San Sebastian 2018/2019 Guide

26

27

are cosy residential and holiday villas from the 20th century. They come in all kinds of styles: Basque, Rationalist, adorned with Portuguese tiles or with a neoclassical look. The villas are the perfect prelude before reaching the gardens (where there is a statue in honour of Queen María Cristina) and ONDARRETA BEACH [ 9 ]. This is the preferred beach for families and groups: it is large, relaxed, with calm waters, with only a few, very small waves. In the summer it has beach bars, playgrounds and a tent rental service so that you can set up a family “camp”. There are fun activities for kids of all

ages on this sandy beach, from catching the waves that crash against the wall to looking for crabs on the rocks when the tide is low. Ondarreta is also the point of departure for swimming the half-kilometre crossing to Santa Clara Island. The journey is a real adventure which many parents do together with their kids. There are several platforms at the halfway point (the famous ‘gabarrones’) with trampolines and slides, where you can have a rest. Where the Ondarreta and urban San Sebastian area ends, at the face of Mount Igeldo, is the PEINE DEL VIENTO [ 10 ] (Wind Comb), the city’s main sculptural

ANTIGUO AND IGELDO

THE STATUE THAT STANDS AS A REMINDER OF QUEEN Mª CRISTINA IN THE ONDARRETA GARDENS

FAMILY, LET’S GO TO ANTIGUO!

WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE ANTIGUO TUNNEL YOU CAN RELAX, YOU’RE IN THE MOST ‘VILLAGE-LIKE’ NEIGHBOURHOOD IN SAN SEBASTIAN. THE VIEWS OF THE BAY FROM THE GARDENS OF THE MIRAMAR PALACE, A QUIET BEACH DAY IN ONDARRETA AND, TO TOP IT ALL OFF, THE IGELDO AMUSEMENT PARK ARE JUST SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT WILL DELIGHT THE WHOLE FAMILY

‘Peine’ and the sea is IGELDO [ 11 ] , the highest of all of the hills around the bay. At the start of the 20th century an AMUSEMENT PARK [ 13 ] was built at its summit, and this still retains much of its original character today. This is partly thanks to the wooden FUNICULAR [ 12 ] that takes you to the top, overcoming an impossible slope, the old tower that used to serve as a lighthouse and lookout point for whales and some vintage-style rides, like the Río Misterioso (Mysterious River) and Montaña Suiza (Rollercoaster). From Igeldo you get the most famous panoramic view of the city, with the bay and the island in the foreground.

get in shape and, while they are at it, gaze at the horizon. Along with the Paseo Nuevo, the Peine del Viento is one of the best places to take part in a traditional pastime among the locals: watching the waves on days with rough seas. Just wear suitable clothes, take a sturdy umbrella and take basic precautions so that you can enjoy the impressive spectacle of a storm. The mountain that seems to be swooping down on the

landmark. This space is the joint work of the local sculptor Eduardo Chillida –the steel ‘combs’ that look like they are swimming away from the rocks are by him- and the architect Luis Peña Ganchegui, who was responsible for the development of the area. This place has taken on an almost magical significance for the people of San Sebastian, come rain or come shine, which is why countless people make their way there every day to

EDUARDO CHILLIDA’S “PEINE DEL VIENTO”

COMBINES LANDSCAPE, ART, THE SEA, IRON AND STONE, MAKING THIS SPOT A STUNNING MEETING PLACE FOR LOCALS AND VISITORS

THE AGE-OLD FUNICULAR THAT GOES UP TO THE IGELDO AMUSEMENT PARK FROM ANTIGUO