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Anyone here been to San Sebastian?







The Maharajah of Sydney

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
1,385
Sydney .
Fantastic city - best in Europe . A distinct lack of concessions to all things English comes as an added bonus .
Surf beaches , a dominant food culture , a cracking historic old town and an amazing sense of joie de vivre emanating from the local Basque population . I could happily live there .
Can't think of a better night out than bar-hopping through the Parte Vieja devouring pinxtos .
Beautiful Biarritz is just up the road , as well as the pretty fishing port St Jean-de-Luz .
Slighter further afield you have Bilbao , The Pyrennes and the likes of Touluse , Perpignan & Bordeux .

I went there in July 2008 and there hasn't been a month gone by where I haven't thought about the place .

Go For It !!!
 




rcf0712

Out Here In The Perimeter
Feb 26, 2009
2,428
Perth, Western Australia
Went ther 2 years ago, beautiful place. An interesting contrast between the old city and the new. The local football team where blue and white stripes too - there were kids runing round in tghem everywhere.

Great food, really pretty little beach in a bay, bit like Bondi but clamer and much more easy on the eye.

Only drawback, if you have small kinds that is, is the long train journey to and from Barcelona which is the nearest international airport (about 6 hours), but you get to see where those spaghetti westerns were filmed!

Enjoy - we can't wait to go back.
 


Like Meado I also went about 5 weeks ago but I think he was avoiding me, fair enough. We also flew into Bilbao and took the 1hr coach direct from the airport. If you do nothing else whilst there, make sure you eat here once. DO IT.

www.hidalgo56.com

Not expensive but better food than most of the Ramsey restaurants I've been too. Want to go back, love San Sebastian.
 






About 3 shops along from Hidalgo 56 is a small bar, sorry forget the name, where a chap with a splendid white moustache makes brilliant cocktails across a pintxos covered bar to a backdrop of disco classics. It has a glitter ball and 70's disco lights too. It is immense.
 


Mtoto

Well-known member
Sep 28, 2003
1,853
I was there last Wednesday, day trip on the coach from Bilbao. Brilliant place (as is Bilbao), though I'd guess it's much busier in the main summer season as plenty of Spaniards escape there in August.

Beautiful beach, laid-back feel, plenty to do and see, great restaurants, bars, pintxos etc. And Bilbao and Biarritz are just along the coast in opposite directions (though you'll pay three times as much for a beer in Biarritz).

Had dinner here: http://www.lacucharadesantelmo.com/lacucharademadera.swf It's sort of high-end tapas, can recommend the veal cheeks, and also the pig's trotter if you're into that kind of thing. It's slightly off the main street at the north end of the old town. Use the map on the website if you're trying to find it, Google Maps seems to have it a block away.

Rarely go back anywhere as there's so many places still to see and so little time, but will probably make an exception for Bilbao & San Sebastian.
 
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Was not Was

Loitering with intent
Jul 31, 2003
1,598
Everything nice people have said about San Sebastian is true. It's like Brighton in some ways, but with (even) better food, layout, atmosphere, weather.

Go and watch Real Sociedad if you're there during the season. Blue & white stripes innit.

As for getting there, why the f*** would anyone fly when you can get a ferry to Bilbao (an hour away) or Santander (a bit further)? Great journey, can take your car if you want, you get to see dolphins etc in the Bay of Biscay. Makes you realise how crap the experience of flying really is. Brittany Ferries go there from Portsmouth.
 


CHAPPERS

DISCO SPENG
Jul 5, 2003
45,007
As for getting there, why the f*** would anyone fly when you can get a ferry to Bilbao (an hour away) or Santander (a bit further)? Great journey, can take your car if you want, you get to see dolphins etc in the Bay of Biscay. Makes you realise how crap the experience of flying really is. Brittany Ferries go there from Portsmouth.

Well, I'm looking to go for around three days. The ferry takes up most of that time. And it's expensive.
 






Pintos

Well-known member
Jul 28, 2005
564
Oxted
Recently booked a long weekend in San Sebastian (going in July). Came to the conclusion that flying to Bilbao and hiring a car is the best way to get there.

Going to Mugaritz with my girlfriend (one of several top-end restaurants), where we will be celebrating Vicente's new contract with the Albion. Hopefully.
 


Jesus Gul

Well-known member
Feb 23, 2004
5,497
and their team plays in blue and white stripes

Also called Donostia. Stayed for a night in the mid 90s. Beers served in quarter pint glasses, decent tapas and IRA esqu murals just out of town were abiding memories. oh yeah and the beach
 




Meade's Ball

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
13,647
Hither (sometimes Thither)
Like Meado I also went about 5 weeks ago but I think he was avoiding me, fair enough. We also flew into Bilbao and took the 1hr coach direct from the airport. If you do nothing else whilst there, make sure you eat here once. DO IT.

www.hidalgo56.com

Not expensive but better food than most of the Ramsey restaurants I've been too. Want to go back, love San Sebastian.

SHU-UH-UH-UT UP. You were there 5 weeks back?
I stayed here: Hotel Donosti
A no star hotel that was actually very nice. A 15 minute walk down the hill and there we were by the beach. Not many people about at that time of yer, it seemed. it was a city of joggers and cyclists, too, it appeared. It would've been lovely to bump into you.
Only there for 2 days then and off back to Bilbao, where the lady and i took a wrong turn and strolled through the redlight district for about 30 minutes, feeling more and more threatened by the various-shaped people emerging from doorways with either bodily or opiate wares on offer - to which of course we declined.
 


SHU-UH-UH-UT UP. You were there 5 weeks back?
I stayed here: Hotel Donosti
A no star hotel that was actually very nice. A 15 minute walk down the hill and there we were by the beach. Not many people about at that time of yer, it seemed. it was a city of joggers and cyclists, too, it appeared. It would've been lovely to bump into you.
Only there for 2 days then and off back to Bilbao, where the lady and i took a wrong turn and strolled through the redlight district for about 30 minutes, feeling more and more threatened by the various-shaped people emerging from doorways with either bodily or opiate wares on offer - to which of course we declined.

As it turns out sweetpea you are correct. Checked the calendar and we were there FOUR weeks ago so I will let you off. Phew. But bumping into you would have lifted a fantastic trip into the magical xxx

And to add to the ferry vs sleazyjet debate.. Short trip bite the bullet and fly. Long trip Biscay all the way. We are thinking of a 10 day driving trip to northern Spain in sep and would love to ferry it up. Bilbao, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Pryenees, Biaritz and back along the coast.
 




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