Rather wet as we set off for San Sebastian so sadly the roof needed to be closed on the Mazda. Initially we took the motorway before heading off through Gernika (the Guernica of civil war and Picasso fame) and on to the very windy road along the coast. One of the interesting things about these trips is that it does make you look up things which you may have known long ago but are now lost in the mists of time. Our guide book has a passage on the horrific straffing of over a thousand locals at a market in Guernica and a quick review of Wikipedia reminds us that Franco ruled over Spain for some 30 years until 1975. How things have changed in a relatively short time.
We had booked in to a hotel on Mount Igueldo which is on the western side of the city of Donastia San Sebastian so after checking in we left the car in the hotel car park and walked down the hill and along the very long promenade. We had chosen the hotel because it was slightly outside the main area and had easy parking, something which is always a concern with the Mazda. In any event driving in the narrow streets of Spanish cities is very difficult from experience, even with a Satnav. Our hotel is in fact a 2.2 mile walk from the old town so our walking shoes came out and we had a fair amount of exercise during our stay.
Apparently San Sebastian is often call the Rio de Janeiro of Europe and we can see why The huge sweep of the Playa de La Concha and the islands are absolutely spectacular complete with a statue of Christ at the top of Mount Urgull.
We had booked in to a hotel on Mount Igueldo which is on the western side of the city of Donastia San Sebastian so after checking in we left the car in the hotel car park and walked down the hill and along the very long promenade. We had chosen the hotel because it was slightly outside the main area and had easy parking, something which is always a concern with the Mazda. In any event driving in the narrow streets of Spanish cities is very difficult from experience, even with a Satnav. Our hotel is in fact a 2.2 mile walk from the old town so our walking shoes came out and we had a fair amount of exercise during our stay.
Apparently San Sebastian is often call the Rio de Janeiro of Europe and we can see why The huge sweep of the Playa de La Concha and the islands are absolutely spectacular complete with a statue of Christ at the top of Mount Urgull.
We did of course swim in the bay and it was wonderful with crystal clear water and fabulous views all around the bay.
The buildings on the front of the town are a real mixture and generally it would not be right to call them faded elegance. They are probably a bit faded but many are a bit ordinary and a real hotchpotch of styles. Some could certainly do with a coat of paint. However, it is a busy city with lots of people, young, in between and old walking along the path around the bay and great fun; plenty with dogs, including some of the joggers. It has the feel of a city which suits those who live there but is a great place for a long weekend for those who do not.
In the evening we headed for the old town to experience the justly famous Pinchos bars and there was no shortage of choice. They were heaving with people. The Pinchos come in all shapes and sizes but almost all seem to have a thick slice of bread underneath. This can be a little too much, but we had to try. After that, we had supper at a restaurant which featured in our guide book (and the guidebook used by many other tourists we think) and then headed back by taxi to our hotel, tired and replete, but having thoroughly enjoyed the day.
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