koldo Mitxelena). Festivals like the Feria de Teatro (Theatre Fair) and the Cine de Terror (Horror Film Festival) are some of the events that over the years have acquired a faithful following among visitors to San Sebastián. Nevertheless, the most well-known event is the Festival Internacional de Cine de San Sebastián (San Sebastián International Film Festival). This is a Category A cultural activity, at the same level as the Cannes or Venice film festivals, and takes place in September.

Cultural activities may be in either Basque or Castilian Spanish, so it is best to find out beforehand.

Music is represented in San Sebastián above all by the Festival de Jazz. The Auditorio del Kursaal offers a regular programme of classical music. The Velódromo de Anoeta (Anoeta cycle track) is the usual venue for rock stars who visit the Basque Country. You can generally only find live music in Etxekalte. During the month of August the Quincena Musical (Music Festival) offers opportunities for listening to classical music in many parts of the city.

To be in the city during the celebration of one of the major fiestas would be a real stroke of luck. The Tamborrada, Santo Tomás, Carnavales and Semana Grande are all great times to visit the city. The populations love of fiestas is really evident at these times.

Children will be happy with walks, swings and the entertainment areas in Illumbe and the Parque de Atracciones del Monte Igeldo (Mount Igeldo Funfair).

For those who like shopping, the shops in the central city offer a good variety in terms of both quality and quantity. For gamblers there is a casino (Gran Casino Kursaal) and Hipódromo de Lasarte (Lasarte Racetrack).

During your visit, look out for the fortnightly free publication "Donosti Aisia". Here you will find current information about cultural events, sporting events and festivals.

Recommended Tours

The Coast

A popular trip for Donostiarras (citizens of San Sebastián) is to follow the coast between the Peine de los Vientos (The Winds' Comb) and the district of Sagüés. It is a trip of about seven kilometres that lasts two or three hours, and takes in the sea, the beach and the magnificent buildings along the way. Look out for the sculptures of Chillida in the Peine de los Vientos, and you can decide about whether or not it is a comb. If you are lucky, you will be able to hear the sounds of the waves. Continue along the beach of Ondarreta, and go into Palacio de Miramar (Miramar Palace). You will understand why Queen María Cristina spent her summers here. Return to enjoy a walk along the beach, listening to the breaking waves. Observe the typical buildings that stand along the bay, including Palacio Miramar (Miramar Palace), Hotel de Londres, the Ayuntamiento (City Hall), Sagrado Corazón (Sacred Heart) and Club Naútico (Harbour Club). If you are overcome by hunger, thirst, fatigue or the heat, take a seat on the terrace of La Perla, or in the Café Biarritz, and watch time go by. After resting a while, carry on along the attractive piers. The leisure pier is crammed with small motorboats and yachts, and the fishing pier has a dozen or so fishing boats. If you are in luck, you will see some of them unloading. At the end of the pier is the recently renovated Aquarium. The Paseo Nuevo (New Promenade) offers an unadulterated view of the sea. Waves splash over the railings when it is rough. On your left is Monte Urgull (Mount Urgull), scene of historic Anglo-French battles. Continue along and you will find yourself opposite the outlet of the Río Urumea (Urumea River), nestled between the Hotel María Cristina, the Teatro Victoria Eugenia and the Palacio Kursaal (Kursaal Palce), designed by the renowned architect Rafael Moneo. Walk along Gros Beach to the Sagüés district. If you feel like continuing your walk along the beach, you can go as far as Mompás, jumping from rock to rock. You will see things that not many tourists see. You could also climb Mount Ulía and enjoy the view while drinking a bottle of cider.

