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| Home » Important Places to Visit in Spain »San Sebastian
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San Sebastian |
San Sebastian is a beautiful city situated in the Basque Country, Spain. Within a distance of only 21 kilometers from the French, Donostia – San Sebastian consists few of the liveliest beaches of Spain. It is called Donostia in the local Basque language spoken by about 35% of the population. The city of San Sebastian is the capital of the province of Guipuzcoa, the smallest Spanish province. The city is located in the southern coast of the Bay of Biscay and is surrounded by lush green mountains. San Sebastian has a beautiful coastline with a breathtaking view of the azure sea making it a popular destination for tourists from all over the world. The city offers a quaint serene locale which is at a stone's throw from the busy city center. The Urumea river runs through the middle of the city dividing it in two.
Donostia San Sebastian was initially a small village inhabited by fishermen who used to hunt whales and fishes for cod. In the subsequent years the city became a renowned seaport importing wine and oil for France and England. In its long history the city has been invaded a number of times. The last time that the city was invaded was when Napoleon's soldiers laid siege on the city in 1808. they stayed till 1813. After that the city saw a phase of steady decline till Queen Isabel II resurrected this city as the summer capital of Spain.
Getting to Donostia San Sebastian:
San Sebastian is highly accessible as it is connected to all major Spanish cities through regular bus services. Iberian Airlines also provide connecting flights to the San Sebastian Airport from Madrid. All the trains from Madrid to Irun, at the French border stops at San Sebastian.
Beaches of San Sebastian:
- Playa de la Concha – This is probably the most beautiful beach of San Sebastian with a crescent strip of sand stretching around the bay. This is the most crowded of all San Sebastian beaches.
- Ondaretta – This beach is comparatively less crowded and has a sense of aristocracy attached to it. This is because of the villas that lead to the beach.
- Playa de Gros – This beach is almost deserted because of the rivers emptying into it.
Places to visit at San Sebastian:
- The Old Quarter of the city (Parte Vieja): If you want to experience the traditional life of San Sebastian you can hardly miss out on visiting the Parte Vieja which opens out to the sea at the harbor.
- Plaza De La Constitucion: This plaza houses the library which previously was the town hall. This square was used as a bull ring in earlier times.
- Basilica of Santa Maria Del Coro: This is the church of the patron saint of the city.
- Naval Museum
- Aquarium
- Castillo de la Santa Cruz de la Mota: This fort stands on the site of an earlier fort.
- Cathedral: with a 75 meter high spire it is visible from every corner of the city.
- Paseo de Muelle : it is the best shopping area in the city.
- Mount Igeldo attraction park :it offers thirty attractions among which the ice skating rink is the best.
- Museums: there are six museums in San Sebastian and each is worth a visit.
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