Eduardo Chillida (1924 – 2002) was one of the most prominent Basque sculptors of the 20th Century and his work has always been very much linked to San Sebastián, the place of his birth. In addition to the famous Chillida Leku (a monumental museum dedicated in body and soul to his work), the highlight is the sculpted ensemble known as the El Peine del Viento, (The Wind Comb) which is situated at the end of the bay of La Concha and is made out of three pieces of encrusted steel placed on rocks that look out over the Cantabrian waves.

This is a magical place in which the land meets the sea and its visitors are exposed to the force of the wind and waves. Without a doubt, a great tribute that Chillida gave as a gift in 1976 to his city and that enhances the wild elements thus making Donostia a unique location.

By David Moreu

A place well-worth discovering! Have a look at our flights here.

Next to the Playa de la Concha beach and the San Sebastian Town Hall, you will find the lovely Alderdi Eder Gardens,a very popular spot among the locals when the sun comes out on Sundays that still has an old merry-go-round with Baroque horses.

The gardens offer some fantastic views of the beach, the island of Santa Clara and the Sagrado Corazón statue atop Mount Urgull.

Image: Daniel Díez Sanquirce

Why not take a trip to San Sebastián? Have a look at our flights here!

One of the city’s highlights is its well-known Aquarium with a history going back nearly a century. Don’t be put off by its age, however, as it was refurbished in 2008 and is now one of the most modern and comprehensive aquariums in Europe. Its full-circle transparent tunnel is breathtaking for children and adults alike, as is its touch aquarium, where visitors can touch live fish. One of the city’s must-see spots.

Another of the city’s prized museums is the San Telmo which has the distinction of being the oldest museum in the Basque Country. Sited in the old town and housed in a majestic, 16th-century building that was once a Dominican convent, both its exterior and exhibitions deserve a visit. The museum is distributed on three levels – the ground floor features a church, the lower cloister (containing the archaeology section) and two spaces for temporary exhibitions. The first floor houses a gallery displaying Basque art, while the second and top floor boasts a large collection of Spanish and European paintings by the old masters

Who said science can’t be fun? The Eureka! Zientzia Museoa proves that nothing could be further from the truth. This entertaining museum should not be missed, whether you’re accompanied by children or wish to learn science in a special way. It features 169 experimental modules as well as atxikiklik, for children aged 4 to 9, where they discover the habitat of wild animals and the five senses. If you’re travelling with children, a visit to this museum is a must.

The Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa is devoted entirely to the great fashion designer from Getaria. It was once the residential palace of the Marquises of Casa Torre, Queen Fabiola of Belgium’s grandparents, and the Balenciaga masters in their early career years. If you like fashion, this is your museum.

If you’d like to learn a bit more about cider, from apples to the cultural impact it has had in Euskal Herria, you should head for the Museo de la Sidra Vasca Sagardoetxea. Here you will find its complete history – the past, present and future of the fascinating world of the apple.

At the Casa de la Historia museum on Mt Urgull you can learn about the life of thedonostiarrasover time, revealing the more than 800 years of history of a city that still has a young, vibrant spirit. This museum is vital to a deeper understanding of Donosti’s history.

Right in the harbour stands the Museo Naval, a magical spot where thedonostiarras and their relationship with the sea is documented, studied and divulged. A different, interesting place where you are sure to learn something new.

Talking of San Sebastián, we can’t fail to mention its acclaimed football team. The Museo de la Real Sociedad opened to the public in 2009 to mark the club’s 100th anniversary. The museum recounts its history in a novel way, also spotlighting its other sports sections. Football lovers won’t be able to resist the visit.

Lastly, the Museum Cemento Rezola is a highly variegated museum focusing on the role of cement and buildings in our society. It features a large number of audiovisuals, simulators and interactive modules which make for an unforgettable adventure.

Not a bad tour! Donostia is pure culture. Indeed, the city is gearing up to honour its name as the European Capital of Culture 2016. To this end the Centro internacional de cultura contemporánea will be opening to the public at the end of the year. Housed in an old tobacco factory, the centenary building has been fully refurbished for the occasion.

Don’t miss the chance – book your Vueling ticket now!

