One more reason to discover the Spanish Basque Country in September? The Film Festival held in San Sebastian. If the unique charm of this region, its cities with their unique culture, where the vibrant arts scene is accompanied by a captivating musical language, weren’t enough… the festival, usually held in the last week of September, manages to further enliven your life. Since 1953, this international film festival, awarding the “Golden Shell,” has rounded off the Basque summer and the ideal vacation in this corner of Spain.
The magic of Cinema
The magic of cinema is immortal, and Spain knows a thing or two about it. Besides being one of the European countries with the most film productions (and with top-notch actors and directors), it has often offered its landscapes as the setting for films that have become famous worldwide. Just think of Almeria, the setting for so many Westerns of the 1960s!
The Basque Country celebrates cinema with the San Sebastián International Film Festival (https://www.sansebastianfestival.com/portada/2/es). Created exclusively to showcase Spanish cinema, then under-regarded internationally, it has over time climbed the ranks of prestigious festivals and today competes with Venice, Berlin, and Cannes. It is normally divided into “chapters”: the Clasica, dedicated to the work of a director of the past; the Tematica, or films not included in the official film circuit; the Contemporanea, which aims to highlight the work of original and still-living directors; and Horizontes Latinos, which harks back to the festival’s origins by celebrating Spanish-language films.
All this is set against the captivating backdrop of the Tabakalera Palace and the city of San Sebastián, with its splendid bay, architecture, and museums.
Why visit San Sebastián
San Sebastián suffers from a somewhat inferiority complex when compared to Bilbao, the other pearl of the “Paìs Vasco.” But those who discover it—landing conveniently at San Sebastian Airport (EAS)—will return, for it possesses a touch of charm that is perhaps less powerful than its more famous sister city, but equally unforgettable.
It opens onto a rounded bay dotted with verdant islets, framed by a large golden beach. San Sebastiàn loves to recall ancient glories of the past, especially from the Middle Ages (the city was founded around the Norman monastery of San Sebastiàn), though today they have been completely erased by wars and fires. The city was rebuilt in 1808 and boasts monuments from the 18th and 19th centuries, but the layout of the streets and squares still reflects the original urban idea.
Your tour of San Sebastiàn will take in the 19th-century Cathedral, the churches of San Bisente, San Ignacio, and Santa María del Coro. Worthy of a visit are the City Hall, the Miramar Palace overlooking the sea, the San Telmo Museum, the Paseo de la Concha (Seashell Promenade), and the Parte Zaharra neighborhood. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the Military Museum housed in an 11th-century ruin, all that remains of the first Norman fortification. Other notable sights include the “Combs of the Wind,” iron and rock sculptures permanently exhibited along the cliffs at the foot of Mount Igueldo. At the top of Mount Igueldo there is a panoramic viewpoint offering breathtaking views of the entire bay and the city. Finally, to delight both adults and children, it’s worth literally immersing yourself in the Donostia Aquarium—one of the largest and most beautiful in Europe.
From San Sebastiàn to the rest of the Basque Country
Just 100 km and an hour’s drive separate San Sebastiàn from vibrant Bilbao. Famous for its contemporary monuments, the Guggenheim Museum, and its lively nightlife, Bilbao is a major attraction for Basque tourism. But it’s not the only destination worth seeing and visiting from San Sebastiàn.
You can admire Gaztelugatxe…an unpronounceable name but a delightful natural panorama, a small peninsula overlooking the Atlantic Ocean; you climb to the top via a staircase carved into the rock (241 steps). Or you shall venture to Guernica – a town that symbolized the Spanish Civil War and became famous thanks to Picasso’s famous painting, and then go further down to the sea and the fishing village of Lekeitio. If you love wild nature, visit the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, which extends along the mouth of the Oka River, with beaches, pools, marshes, and fascinating wildlife. The longest beach in the region is Zarautz, and we challenge you to walk it all! If you prefer the mountains, go for a walk through the cool beech forests of Sierra Aralar.
Those who have plenty of time available and convenient means to travel further afield, such as our practical hourly chauffeur services, could even reach Pamplona or cross the border into France, to Biarritz (both less than an hour’s journey away) while still using San Sebastiàn as their base.
