Aduchamp1

Every time I see SS, I think someone is coming in the middle of night to take me away. Call it Donostia, they do.

LowCountryIslander

I absolutely LOVED San Sebastian. Was there for about a week in 2010 and agree with what others in above posts have already said.

Food was fantastic, city lovely (clean, clean clean!) beautiful beaches, and I feel plenty to do in the area for 10 days. You can easily spend time in Bilbao (1 hour bus ride to/from San Sebastian) explore the villages along the coast and dip into France to explore the Basque traditions there, I enjoyed spending a day in Bayonne on the French side, all very do-able as day trips or you can hop from place to place every few days.

weber6560

A great little seaside town between Bilbao and San Sebastian is Leiketio. Try the Hotel Zubieta. Accessible by bus from either San Sebastian or Bilbao.

chapla

Five years ago SS got very little atention but now, as always happens, it's getting way too much notice and very, very crowded and so losing some of it's charm for me.What a price to pay for fame!

mikelg

HG, take a look at my blog on the BAsque Country for off thebeaten path places, from a local point of view, www.blogseitb.us/basquetourism, you may find some useful ideas on places to see and visit...

kimhe

chapla,

Things of course change, but San Sebastián has gotten serious attention from toursists for at least some 150 years. Used to be the summer destination for the Spanish royalty back in the 19th century, it was a haven for the French and Spanish upper classes from about the same time and became ever more popular with tourists from other countries as time went by. The Casino, the famous film festival from 1953 and the great jazz festival from 1966 - one of the oldest in Europe - tells a story of a city which modern history is very much built on tourism. San Sebastián is over all very much used to cope with fame.

If you read Spanish, I recommend Felix Luengo's "San Sebastián. La vida cotidiana de una Ciudad - De su destruccion a la Ciudad Contemporánea."

chapla

kimhe-I know all about about SS fame when it comes to Spaniards and other Europeans.I was referring to Americans!I was in SS last October and the parte vieja was just ridiculously crowded even at this time of year! I heard alot of English and Italian-the tapas places spilled out into the streets!Hard to walk through the crowds.I was amazed to see so many surfers.
I usuallly visit in May and it's not that crowded!

kimhe

chapla,

Yes, the spring is wonderful in San Sebastián, relative peace and quiet and a feeling of having it "on your own". The city has nevertheless had a growing reputation for a long time as a surfers paradise (at the Zurriola beach) and October is competition time attracting surfers from all around the world. No wonder you thought things were a bit different than usual in the Parte vija.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY-7WrBzcVE

HG001London

Mikelg,

thanks for the blog link...really really useful.

Kimhe/Chapla, am hoping its ok in late summer too..

I expect we wont be able to get there till August/september 2013 as we are all booked up for this year and hoping to go USA next spring for a road trip....i am a super planner and am a bit mad when it comes to pre-planning!!!! we could maybe go in May...


I am feeling a little regretful that i booked our last space to to to Prague for 4 nights for bf 30th birthday, have paid the deposit or i would be switching to San Sebastian now!! cant believe i knew so little about this place....and i call myself a foodie!! oh well 2013!!

kimhe

Late summer in San Sebastián would be great. Many predominantly Spanish and French tourists, but San Sebastián is very much used to that. You should also know of the summer festivals depending on if you want to take part or avoid. The jazz festival is late July, and the Aste Nagusia/Semana Grande/Big week is mid August.

Aste Nagusia: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/ar...fireworks.html

Jazzaldia: http://www.heinekenjazzaldia.com/?language=en

HG001London

thanks for the heads up Kimhe re the festivals.....its normally the bank holiday week in August we go away so will miss them i expect.