Travel to San Sebastian

Travel to San Sebastian

Cosmopolitan San Sebastian is part of the beautiful Basque country, with its amazing unspoilt landscape of mountains, waterfalls and beaches. Over the years, the quiet town of San Sebastian has become a popular tourist resort because of its pleasant weather, splendid beaches and the numerous things to see and do.

Although San Sebastian can become quite crowded during the peak tourist season, it retains its old world charm and is a haven for tourists who want to get away from the stress of the city but yet retain its comforts. San Sebastian has a wonderful night life, lots of cafs and trendy restaurants, comfortable hotels and plenty of shopping.

Transportation to San Sebastian

There are a number of ways to get to San Sebastian from Europe including driving, flying, taking a bus or a train. The airport handles a few international flights, but serves mostly as a domestic airport.

There are several international bus services from Hanover, Hamburg, Cologne, Frankfurt, Rotterdam, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Varsovia, Geneva and Zurich to San Sebastian. Trains depart from major European rail stations to main cities in Spain. From here, passengers can get to San Sebastian by bus or local train connections. Driving from Europe is also very convenient because of the good roads and clear sign-postings. San Sebastian is only a short drive from Hendaia, France and about 500kms from Paris.

What to see

There are several museums to visit in San Sebastian including the Chillida Leku Museum, Diocesan Museum of San Sebastian, Naval Museum and the San Telmo Museum. The Chillida Leku Museum is spread over 12 acres and the artwork is displayed in the fields. This unusual museum is home to many sculptures by Eduardo Chillida, a native to San Sebastian. The Diocesan Museum of San Sebastian houses an exhibition of religious artwork that dates back to the 8th century. There are paintings, tapestries, ceramics and many other forms of art to be appreciated here.

A visit to Monte Urgull offers tourists a chance to refresh themselves as they sit under shady trees in the park that surrounds the Castillo de la Motta. The famous statue of Jesus and an old cemetery add to the captivating mysterious ambience of the park.

Most tourists come to San Sebastian to enjoy the splendid weather and the beaches. There are several good beaches along the coastline of San Sebastian and the three most popular are Playa de la Concha, Playa de la Zurriola and Playa de la Ondaretta.

San Sebastians rich architectural and historical heritage can be seen by visiting the Basilica de Santa Maria del Coro, which is right in the city centre, and the 15th century Gothic and Baroque-styled Iglesia de San Vicente and the Santa Maria del Junkal. Other places of interest include the oldest area in San Sebastian, the Barrio de la Marina, which has many restaurants, cafs and old buildings; the Baroque-styled Casa Casadvante; Casa de Okendo; Palacio de Miramar; the aquarium built along the waterfront and many other sites.

Day trips

There are several places of interest to visit just a short driving distance from San Sebastian. Fuenterrabia, with its medieval sections in the old part of the town and the fishing village at La Marina are interesting places to go to. Here, tourists can soak in the warmth of the sun at Fuenterrabias lovely beaches or visit the old villas dating back to the 17th century, try authentic Spanish cuisine at the tapas bars by the waterfront or just enjoy the lovely atmosphere of this old town.

Activities and leisure

The terrain of San Sebastian makes it an excellent place for outdoor adventures including hiking or trekking on excellent mountain trails, camping, horse trekking or riding, rock climbing, mountain biking and other activities. Water sports are also easily available here including a variety of fishing including deep sea, lake and freshwater fishing among other types. Other water sports include jet-skiing, sailing, windsurfing, motorised parasailing, snorkelling, scuba diving, banana boating and many others.

Golfing can be enjoyed, while a visit to the La Perla Talasoterpia sea spa centre, with its therapy pools, massages and other services, can also be very enjoyable. During winter, skiing and ice skating are part of the numerous winter sports that can be enjoyed here.

Safety issues

San Sebastian is a popular tourist destination in summer and, accordingly, the petty crime rates increase at this time. The usual petty crimes include pick-pocketing and snatching of belongings that have been left unattended. Tourists are reminded to be careful with their belongings and not to carry their passports and all their valuables with them. In general, San Sebastian is safe and incidents of petty theft are not common. All travellers are encouraged to purchase a comprehensive travel insurance package that will protect them from loss of property, delayed or cancelled flights and provide them with medical benefits.