It was raining when we arrived in Donostia-San Sebastian, but the skies cleared on our second day, and we rode the funicular railway up Mount Igueldo to take in the view back on the city, La Concha Bay, and the empty beach. The “low” travel season had just begun, and the strange little children’s amusement park on the mountaintop had shuttered up for the fall and winter, adding just the right disorienting touch of weird desolation to the Basque country panorama.
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Playland in the Sky
It was raining when we arrived in Donostia-San Sebastian, but the skies cleared on our second day, and we rode the funicular railway up Mount Igueldo to take in the view back on the city, La Concha Bay, and the empty beach. The “low” travel season had just begun, and the strange little children’s amusement park on the mountaintop had shuttered up for the fall and winter, adding just the right disorienting touch of weird desolation to the Basque country panorama.
Hiking to a Basque Country Lookout
See that second bumpy landmass there, the one on the left, attached to the mainland? Tucked under that hill is our hotel. We decided it would be fun to walk along the beach to the lookout from where I took this photo - if nothing else, we’d work off the tapas we had been feasting on for days (in case you didn’t know, San Sebastian is the tapas, or pintxo, capital of the world). I don’t recommend hiking to the lookout - it’s a rather busy road, so you should drive or jump in a cab - but if you visit the city, this is the view to soak in. There’s also a little fairgrounds at the top of the hill, and a hotel with a fully stocked bar and restaurant - you’ll need a bottle of wine if you do decide to trek out here (two bottles if you’re carrying your weight in camera equipment). I loved San Sebastian - easily one of the best travel destinations in the world, so long as you’re into good food, beautiful beaches, and breathtaking views.
