Page 128 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

126  NOR THERN SP AIN

Beaches
San Sebastián’s two principal
beaches follow the bay round
to Monte Igueldo. The Playa
de Ondarreta is the more
fashionable of the two, while the
Playa de la Concha is the larger.
Between them is the Palacio
Miramar, built in 1889 by the
Basque architect José Goicoa,
to designs by Selden Wornum,
a British architect. The palace,
built for Queen María Cristina,
established San Sebastián
as an aristocratic resort. The
gardens are open to the public.
At the water’s edge near the
Playa de Ondarreta is a striking
group of modern iron sculp-
San Sebastián’s Playa de Ondarreta, with its view across the bay tures, The Comb of the Winds
by Eduardo Chillida. A road
4 San Sebastián The Old Town and a funicular railway, built
San Sebastián’s fascinating Old in 1912, lead to the top of
Guipúzcoa. * 186,000.
~ Hon darribia (22 km). £ @ Town (Parte Vieja) is wedged Monte Igueldo, where there
n Alameda del Bulevard 8, 943 48 11 between the bay and the Río is a small amusement park.
66. ( Sun. _ San Sebastián (20 Jan); Urumea. The alleys, packed with To the east of the Playa de la
Semana Grande (week of 15 Aug). restaurants and tapas bars, are Concha is the surfer’s favourite,
∑ sansebastianturismo.com intensely animated at night. In Playa de Zurriola, with surf
the local fish market, stalls piled schools and shops, overlooked
Gloriously situated on a neat, high with delicacies testify to by the hill, Monte Ulía.
shell-shaped bay, San Sebastián the key role of fish in the town.
(Donostia) is the most elegant The heart of the Old Town is O Aquarium
and fashionable Spanish seaside the Plaza de la Constitución, a Plaza Carlos Blasco de Imaz 1.
resort. At either end of the bay handsome, arcaded square. The Tel 943 44 00 99. Open Easter–Jun &
is a tower-topped hill – Monte numbers on the balconies date Sep: 10am–8pm daily (to 9pm Sat &
Urgull in the east and Monte from when the square was used Sun); Jul–Aug: 10am–9pm daily; Oct–
Igueldo in the west. Between as a bullring – organizers sold a Easter: 10am–7pm (to 8pm Sat & Sun).
the two, in the mouth of the ticket for each numbered place. Closed 1 & 20 Jan, 25 Dec. & 8 7
∑ aquariumss.com
bay, lies a small island, the Isla Nearby are the impressively
de Santa Clara. reverent Basilica de Santa Maria This remodelled aquarium
San Sebastián became a smart and the 16th-century church of boasts a 360-degree
resort in the late 19th century. Iglesia de San Vicente. underwater tunnel, where
It still has many luxury shops Monte Urgull rises behind the visitors can view over 5,000
and one of Spain’s grandest Old Town. On the summit are a fish, including four species of
hotels, the María Cristina (see statue of Christ and the ruined shark. Tickets allow entry to
p564), but San Sebastián is now Castillo de Santa Cruz de la Mota, a Naval Museum, with exhibits
primarily a family resort. with old cannons. of Basque naval history.
The city is renowned for its
great summer arts festivals. The
theatre festival is held in May;
jazz festivals are held in July; a
classical music festival, in August;
and the San Sebastián Inter na-
tional Film Festival, in September.
The Semana Grande in August
is the city’s principal fiesta.
Cuisine plays a huge part in
local life: many Basque men
here belong to gastronomic
clubs where they gather to
cook, eat, drink and talk.
Women are invited to such
meetings, but they don’t take
part in the food preparation. The Comb of the Winds by Eduardo Chillida
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp563–4 and pp585–6

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