San Sebastián
Camino del Norte
San Sebastián (Donostia in Basque) is the first major city on the Norte and one you could happily lose a day in. The setting alone justifies the stop — a perfect crescent bay flanked by Monte Urgull to the east and Monte Igueldo to the west, with the Isla de Santa Clara anchored in between. La Concha beach fills the curve, and the city arranges itself around it like an amphitheater.
The Parte Vieja (old town) is where you eat. The narrow streets below Monte Urgull contain one of the densest concentrations of pintxo bars in the world, and the quality is staggering. This isn't bar food — this is a city with more Michelin stars per capita than almost anywhere on earth, and that ambition filters down to every counter. Order txakoli (poured from height to aerate it), point at what looks good, and repeat. The Plaza de la Constitución, with its numbered balconies from its days as a bullring, is the center of it all.
The Catedral del Buen Pastor is a neo-Gothic church whose spire dominates the newer part of the city south of the Río Urumea. Monte Urgull is worth the climb — the Castillo de la Mota at the summit houses a small museum and provides the defining views of the bay. On the western end, the funicular up Monte Igueldo has been running since 1912 and offers the rival panorama.
The city hosts the San Sebastián International Film Festival in September, one of Europe's oldest. In January, the Tamborrada sees the entire city drumming through the streets for 24 hours — spectacular but unlikely to coincide with your walk.
All services. RENFE trains connect to Madrid and the French border. EuskoTren serves the Basque coast.
Although a bit too early in the year for the majority of passing pilgrims, the Tamborrada is held on the day of San Sebastián, January 20th.August makes up for the rest of the year with the Assumption of Mary on the 15th followed by the Basque Fiestas at the end of the month through the start of September.
San Sebastián was founded in the late 12th century by Sancho the Wise of Navarra as a maritime port. Within decades, Castile wrested control — the larger kingdom's naval ambitions suited the city's potential better. The port thrived, and burned. The city was rebuilt from ashes at least half a dozen times, the last after a catastrophic fire in 1489 that finally prompted a shift from wood to stone construction.
Commerce gave way to military purpose. Fortresses were built, a navy was stationed, and for four centuries San Sebastián was besieged, bombarded, and periodically occupied. British and Portuguese forces burned most of the city during the Peninsular War in 1813 — supposedly by accident.
The reinvention as a resort began when Queen Isabel II chose San Sebastián for her summer holidays in the 1840s. Queen María Cristina later built the Miramar Palace on the headland between the two beaches. The Belle Époque left the elegant Ensanche (new town) that now frames the bay. The city's last occupation was during the Civil War, when Franco's forces took it in 1936.
Turn right on the Avenida de Navarra towards the sea, the road follows it and you follow the road. You can walk in the sand of the Playa Zurriola if it suits you, the way ahead is evident as it crosses the bridge over the Río Uramea.Once over the bridge continue straight ahead, past the municipal gardens and towards the Playa de la Concha which you will follow all the way to its end. At the end of the beach cut across the park separating it from the road (Satrustegi) and turn right on the road towards the tree covered hillside ahead, and then left where it ends to follow the road signs to Igueldo.The Ondarreta Albergue is along this road, straight ahead and on your left-hand side. The camino, however, turns right off of the road before it arrives at the albergue. The way is uphill along a paved road which turns into a trail, twisting and turning all the way to the top. Before long you will be on a small paved road which connects with a larger one, and in front of you will be the gravel parking lot for the hotel Leku Eder, cut across it and walk past the hotel along the main road.NOTE: If you were to turn right at the parking lot, you could go uphill to visit Monte Igueldo. Follow the road as far as the next hotel, turning right at the sign for the Buenavista Hotel at the start of Igueldo.
Accommodation in San Sebastián.
| Albergue Juvenil Ulía 17-25€ 54 Booking.com |
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| Albergue juvenil Ondarreta - La Sirena 22-32€ 100 |
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| Pensión San Fermín ⭑ Booking.com |
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| Pensión Donostiarra ⭑⭑ Booking.com |
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| Pensión Artea ⭑⭑ Booking.com |
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| Pensión Kaia ⭑⭑ Booking.com |
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| Downtown River Hostel 30/40€ Booking.com |
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| Koba Hostel 20+€ Booking.com |
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| Hostel A Room In The City 18+€ Booking.com |
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