"Donostia, Gipuzkoa" San Sebastián by DanielF

San Sebastian is a charmer. Once the haunt of the upper Spanish classes, this city remains a favorite with most of the visitors to Spain, particularly with those who are eager to be surprised and find places that only with difficulty fit into the stereotypes. Originally just a fishing village often sieged by invading armies, San Sebastian has acquired a taste for sophistication and high culture which is unheard of in cities of its size, as well as a culinary scene which remains unrivalled in Spain.

Architecture in San Sebastian is magnificently belle-epoque-ish in the modernist districts of the city and exquisitely picturesque in the small old town. The whole city seems to have been thrown out with extreme care, only to complement one of the most splendid natural backdrops that can be found in the European continent. The bay, shaped as a perfect semi-circle, is guarded by two hills and one island covered in lush vegetation. The entire shoreline is fringed by beaches of golden sand. A small river flows nonchalantly towards an often furious sea. All the pieces in the puzzle fit so harmoniously that they appear radiant even under an often lead-coloured sky.