Entertainment In San Sebastian

Eating and pub-crawling are two of the most important pastimes for the locals of San Sebatian, more like religious rituals than the simple sating of hunger and thirst. Proudly Basque, the local performing arts scene has a traditional and folk influence. Shopping is also rewarding, with plenty of Basque handicrafts on offer. Sports also feature strongly in the life of the city, which is home to the famous Spanish football team, Real Sociedad.

Eating out

Eating is a way of life for the people of San Sebastian and it is not uncommon for people to eat six or more meals a day! Indeed, conjure up images of Tolkeins hobbits and youll understand that for the Basque, eating takes priority over everything else. The locals typically have a double breakfast, followed by a late lunch, late afternoon snack, dinner and then a midnight snack.

Eating and drinking is very much a social activity and during the late afternoon and throughout the evening, the locals will visit many bars to drink small glasses of alcohol and eat pintxos (small bite-sized appetisers). The aim of these forays is to socialise, not to get drunk, and it is this tradition that has led to the astounding number of restaurants, cafs and bars in the town the most per capita in the world. Most of the upscale restaurants are concentrated in the city centre and at La Concha Beach, but everywhere you go you will find small eateries tucked away, which are great value and offer superb cuisine.

The San Sebastian people are very (and justifiably) proud of their cuisine, so there are few restaurants that serve international dishes, and most of these are located in the four or five-star hotels. Every district in the city has dozens of restaurants, cafs and tapas bars, and it is great fun to explore new areas and mix with the locals in the more traditional establishments. Along the coast, there are some excellent seafood restaurants serving up great Basque dishes.

Local cuisine

Given the emphasis the people of San Sebastian place on the importance of dining, it is not surprising to discover that the city has some sumptuous local dishes and is attributed to having played an influential role in the creation of an internationally recognisable Basque, if not Spanish, cuisine. One favourite is pintxos, small appetisers that go with alcoholic drinks and which are more commonly known throughout Spain as tapas.

Also excellent are any traditional seafood dishes, where the unique Basque flavour and style is exemplified, such as the local charbroiled snapper. There are a range of meat dishes as well, and the vegetables are usually locally grown and very tasty on their own.

Theatre and music

As lovers of life, the Basque people of San Sebastian have created a quality performing arts scene. The main venues include the Casas de Cultura (traditional folk performing arts) and Teatro Victoria Eugenia (modern performing arts). Considering the citys size, the range and quality of events hosted by these venues is amazing, and although many performances are in Basque or the local Spanish dialect, they are still enthralling to experience. The city also hosts an important annual film event, the San Sebastian International Film Festival, which is on a par with the Cannes Film Festival.

Live music is not a feature of nightspots in San Sebastian. Classical music concerts are held in the Auditorio del Kursaal, while rock concerts and the like are hosted at the Veldromo de Anoeta. There are two annual music festivals, the Jazz Festival and Music Festival, both held in the summer.

The city publishes a free booklet of cultural events every two weeks, Donosti Aisia, which gives details on current local events. The booklet can be found in many venues across San Sebastian.

Shopping

There are plenty of authentic Basque items on sale at outlets around the city, but shopping is generally the most fun in the old quarter, where you can spend hours exploring the narrow streets and lanes, and making great deals on traditional items such as clothing, religious souvenirs, baskets, leather goods, traditional wooden sculptures and musical instruments. Local markets offer a great range of produce and popular buys are wine, cider and cheese. Modern shopping malls and designer label outlets can be found at La Concha Beach and in the new city centre. You will find that the prices are competitive.