Rob’s Rambles ‘23

San Sebastián is famous for its beaches, Pinxos bars and Michelin starred restaurants. It became famous as a summer playground for European royalty and is is considered a top European resort. Seven-story old fashioned high rise apartment buildings with wrought iron balconies form a backdrop to the Playa de Concha, which reminded me of Bondi in Sydney. The picturesque semicircular bay is bookended by Monte Urgull and Monte Igeldo, with the rugged little Isle de Santa Clara midway between. The old city is a beehive of tiny streets which come alive with Pinxos bars at lunchtime, die over the siesta period and reawaken around 5 o’clock for the evening crowd. The holidaymakers and locals take their afternoon walk seriously and the beach front and old town are packed til at least ten o’clock at night. People don’t even think of dining til at least eight or nine. Walking thru the streets I heard a lot of yelling and bands playing and around the corner came across a huge crowd barracking for the local futsal and hand ball teams. It was a fantastic atmosphere and the locals didn’t seem to give a stuff about the tourists.
I caught the funicular to the top of Monte Igeldo, where the view across the bay and city was fantastic. An exhibition had photos from the 1800s and early 1900s showing life in the town when it was a real fishing village and also as the playground for the well to do. Like every city in Spain, they make claim to the famous who visit the city, grew up there or who had a distant relative with links. San Sebastián claims Spanish painter Sorella, who visited the town every summer for decades. He was a leader in ‘en plain air’ painting and I visited an exhibition of his works. I liked his quick people sketches of life on the water front but wasn’t taken by his landscapes.
Monte Igeldo is a waypoint on the #caminodesantiago north route, so you saw plenty of pilgrims striding or staggering up to the top of Monte Igeldo or making their way along the beach front. I really enjoyed the Camino trail thru the forest back into town.
The Pinxos bars are everywhere, basically, you select small servings of dishes laid out like a smorgasbord. There are hundreds of Pinxos bars and crowds spill out onto the streets as drinkers chat and natter for hours.
San Sebastián is hosting the finish of the second stage of the Tour de France, Bilbao is the start of the race and it’s such a pity to miss the excitement..one week to early. They had a fantastic exhibition of bikes thru the ages including a bike that was in the first Tour. There is also a jazz and international film festival in July, so like the rest of Europe the city comes even more packed for the holidays. I dutifully went to the various cathedrals, but was really impressed with the gallery of Contemporary Art. The Spanish don’t crowd their galleries, they are light and airy and give the pieces time to speak. There were some classic paintings by El Greco and Francis Bacon on loan and a great photographic exhibition.Ive been to a few of these galleries which have libraries, training schools, and plenty of film and cultural activities for all ages. Even better they are free to the public.
After a visit to the local museum with a never ending series of displays about the Basque culture I walked to the top of Mt Urgull and massive Castillo de la Motta. It really tested the legs but finally got to the top, and a massive statue of Jesus towering overhead. The view over the city and the bay were great and it’s an easy stagger down to the old town and another gelato.
I had a pleasant swim in the bay but decided not to give the surf beach a go as they looked like real dumpers. My pension was in a great location and it seems every spare room in the city has been turned into a pension.
I hit the shops to buy a dress for Dubai and was confronted by crazed women and girls, and bored husbands at sale time. It was frenetic, but eventually bought a simple dress in Zara locals will just have to accept my knees!
I caught a taxi for an early flight to Barcelona and am pleased I visited San Sebastián, even if I didn’t have a Michelin dinner.Read more