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San Sebastián (Donostia in the Basque
language) is the summer capital of Spain, and here the Belle Epoque
lives on. Ideally situated on a choice spot on the Bay of Biscay,
it's surrounded by green mountains. From June to September, the
population swells as hundreds of Spanish bureaucrats escape the heat
and head for this tasteful resort--it has few of the tawdry
trappings associated with major beachfront cities. San Sebastián is
an ideal base for trips to some of the Basque country's most
fascinating towns. San Sebastián contains an old quarter, La Parte
Vieja, with narrow streets, hidden plazas, and medieval houses, but
it is primarily a modern city of elegant shops, wide boulevards,
sidewalk cafes, and restaurants.
La Concha is the city's most famous beach--especially in July and
August, when it seems as though half the population of Spain and
France spends its days under striped canopies or dashing into the
refreshingly cool waters of the bay. The shell-shaped La Concha is
half-encircled by a promenade, where crowds mill during the evening.
The adjoining beach is the Playa de Ondarreta. The climate here is
decidedly more Atlantic than Mediterranean. |
