| To
book a Spanish Course in San Sebastian
This Basque city lies on the beautiful bay
of La Concha. Surrounded by the rolling hills of Guipuzcoa province
of which it is the capital, San Sebastian is just across the
border from France. The old town, Parte Vieja, is a hive of
activity in the evening with a dense concentration of lively
bars. Deep in Basque culture the area offers a glimpse at Spain's
second langauge and culture, that rivals the Castillian culture
of the south and east coasts.
History
THE BASQUE COUNTRY: The provinces of Guipúzcoa,
Vizcaya and Alava form the Basque provinces, occupying a coastal
position in the eastern part of the Cantabrian Mountains. The
economy of this fertile region is strongly based on agricultural
produce, although recently the area has also become one of Spain's
foremost industrial areas. The Basques themselves are a very
ancient pre-Indo-European race and the origins of their language
have baffled etymologists for centuries. The area managed to
maintain a considerable degree of independence until the 19th
century. The main city of the region is Bilbao, founded in the
early 14th century. The Old Town has a Gothic cathedral and
an attractive town hall. Bilbao's amazing new Guggenheim Museum
has been hailed as a masterpiece of 20th century architecture
and houses many great works of modern art. The Palacio Euskalduna
is Bilbao's new congress and music centre. The provincial capital
of San Sebastián, situated very close to the French frontier,
is one of the most fashionable and popular Spanish seaside resorts.
Climate
In the north, and on the Balearic Islands,
summer temperatures of around 30°C are standard. In winter,
the climate in the north is very similar to that in the south
of the UK, a lot of rain can fall and it is often overcast.
Generally the best time to vist the north of Spain is during
the summer.
Day Trips
Santiago de Compostela
If you have a day, or preferably a little
longer, you may want to consider visiting the ancient and historic
town of Santiago de Compostela. During the Middle Ages, the
tomb of St James at Santiago de Compostela was regarded as one
of the most holy sites in Christendom and thousands of pilgrims
travelled through Spain each year to visit the shrine. This
route, the Way of St James, was lined with monasteries, religious
houses, chapels and hospices to cater for the pilgrims. Many
of these buildings still survive, and any traveller following
the route today will find it an uplifting introduction to the
religious architecture of medieval Spain. The route began in
Navarre, at Canfranc or Valcarlos; from there, travelling west,
the main stopping places were Pamplona, Santo Domingo de la
Calzada, Logroño, Burgos, León, Astorga and Santiago
de Compostela. The Saint's feast day, July 25 is celebrated
in vigorous style in Santiago de Compostela and accommodation
should be booked well in advance. There are several specialist
books on the subject of this and other old pilgrim routes which
may be followed, both in Spain and elsewhere in Europe.
Atlantic Coastline
If you fancy exploring further a field to
find beaches as spectacular as San Sebastian's then you will
be spoilt for choice. The region's coastline - stretching from
the French frontier along the Cantabrian coast to Cap Finisterre
and then southwards to the border with Portugal - has many fine
beaches which are as yet largely undiscovered. This is at least
partly due to the climate being slightly harsher than in the
south of the country. The beaches are mostly of fine sand, often
surrounded by cliffs and crags. Much of the hinterland is lush,
earning the coast of Asturias the title of 'Costa Verde'. In
Galicia the rivers have fjord-like estuaries called rías.
Nights out
The heart of San Sebastian is in the Parte
Vieja. Surrounded by a labyrinth of narrow lanes the area lies
below the Monte Urgull on the eastern spur of the Bahia de la
Concha. Here you can find a vast array of bars and restaurants,
some of which offer excellent local sea food cooked in the traditional
Basque way.
Special Events
Festivals
In true Spanish style, cultural events are
almost inevitably celebrated with a wild party and a holiday.
Among the festivals to look out for are Festividad in
San Sebastián in January, when the whole town dresses
up and goes berserk. Also Carnaval takes place throughout
the country in late February, with celebrations and street party's
in towns all over Spain, with San Sebastian being no exception.
The Quincena Musical Donostia (a fortnight of music at
San Sebastian, Donostia is its Basque name) was founded in 1961,
and retains that name despite having been progressively prolonged
and enlarged over the years. Last year the festival was launched
with a bang on 9 August with a whole day of 10 events around
the city, and it continued through to 3 September, based at
the new Kursaal which opened last year, with a procession of
prestigious international soloists and orchestras, ballet, and
several series of early and contemporary music, settling down
to three choices each evening; something for any taste. Finally
probably the top draw card is the International Jazz festival
in July and the 2 week Festival de Cine, which is
held annually in the 2nd half of September.
Activities
Surfing
Although it may not be everyones cup of
tea San Sebastian and the surrounding coastline has some excellent
breaks. The waves are very consistant here and there are enough
spots to suit everyone from beginners to advanced. San Sebastian
itself has a few good breaks but probably the most famous break
is along the coast to the west, in Mundaca. Due to the strong
south westerly prevailing winds the north coast is also an excellent
place for windsurfing. It's adviseable to get a nice warm wetsuit
as the Atlantic sea can be a little chilly! If you are in San
Sebastian in July then you may get to watch some of the world
Championships, dependent on the weather.
Diving
The Scuba Du dive shop is on Paseo del Muelle
23. You can hire equipment there or do open water courses.
Where can I find the….
Tourist information
The Oficina Municipal de Informacion (tel:
48 11 66) is on Calle de la Reina Regente and has a wealth of
information on the city and the province of Guipuzcoa. In the
summer (June to September it is open from Monday to Saturday,
8am until 8pm, otherwise its hours are Monday to Friday, 9am
until 2pm and 3.30pm to 7pm.
Medical and Emergency Services
There are several hospitals in San Sebastian,
including the Hostpital de Gipuzkoa (tel:45 40 00), on Alto
de Zorroaga s/n. In a medical emergency you can call the Cruz
Roja on 22 22 22. Th elocal police are on 091.
Banks
There are a number of banks scattered all
over the city where you can change cash or travellers' cheques.
Post and Communications
The main post office can be found at Calle
de Undaneta, behind the cathedral, whilst the telefonica phone
centre is at Calle de San Marcial 29, which is open Monday to
Saturday, from 9.30am until 11pm. The code for the post restante
is 20080. The telephone code throughout San Sebastian is 943.
Airport Transfers
The city's airport is 22km out of town,
near Hondarribia.
To
book a Spanish Course in San Sebastian
|
