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Weekend in San Sebastian, Bilbao and the Basque Coast

Weekend in San Sebastian, Bilbao and the Basque Coast

It may be the Costas that get all the attention, but as far as Spaniards are concerned, their first resort, San Sebastian, is still a national favourite - as elegant today as when the Spanish king declared it a holiday playground at the end of the 19th century.

San Sebastian seems almost too good to be true - a buzzy, sophisticated little city in front of which sits a vast crescent of wide, sandy beach fringed with a palm-studded promenade that stretches for miles.

And the locals are Europe’s premier party people - out every night, walking, talking, meeting their friends in the dozens of pubby bars - and eating the finest bar food in the world. Forget tapas; you haven’t lived till you’ve tried San Sebastian’s world-class “pinchos” - delicious gourmet mouthfuls, unlike tapas usually presented as an open sandwich, that are more varied and exciting than anything a restaurant could serve up.

No wonder Bilbao, down the road, has pinched the pintxo tradition from its neighbour, tucked into the northeastern corner of Spain close to the French border. Bilbao, once an industrial city, has stolen the lion’s share of visitors to Basque Country since it reinvented itself with a dazzling art museum and riverside walk - but those who don’t nip an hour down the road to San Sebastian are missing the jewel in the crown of Pais Vasco.

The people are different from your average Spaniards - they’re more reserved and prefer to speak their own, unfathomable language, denied to them for decades during the years of the Franco dictatorship. But under that veneer of slight brusqueness they’re friendly, welcoming people who are deeply proud of their prosperous corner of Spain, the country’s best-kept secret, although foodies and party people have been going to San Sebastian time after time for years.

Low-cost flights to Biarritz and Bilbao, an hour away on either side, make San Sebastian affordable for a weekend - and a great venue for hen parties in spite of being a traditional family beach holiday option. Bilbao stands up in its own right as a city break for culture vultures.

Best sights
The Guggenheim Museum, £100m worth of flashy, vibrating titanium, is a star attraction on the Bilbao riverside - you won’t be sorry you spent half a day there. But La Concha, San Sebastian’s great curve of beach, and the mineral-striped rocks surrounding it form a natural attraction that rivals anything manmade.

The huge, dramatic metal sculptures pinned against the rocks at the west end of La Concha draw crowds every night; they’re the work of the region’s most famous artist, Eduardo Chillida. A visit to his outdoor sculpture park on the outskirts of town is an unforgettable experience and a great place to walk off the inevitable hangover.

San Sebastian’s food market may be the city’s most famous attraction, and is not to be missed either - open Monday to Saturday only.

Kids’ stuff
La Zurriola, the beach in front of the Kursaal, San Sebastian’s conference centre, is particularly popular with youngsters and surfers.

Kids lucky enough to be in San Sebastian for its January 20 celebrations (see below) will enjoy the 5000-strong children’s drum parade, which starts at noon.

You won’t have any problem dragging children into Bilbao’s flashy Guggenheim, which looks like a huge toy dwarfed by a gigantic flower-covered puppy at its entrance. Once inside, they’ll love walking the disorienting metal mazes by Richard Serra which are the hottest new attraction.



Where to be seen
The Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra, right on San Sebastian’s beach, may only be the second-best hotel in town, but to locals it has no equal. A huge, comfortable, buzzy bar throbs night and day with guests and visitors - and is the source of drinks so generous, people are actually seen putting their hands over the glass when the barman’s still pouring six seconds in!

Of the numerous pincho bars, Gandarias (c/ 31 de Agosto, 23, tel +34 943 42 63 62), one of the best, is where locals hang out by the hundreds; when they’re full, they hop out of the old town and across the main drag to Videluce for hot chocolate and more alcoholic nightcaps.

Top Nosh
For a city where the bar snacks are so good, it’s almost a surprise that San Sebastian also has more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere else in the world.

People come from all over Spain and France to splurge £70 a head on a menu of endless surprisingly little courses at Arzak (Avenida Alcalde Jose Elosegi, 273, tel. +34 943 278 465), which is anything but stuffy and where lunch lasts least three hours!

But you can eat well for less than a third of that price. If you just want a tremendous steak, Asador Trapos (c/ 31 de Agosto, tel +34 943 422 816), in the old town, can’t be beat - they serve a mouth-watering kilo of beef for two you’ll never forget.

Of the many nearby pincho bars, La Cuchara (c/ 31 de Agosto, 28) has the most original bites - no wonder; its owners cooked at a top restaurant before they decided to bring gourmet nosh to the people at £1.50 a pop instead! Not to be missed - morsels of foie gras with apple, a dish of Torta del Casar, local cheese so soft you have to spoon it up.

In Bilbao, the standout tapas bar is Gatz (10 Calle Santa María, tel +34 94 415 4861) in the old city. For amazing lunches, Azurmendi (Legina Auzoa, Larrabetzu, Tel + 34 94 455 8866) near the airport is better than anywhere in town.

Where to Stay
The Villa Soro may not be very central, but this recently-restored historic mansion recalls the glory days of San Sebastian when everyone who could afford the new fashion for seaside holidays also had an elegant resort home just like this - worth a one-night splurge. It's just down the road from Arzak - so for a special occasion, start with lunch there before checking in.

In Bilbao, you couldn't find a better base than the Gran Hotel Domine, opposite the Guggenheim and with a stunning rooftop breakfast room where you can eat outdoors in good weather.

© TheTravelEditor.com

Reproduced with the kind permission of TheTravelEditor.com

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