::Nikola Vucicevic::

Donostia-San Sebastian is a coastal city in the Vizcaya Gulf (Cantabric Sea, Atlantic Ocean) situated in the Basque Country. There are 20 km to the Frech border.

Distances: 20 km to the French border (Hendaia/Hendaye in Lapurdi province), 75 km to Pamplona, 100 km to Bilbao, 465 km to Madrid, 780 km to Paris. Names: It is called officially Donostia-San Sebastian, in Basque is called Donostia, and in Spanish San Sebastian. Although many people called it just Donosti, even using Spanish. Weather: Temperature is moderate the twelve months of the year, but rainny during the winter, maintaining an average of 22 B:C. The climate is oceanic humid.

Every year on 20 January (the feast of Saint Sebastian) the people of San Sebastian celebrate a festival known as the "Tamborrada". At midnight in the Konstituzioa plaza in the "Alde Zaharra/Parte Vieja" (old city), the mayor raises the flag of San Sebastian, and during 24 hours the entire city is awash with the sound of drums. The adults dress as cooks and soldiers and march around the city. They march all night with their cook hats and white aprons with the March of San Sebastian. The origin of this custom is said to be that Spanish tradesmen, including cooks, mocked the occupying French army during the Napoleonic wars, by aping their daily procession from Monte Urgull to the water-pump at San Telmo.

Visits and excursions

The visit though the city is relaxed, with beautiful natural views. You can found beautiful mountain places, out from the traffic of the city, in very few minutes walking from the city, like the case of Urgull, or Igeldo (excellent views to the bay, where you can take a XIX century's funicular to go up), or the less known Ulia.

Concha's Bay: one of the most known and carismatic areas of the city. Its walk is worldwide famous and must-do for visitors, and its beach, the most aristocratic of the three that the city has. The bay goes from the Igeldo mountain, until the Real Club Nautico (Royal Nautic Club) to Urgull mountain. The Santa Clara island is situated in the center of the bay.

Aquarium, Renewed recently, so it has become in a modern museum. The Palace of the Sea has into its instalations the aquarium, the oceanographic museum and the naval historic museum.

Miramar Palace, between the Concha and Ondarreta beaches. Inagurated in 1883.

Igeldo Mountain. To have a panoramic view of the bay. During the summer an old funicular goes up from its base. There is a little atraction park in the top

Buen Pastor Cathedral. In the center of a large square. Inagurated in 1897, by the architec Manuel de Etxabe. It is the largest church in the city.

Santa Clara Island. This little island, situated in the middle of the bay, becomes in the summer in the fourth beach of Donostia-San Sebastian although it is full of rocks. It is linked by a boat service with the docks (only in summer time).

Aiete's Palace, in the Aiete neighborhood. Take bus to reach there. Situated in one of the hills that surrond the city center, built in 1876.

Town Hall Building (Casino). Inagurated in 1897 like a casino but after the probition of the play in 1924 the casino was closed. In 1947 the Town Hall moved to the Casino and now it continued beint the Town Hall of the city.

Victoria Eugenia Teather. Inagurated in 1912. Now, in this teather are celebrated the Quincena Musical and the International Cinema Festival.