San Sebastián Spain Donostia. [Europe’s Hotlist Darling Revealed] It’s MORE Than Pintxos!
[Music] [Applause] hey everybody Welcome to S Sebastian [Applause] dontia we’re Maya and Emme and today we’re in Europe’s hot lless destination s Sebastian Spain [Music] you’d think for a city that wins best food in the world over and over that food would be the main reason to travel to this Oceanside gem in the north of Spain but here’s the secret Pinchos and Michelin star restaurants may not even be the best thing about s Sebastian we’ve been here for a couple months taking it all in so stay with us for a two-part travel guide to see how this beautiful city delivers well be on the [Music] Pinchos the Fantastic scenery and unique experiences of s Sebastian stem from its location in the northeast of Spain on the Atlantic Ocean next to France this is the bass country with rugged nature and green surroundings pounded by High Surf and rich in minerals it rains a lot but when the sun comes out it’s drop dead gorgeous [Music] as a first step to get to know s Sebastian let’s head to the small Marina next to the old town this is where Mount urgle rises above them both we’re going to take this gentle climb up the hill together for your first surprise right at the start you’re already looking down at the marina beside you and and now the trees part at a stunning Lookout you’re up there on the cliff that’s where you’re standing below you is the coastal prominade around the peninsula and out there is the wide open view of the whole of kcha bay with its beautiful turquoise water under the [Music] sun Santa Clara Island takes the brunt of the Atlantic Ocean’s Fury when the swells are up out behind the island is onetta Beach the smallest of the three beaches in San Sebastian but it’s no less pretty parrots beak creates a border to the next Beach called kcha beach with its wide soft sand at low tide this beach runs along the bay to Oldtown and it’s popular for walking and running the sand is powdery and super soft [Music] if you Brave the cold Atlantic water you won’t be [Music] alone all the beaches in San Sebastian are title their character changes four times a day each time the high tide arrives swimming becomes a challenge and eventually at highest tide the beach completely disappears this is when the promade that runs all along the bay and both beaches winds as the spot to be now that you’ve had a look at kcha Bay it’s only a few steps further to the next Lookout facing the Atlantic Ocean which can sometimes turn fierce our tour guide thinks we should keep walking there’s a castle and church at the top and a very casual little bar and enough trails and forks that you can come back to Mount Ural for a fresh experience multiple times over your [Music] stay you’ve rounded the hills so that now the river and zorola Beach s Sebastian’s thirdd Beach which we’ll come back to later but for now let’s just mention that it’s the most action-packed of all the beaches it’s surfing Central beautiful soft sand with changing conditions from surf up to Cal and fun there you are up at the top of the distant Hill having completed your 360° introduction to S Sebastian so let’s get up close to the city now by going down through the old town which is pincho Central and into the Regal City one of the favorites of Maria Christina Spain’s past Queen s Sebastian is a joy to wander through and explore with Gardens and tree line streets [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] everywhere frequent rain keeps the warm yellow Sandstone gleaming a historic feeling surrounds you but the city is inviting with many Outdoor Cafe [Music] [Applause] [Music] face yet it’s young full of baby shops and young families [Music] there’s a distinctive architecture with Artisan work and sunny box Windows similar to the small villages in the bass [Music] country and though thoroughly Cosmopolitan Central Downtown is a 10-minute run to the [Music] beach green Lawns and leafy Pathways Phil s Sebastian’s Christina Ana Park and the swans rule a small reflective Pond the Environmental Center stands at the top of the park with some quirk art that smells like a [Music] barn below the park a walk along the tidal River tells you the mood of the hour the river changes color with the tide sun and shifting cloud [Music] cover s Sebastian will put you through four seasons in one day sometimes more so you kind of have to dress for [Music] anything the river spills into the Atlantic Ocean with suola San Sebastian surfing Beach on one side of the river and Oldtown and the museum santelmo on the other side the museum is a great place to orient yourself on Basque history and hides a magnificent cloy behind its modern facade let’s follow our tour guide to zurriola beach the center of surf [Music] culture here in Sun Sebastian surfing is for everyone it’s a family Sport with mothers and sons fathers and daughters siblings and friends all getting in on the action yes they can get a bit crowded out there especially when the waves are good but a code of conduct keeps things [Music] copesthetic the wide Beach’s powdery golden sand gets cleaned on a regular basis and this beautiful sand continues into the water clear of rocks and coral which makes the Sandy Bottom Bay a great place to learn to surf [Music] of course it looks a lot easier than it is surfing takes a lot of technique and practice and requires tremendous core and upper body strength and of course Grace and [Music] balance surfing conditions vary by day and season but the better surf ERS tend to ride the 4 to 6ft waves at the right side of the beach where they enjoy wedgie Beach breaks and Swift left and right rides in front of the spectator stands where many evenings you’ll find great bring your own outdoor parties when you’re at zorola beach Mount ulia is beside you furthest from the city center the trail across this mountain is one of the most spectacular sections of the Camino Del Norte an 800 km pilgrimage across the northern coast of Spain going on a hike today first we’re going to walk to the start of the hike through the city the hike is along the cliff you too can experience a stunning 8 km of the Camino right from s Sebastian go when the ground is dry it starts steep then undulates up and down more [Music] mildly pretty nice huh yeah spectacular the pilgrims with their heavy backpacks adorned with scalloped shells will be coming toward you South as you head north they’ve started in iRun Spain and crossed over from from pasaya on a lovely ferry ride for them this is the first day of a 34 day journey to Santiago de Campostella they will travel an average of 24 km a day you can go at a slower Pace since your truck today is just 8 kilm it’s very pretty here yeah guess what we made it to the lighthouse I think we’ve completed at least 6 and 1/2 of the 7 km we’re almost done it was so pretty beautiful hike after the lighthouse you descend to the scenic Inlet of Paya and pass two more [Music] lighthouses at the end of your walk you arrive at the Charming Village [Music] [Music] and the working industrial Harbor reveals itself too the same fairy boat the pilgrim depend on to cross from Shore to Shore is there to pick you up too unless you want to do an out and back there’s a bus back to San Sebastian where the pilgrims complete their Day’s Journey by walking along the Beachside prominade [Music] here we’re going to Fork away from the pilgrims and continue Along on durata Beach and Bay as the prominade turns towards the open ocean for our last [Music] surprise this Stone platform may not look like much but it’s one of our favorite places in San Sebastian the stadium of the windc Combs where three steel Statues by local artist Eduardo Chi stand facing the Wind and Sea when the ocean is relatively calm listen for the sound of dragon breath emanating from the blo holes and when the swell is up The Show Goes On welcome to the Splash Zone it’s like fireworks with water before we end I just want to say please come back for even more reasons to love San Sebastian in part two of our travel guide about this beautiful location in Northern Spain next time we’ll show you s Sebastian’s authentic neighborhood life nice shops a UNESCO geological wonder and she a spectacular open air sculpture garden with a basque Farmhouse included thank you for watching see you next time [Music] [Applause] [Music]
San Sebastian Donostia Spain. See the best of San Sebastian in this travel vlog and ultimate travel guide to one of Europe’s hotlist destinations. You’ll go beyond the Pintxo scene to the best things to do, top reasons to go, and top things to see in gorgeous oceanside San Sebastian Donostia Spain. When you retire, take a retirement vacation, vacation, or take a gap year, should you go to San Sebastian in the Basque Country? Let’s start this travel vlog with a birds eye view from the top of the hill above the old city. You’ll see Concha Bay and all of the best beach in San Sebastian. We skip the overtourism of old town. Instead, come with us to see the less-traveled city center with its beautiful and distinctive architecture and best green parks. San Sebastian is a gem, one of Europe’s best small cities with some of Europe’s best beach. Next, we take you to the Zurriola surfing beach for a dose of San Sebastian’s surf culture and surfing lessons. Next you’ll take a walk from San Sebastian Donostia along the famous Camino Del Norte to witness the most spectacular cliffs and ocean views before descending to a cute fishing village, Pasaia. Then we’ll take you a show of nature at the Wind Comb statues by Eduardo Chillida. The wind comb statues front a spectacular ocean display. After watching this travel vlog, you’ll have an idea if Europe’s hot list destination San Sebastian is right for you with a slow travel immersion into the look and feel that shows you how to avoid overtourism. You’ve gone beyond the Pintxos in part one of a two part travel story. In our next San Sebastian travel vlog, you’ll see more of the top ten things to do and top things to see in this beautiful city in the Basque country. This video was filmed in March and April. The opening song is Johnny Cope by Drumspyder.
About Us
We’re Emre and Maia. Our videos feature local, authentic, and immersive experiences in Europe. We love to engage with local people and stay longer in our destinations, while we spend a year or two being curious about everything in early retirement! We’re passionate about travel and food and have been to 44 countries between us! Longing for simplicity and freedom, we put our remaining possessions in storage, and set out with a suitcase and carry-on each. We love slow travel because its a mindset that works whether you have a few days or a whole year!
We like to keep it real. We did not receive, nor do we ask for compensation from any of the enterprises mentioned in this video.
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