
San Sebastian, Spain

San Sebastian, who olso is called Donostia - San Sebastian, is a beautiful resort town in the Bay of Biscay, the center of the Basque historical region of Guipúzcoa. Landscapes from advertising cards come to life in front of the visitor who once found himself in charming San Sebastian. Located in the northernmost part of the Iberian Peninsula, San Sebastian is located at the foot of Mount Urgull in the company of three other hills: Igeldo, Ulia and the island of Santa Clara, each decorated with sculptures by Eduardo Chilida - a world-famous artist born and died in Donostia.
The Urumea River passes through San Sebastian (Donostia), which divides the Old Town into two parts connected by three large bridges. Lying around the mythical beach of La Concha (Midata), San Sebastian resembles a sleeping mermaid. World travel guides define La Concha as the most beautiful city beach on the planet, one of the most attractive natural features of the city. Some of the city's most elite buildings and restaurants, located in a semicircle around La Concha, look back at the quiet waves to recreate live the most stunning image of San Sebastian.
It is believed that the city arose around the monastery "St. Sebastian”, probably in the 11th century, but its foundation is attributed to the King of Navarre Sancho the Wise, who in 1180 assigned it the site of the main port of Navarre. The Basques used their language to name the city, and since 1980 the full official name of the tourist capital of the Basque Country has two very equal names - San Sebastian and Donostia, which come from Domine Sebastiane - "Lord Sebastian".
Nature and history have taken care of San Sebastian to receive its privileged gifts, but the city is also relying on its relatively new "advantages".
And speaking of an incredible landscape, full of monumental elements, the view turns to Mount Urgull, where the statue of Jesus rises, which is very similar to its legendary cousin in Rio de Janeiro. The night plunges the hill into darkness, but the monument sprays light without restraint. On the opposite side of the bay is the monument "Peine del Viento" (Wind Reef) by Eduardo Chilida.
The name of San Sebastian has always been associated with the vast expanse of blue. Local sailors have never gone through moments of fear of the often stormy Cantabrian Sea. Thus was born their fame as sailors, conquerors and shipbuilders. Eight of the eleven ships of the Invincible Armada were built in San Sebastian.
San Sebastian survives the fires of all those 17 fires that are considered magic over the city. It came to the issuance of a royal decree, which stipulates that houses should be built of stone, but this also does not stop the tongues of fire. In 1863, as part of the new urban plan, the San Sebastian helped demolish the fortress wall. Even today there are those who regret, but a bold statement justifies the actions then - the opening of the city is the basis of today's prosperity.
The festive mood in San Sebastian does not subside, and its place on the stage of international festivals is undisputed. 1953 is emblematic of the city, because since then San Sebastian has hosted one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious international film festivals, awarding the Golden Conch Award. The Kursaal Congress Center, an avant-garde work by architect Rafael Moneo, has become the scene of this prestigious event. And 1965 was marked and significant for San Sebastian with the beginning of one of the most renowned in Europe annual jazz festivals "Jazaldia".
January 20 is the patron saint's day of the city - the day of St. Sebastian, accompanied by processions of drums - tambourines, on the streets. Queen Maria Cristina, tired of the bustle of Madrid, turned her attention to San Sebastian and turned it into her summer residence, expanding its fame to new levels. This directs the lenses of photographers and the pens of chroniclers to the city. Thus, with the advent of August 15, San Sebastian is flooded with relentless fiestas, named after Holy Week.
Palaces passed through the hands of aristocrats and businessmen, gardens strewn with flowers, lush greenery due to the humid climate, a bunch of noteworthy attractions - the Fortress Wall, the Aquarium, the Basilica of Santa Maria. With all this, the resort of San Sebastian has competed for years with the nearby French pearl Biarritz.
San Sebastian is the place where the first Spanish casino and the first Culinary Academy in Spain opened. Chef Apak is among the prides of the city, declared the top restaurant in Spain. He brought fame to San Sebastian and became an example in world cuisine.
The surroundings of San Sebastian are untouched by the momentum of fast-growing tourism, which has left the sprawling villages conquered and enticing to those whose souls define them as romantics and dreamers. San Sebastian was home to Victor Hugo, inspired by these places for many of the heroes of The Doomsday. Stretched on the border between Spain and France, San Sebastian has long been a contested treasure among kings and corsairs.