Kaixo (hello) from Basque Country!
Arriving to the Donostia-San Sebastian Train Station
Getting off the train in San Sebastian, Spain, I had no idea what I was walking into. We planned our world trip so quickly, that I had little time to research every single place on our list. I would touch on each place or see a quick picture and say, yep! That’s beautiful. Sure, let’s stop there! (you can be jealous. I know how lucky I am.) Anyways, as soon as we got off the train, we were surrounded by big buildings. We put in the walking directions to Hotel Zaragoza, which is only about a 10 minute walk, and off we went.
We passed cute little stores, small markets, and restaurants and cafes. Eventually, we arrived before our check in time, and our hotel was very accommodating in allowing us to store our bags while we explored. The hotel is about 150 feet from the beach. La Concha beach to be exact. The Sagrada Corazon statue sits high over the town and overlooks the Bay of Biscay. The sand is soft, and the water the most beautiful blue. Boats and yachts anchored out in the bay. The sand and water were packed with people, and floating out in the bay was a raft you could jump off of. Seth could barely contain his excitement.
Food, Drinks & Incredible Views
The promenade is dotted with outdoor seating from multiple hotel restaurants. We stopped at one for a late lunch and early dinner. We ordered a nicoise salad, a tomato mozzarella sandwich, and a sangria. The food, the drinks, and the ambience were all perfection.
We watched the sun set and cruised up and down the promenade. This place has a cute and exciting nightlife. There were a couple people who attracted quite a crowd with their singing. We watched and danced with the crowd for a while before walking along the marina and fantasizing about what it would be like to live on one of these boats and drift from place to place.
Seems like day dreaming tends to work up an appetite. It looked like a lot of the restaurants had closed up for the night, so we asked around for some recommendations. We were sent in the direction of this super awesome underground pizza place, Pizzeria La Mina. Check it out if you are ever there! It was such a cool place, and the pizza was delicious!
A Tale of Two Beaches
We were up bright and early the next day.
Pro Tip: When visiting a new place, wake up early and explore! We strolled the streets, once shoulder to shoulder with people, but right now we were the only ones out. The stores were still closed, and the delivery trucks were unloading produce. All you could hear were the birds. It was like we owned the place! We stopped at the first market that opened, grabbed some fresh peaches and watched as this sleepy city came to life. The beach that had no room to sit yesterday was empty, except for one person who was raking the sand. This man had the best zen garden ever.
Wandering the Day Away
We spent the rest of our day swimming, strolling, and eating. I could get used to doing this every day! The architecture is stunning, and the perfect background for a beautiful beach. You must make a point to stop at a produce stand as they carry the most delicious fruit! We grabbed a peach, a simple peach, and it was one of the most amazing pieces of fruit we’ve ever had.
I wish we had more time here, but I am confident that I will be back. If you are ever lucky enough to visit Donostia/San Sebastian, Spain I recommend at least 3-5 days.
Leaving Gava / Barcelona, I thought we had just experienced the highlight of our trip. I worried how the rest of the places would live up to it. It is like I’ve entered a different dimension. Some sort of dream-like existence. Was I roofied? Is this how people that live here feel every day? I can’t wait to find out whats next, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget my time here.
Keep reading for a wild time in Pamplona..