Text by Tensi Sánchez (Actitudes Magazine)

Photos by San Sebastián Turismo

Having been invited on a pintxo crawl of San Sebastián by the club, Dabadaba, and to steer the DJ booth for revellers to dance to their heart’s content, I set out some hours ahead of my session to find the best pintxos in town. I was lucky to have my friend, Borja, as my guide. Apart from being a local, as well as producing and DJ’ing good music, he knows the temples of those delicious dinky bites like the back of his hand. Here we go…

Evenings In the Thick Of It

Our tour began at Txepetxa, home of the anchovy, offering all kinds of pintxos featuring that small yet noble fish, accompanied by cream of spider crab, sea urchin, olive paté, foie gras, stewed apple or trout and salmon roe. Everything looked awesome, but I opted for a fresh anchovy classic. Great! We went for a stroll to La Concha and headed into Narru, in the basement of the historic Hotel Niza, with views over the bay which clearly ratchets up the experience of tasting their dishes, notably their luma gorri (chicken wing) with potato, smashed fried egg and alioli or the secreto ibérico ham. Stunning! We retraced our steps to the old town and went into Zazpi, where the young chef, Paul Arrillaga, doles out happiness from his fiery helm in the form of a spectacular “potato volcano”, a pintxo based on truffle, egg and potato or an exquisite ox-tail ravioli. A veritable banquet. We made our way to Dabadaba.

After opening in April 2014, the locale has been graced by the likes of Allah-Las, Sean Nicholas Savage, The Godfathers and Omar Souleyman, among others. On stage were The Space Lady, a pioneer of electronic music, with a staging as minimalist as it is breathtaking. They bewitched us completely and, when we came down to earth again, we were faced by Fernando Lagreca churning out his particular electronic brand as a matchless prelude to my own set. My turn came. I started with some new releases I have been DJ’ing recently, interspersing themes from Italo disco, acid and disco bizarro. Things perked up and Dabadaba ended up dancing in full swing. A great night – we had a smashing time. Then we hit the hay.

Saturday In Donosti Is No Ordinary Saturday

Rising early is a virtue, but doing so when you’ve been to bed late is untenable. So we headed straight off in search of pintxos. Again in the old town, I was taken to Paco Bueno, a spot I wouldn’t miss for anything. Offering a meagre four or five pintxos, notably shrimp dumpling, hake in batter, croquettes and pie, this is one of the city’s most crowded bars, opened in 1950 by a retired boxer. The business was later taken over by his son, a rugby player, as is his brother, Chufo, and his son, Gorka. A family concern with warm, family service, the bar walls crammed with pictures of boxing and the sport with a melon-shaped ball – what else would you expect? Still in the inner city, we made for Borda Berri, whose staff are shared by La Cuchara de San Telmo, another illustrious pintxo temple. The star dish is their “kebap”, a delicious pork ribs with an incongruous name which prompts veritable pilgrimages to taste it. Other dishes with the same fate include their cheek of beef, octopus and risotto de Idiazábal. Just opposite lies Txuleta, specialising in meat dishes, if you fancy that. The best thing then was to work off the meal by striking out and we ended up at the Club Náutico de Donosti, with the whole La Concha bay before us. The sun was blazing that day and this spot was divine. The upstairs floor houses GU, another club where you can dance house or techno, depending on the night. I made a point of visiting Tabakalera before I left.

On the verge of making its debut as the European Capital of Culture, with the San Sebastián International Film Festival and the San Sebastián Jazz Festival among its leading cultural draws, the city boasts a peerless interdisciplinary space known as La Tabakalera. This public International Contemporary Culture Centre focuses on promoting upcoming local creatives and hosts activities revolving primarily around research, production and exhibition. Their feature-film and documentary seasons, exhibitions and Hirkilabs spaces, their Digital and Technology Culture Lab and Ubik – Tabakalera Creation Library – make this one of Donosti’s liveliest and most avant-garde hubs. The premises have character, set in a building that was once the city’s tobacco factory. A city with character, too.

There you have it – there’s a lot more to San Sebastián than La Concha. Fancy discovering it? Check out our flights here.

Text and images by Luis Costa for ISABELYLUIS Comunicación