The Old Quarter

What we now suggest is a gastronomic-cultural tour. The Parte Vieja (Old Quarter) of Donostia is a district of narrow, cobbled streets, containing the oldest buildings in the city. It is also the most important area for dining, drinking and entertainment. The old quarter is not very old; the great fire of 31 August 1813 marked the beginning of the rebuilding of the city as it is today. Start your tour in the Old Quarter by heading towards the port on 31 de Agosto Street. Half way along you will see the side door of the Museo San Telmo, a former convent now converted into a museum with a Basque ethnographic section. At the end of this street is the imposing Iglesia de Santa María la Real (Santa María Church). Go up the steps to Calle Mayor (Mayor Street), looking towards Catedral del Buen Pastor (Good Shepherd Cathedral) in the background. If you feel like a climb, behind Iglesia de Santa María (Santa María Church) there is a path leading up to Mount Urgull. The path is cobbled, and the climb takes about 30 minutes. You have lovely views of Donostia from the top, and, fear not, there is a bar-café at the top!

From Santa María Church you can continue on up some steps to the port. You will pass by two gastronomical societies only men are admitted, and by member invitation only. When you reach the port you will find yourself standing on a part of the city wall, and you will see the door leading from the wharves to the Old Quarter. It is where people go to lay bets in the Regatas de Traineras (Regattas).

Are you hungry now? Go to Puerto Street where you will find pintxo bars (these are small morsels to accompany your drink; in the Basque Country people tend to say pintxo rather than tapa) on the way to Plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Square). Plaza de la Constitución is one of the prettiest parts of the city. The Biblioteca Municipal (City Library), the arches around the square and the many balconies and terraces make it a tranquil place. Crossing the square, you will go through some arches leading out onto several little streets that in turn lead into Mercado de la Brecha (Brecha Marketplace). Go and have a look at all the stalls with their great selection of tasty foods. Come out onto the Boulevard and take a look at the Kiosko de Música (Bandstand) in Belle Epoque style.

Going back into the Old Quarter it is pleasant to lose yourself in the streets and discover appealing pintxo bars, buildings such as Iglesia de San Vicente (San Vicente Church), Palacio Goika (Goika Palace) and Plaza de la Trinidad (Trinidad Square), and the interesting tamborrilero (drummer) of Sarriegi.

The Central City

This next tour is a cultural-shopping one. The central city is the area between the Parte Vieja (Old Quarter), the beginning of the District of Amara, the Río Urumea (Urumea River) and the Playa de la Concha (La Concha Beach). It is known as the Cortázar development. Donostia was once a walled city and you can still see part of the murallas de la ciudad (City Walls). The expansion of the central city was the responsibility of Cortázar, who designed the centre on a grid of streets. This is the best shopping area in the city. The architecture and street lamps remind some of Paris, and for this reason it is known as Área Romántica (Romantic Area).

Start your tour from the Boulevard and head towards Plaza de Gipuzkoa (Gipuzkoa Square) along Txurruka Street. Observe the architecture of the square with its arches, and the magnificent Council building. Here you will see the busts of famous Guipúzcoa personalities. Plaza de Gipuzkoa has a small pond with ducks and swans, which delights children. Continue from here towards Plaza de Okendo (Okendo Square), located between the Hotel María Cristina and the Teatro Victoria Eugenia, underneath which stands the tourist office. By now you will have reached the river, and you will be asking yourself a very "donostiarra" question: What do I like better, the classical building of the Teatro Victoria Eugenia, or the modern Cubo de Moneo?" Continue along the river towards Avenida de la Libertad. This is the financial heart of the city, containing many banks as well as old-established shops such as Derby. If you go past the Banco Guipuzcoano on the hour, you will hear the carillon (bells) of its clock strike. Go down Loyola Street, crammed with designer clothing shops. You can also have breakfast, or enjoy a quiet vermouth, on the terrace of Dover. Opposite here you can see Catedral del Buen Pastor surrounded by a garden. At the rear of this is Centro Cultural Koldo Mitxelena (Koldo Mitxelena Cultural Centre). Go in and browse among the books, read the newspaper or visit the art gallery. Now head towards Estación del Norte (North railway station), designed by Eiffel, through Plaza de Bilbao (Bilbao Square), then walk to the Cubos de Moneo (the official name is Palacio Kursaal - Kursaal Palace) along Paseo de Francia (Francia Avenue), observing the architecture of the buildings and bridges along the way.

Dining in Europe > San Sebastian
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