San Sebastian 2018/2019 Guide

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green lungs of Donostia/San Sebastian, a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. With just a 20-minute climb we can reach its forests and cliffs, and admire a spectacular panoramic view of the city. It is through Mount Ulia where pilgrims come walking towards Santiago. Numerous well- marked footpaths cross the mountain; perfect for going on a

GROS AND EGIA

THE FOOTPATHS FROM ULIA LEAD TO PASAIA

VIEW OF ZURRIOLA BEACH AND THE GROS DISTRICT FROM ULIA

DON’T STOP! THESE ARE THE YOUNG, ARTISTIC AND CREATIVE AREAS, WHICH NEVER STOP, WITH MODERN SHOPS AND PINTXO BARS THAT ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A NEW TWIST. WE GO TO GROS, CROSSING THE ZURRIOLA BRIDGE, WE STROLL AROUND THE HALLS OF THE TABAKALERA, WE ENJOY CRISTINA ENEA PARK AND WE END THE DAY SURFING THE WAVES AT ZURRIOLA BEACH. ARE YOU GAME?

morning excursion. The most popular path takes you to the Faro de la Plata (Silver Whitehouse), in the neighbouring town of Pasaia, without ever losing sight of the sea. Gros also has numerous establishments where they offer the best pintxos (tapas) in Donostia/San Sebastian. The pedestrianised PEÑA Y GOÑI AND ZABALETA STREETS are where many of these trendy ‘pintxeros’ (tapas bars) are found. The development of the Gros that we now know started in the 1920s. Many of the buildings in the district reflect the architectural vanguards of the period, notably Rationalism. Another, more interesting example of the expressionist branch of this new trend is the EQUITATIVA [ 7 ] building. Its curved façade welcomes everyone who enters Gros over the Santa Catalina

Bridge. Another Rationalist work is the CASA DE LOS SOLTEROS [ 6 ] (House for Unmarried Men, where the Zurriola promenade meets Bermingham Street), so called because it was one of the city’s first buildings with small flats; it also features an entrance hall with a pronounced art deco style. To the south of Gros is EGIA. If we cross Miracruz Street (one of Gros’s main thoroughfares), we come to Duque de Mandas Street, which takes us into San Sebastian’s new trendy neighbourhood. Egia is the latest area to join the places you must visit in the city, largely thanks to the TABAKALERA [ 8 ] , the International Contemporary Culture Centre. Opened in 2015, it is the city’s old tobacco factory that was converted into a multipurpose venue with a highly extensive programme that covers several artistic disciplines. The Tabakalera also has a café, several

PANORAMIC TERRACE OF THE TABAKALERA

shops that provide original fashion, art and design products and a terrace with exceptional panoramic views of the River Urumea and the city’s romantic area. Egia has also become the new focus of the city’s music offerings. In addition to the concerts scheduled in the Tabakalera, there are bars in the area with live music and shows. CRISTINA ENEA PARK [ 9 ] is Egia’s ‘green’ resident. It is the

largest and most wooded urban park in the city, a gift made to San Sebastian by the Duke of Mandas (which is why it bears his wife’s name) on the condition that its original appearance was preserved. And it has been: the park still retains the charm of yesteryear, with a full network of footpaths. And in the upper area, next to the house, you can see still the peacocks that freely roam the site.

BOHEMIAN ATMOSPHERE IN EGIA