Basque Trip – Days 9 and 10, San Sebastián

After spending time in Pamplona, we headed to San Sebastián by bus. our first activity in town was to walk along Playa de la Concha, the largest and most prominent of San Sebastian’s three beaches. We then settled in for a refreshing “Tinto de Verano”, a mix of red wine and lemon-lime soda, and lunch at a restaurant on the promenade overlooking the beach. Later, I went swimming and even swam out to one of the floating docks, just as the protagonist did at the end of “The Sun Also Rises”. At the end of the day we had a private intro tour of San Sebastian that included lots of drinking and pintxos.

The next morning we did a Half-Day tour to visit Ondarreta beach, which is located along the promenade at the western extreme of the bay, and the Peine del Viento (Comb of the Wind), a famous sculpture by Eduardo Chillida.

We then drove to a winery outside of the village of Getaria. Known as Txakoli wine from Getaria, the white and rose wines are the best and are consumed both within Spain and abroad. We shared a bottle with our guide before heading to the small fishing village of Getaria for lunch. Cooked over an open bed of coals, the Turbot fish may have been the best fish I have ever eaten. After lunch we walked around the quaint fishing village. Northern Spain evidently has many of these small quaint fishing villages along its Northern coast. I had visited another, Bermeo, earlier in my Basque trip. If I ever wanted to spend several weeks on the Camino, I may choose the northern route, sometimes called the ancient route just so I could walk through all of these fishing villages along Northern Spain.

Later that day, we visited the San Sebastián soccer stadium and walked the old town. That evening I watched a free concert as the sun was setting over Playa de la Zurriola, the third beach of San Sebastián.

Sebastián’s three beaches are symbolic of the town. The most famous is Playa de la Concha, which is the largest – equal to the length of 15 football fields.Year after year it competes for a top spot in rankings of the best beaches in Spain and Europe. And a walk along Playa de la Concha is an essential part of any visit to San Sebastián. Its magnificent promenade adds to the grandeur, with its more than 100-year-old ornamental railing, old clocks, and the street lamps which have lent their image to the Donostia Award, bestowed annually at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. All this, along with the arcade that runs beneath the promenade, makes the whole place quite unique in Spain.

The beach furthest to the west is shortest of the three beaches, but much wider. Like its grand neighbour, Ondarreta’s protected position in the bay makes it a fairly calm beach. More families use this beach, and there’s plenty to do including kayaking, volleyball, and two pools for those who prefer to swim in a more enclosed space. And the María Cristina Gardens behind the beach gives is a quiet feel.

The third beach is Playa de la Zurriola. Located furthest to the east, this iconic surfing destination faces the ferocity of the Cantabrian Sea head on. This beach has the most youthful vibe of San Sebastián’s beaches. As I headed to my free jazz/R&B concert located at the end of the beach I watched a Futevolei tournament, which is Volleyball with no hands. It was so fascinating to watch that I stood on the boardwalk and watched one match for 20 minutes. Unlike most urban beaches, nudism is allowed on La Zurriola Beach. That said, I saw plenty nudity on all three beaches. In summary, all three beaches offer something for everyone and all are beautiful.

While in Sebastián, Pete and I fell in love with the drink, Tinto de Verano, which translates to “Red Wine of Summer,” It is served during the warm months all over Spain. To make it, simply combine red wine and lemon-lime soda. If you prefer a less sweet cocktail, try soda water or seltzer water instead of soda. I like it much better than Sangria because it is not very sweet.

A light-bodied red such as Spanish Grenache, a Pinot Noir, or French Côtes-du-Rhône would all be delicious in this drink. Although the Spanish use Fanta Limon, any lemon-lime soda will work. This may become my “go to” light cocktail back home in the summer months. San Sebastián was as wonderful as advertised. If you are ever in northern Spain, it is a must to visit. It is the only city I have visited that has a river walk that is almost as beautiful as its beaches.