Located in the Basque territory of northern Spain, San Sebastian is a renowned resort town for multifold reasons, though primarily for its beaches and its food culture.
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The beaches pretty much go without saying once you see a picture of the locale or experience it up close for yourself, but the city’s gastronomy is of a world of its own. San Sebastian is a revered gastronomic paradise for chefs and foodies from all over the world, given its status as the most concentrated place on earth that boasts Michelin star restaurants at a whopping 16 high-end eateries.
No visit to San Sebastian is complete without a visit to one of these institutions of fine dining, where you can indulge in a wide range of pintxos (the Basque’s rendition of tapas) that are appealing to the eye and the palate alike.
The city takes its culinary arts so seriously, in fact, that there are even gastronomic secret societies called txoko that cater to the crème de la crème of San Sebastian’s foodies. There’s over 100 of them with an average membership of 150 people each, and they each have keys to the best food gems in the city.
Best time to go:
It goes without saying that the spring/summer months are the most popular and tourist-ridden for a reason. It’s also worth checking out the San Sebastian Film Festival during the last week of September, as well as the Surfilm Festival in early/mid June.
Where to get some sun:
Playa de la Concha: Old world charm and elgeance
Playa de la Zurriola: Contemporary vibes; surf culture; popular with younger crowds.
Where to eat:
La Cuchara de San Telmo: French-inspired dishes under the helm of a chef duo; famous for their alta cocina en miniature (miniature haute cuisine)
Arzak: Family-owned, generations-old restaurant has earned three Michelin stars since 1989.
Martin Berasategui: San Sebastian’s second three-star Michelin restaurant.
La Peña Hipica: Taste the Basque country’s first-ever pintxo, called the Gilda: olives, anchovies, and pickled peppers on thin skewers.
Where to Party:
Kai: Dark, sultry cocktail bar that plays house and jazz beats.
Bataplan: All-white glamorous club under the La Concha beach promenade; old meets new; popular hotspot during the city’s annual film festival.
Splash: After-hours hip bar near the cathedral.
Zurriola Bar: Great for dining with family during the day and listening to DJ sets by evening.
Where to shop:
Mercado de la Bretxa: One-and-a-half century-old food market full of fresh, seasonal bites.
Frida: Exotic women’s boutique filled with magnificent apparel and accessories from Spanish and international designers.
Flow: Casual skate/streetwear shop.
