Protecting the narrow streets of Old Town (Parte Vieja) is the solid bulk of Monte Urgull, which…read morealso shelters the small harbour area. This is where San Sebastian was born about 1000 years ago. Because the Town burned down in 1813 (as Spain, Portugal, and England fought the French to get Napoleon's brother off the Spanish Throne), the architecture is generally Neoclassical and uniform. Still, this dense street grid hides heavy Baroque and Gothic Churches, surprise plazas, delicious pastry shops, lots of Pintxos (Tapas) bars, various Basque cultural items, and interesting places to shop. Gayle and I particularly enjoyed seeing the Basilica of Santa María as it faces the Iglesia de Buen Pastor (in New Town) across the Calle Mayor. We also walked along the water on both the Puerto Pequero and Kursaal Bridge sides, and with a nice hike up Monte Urgull in between. The Camino de Santiago (Northern Route) also follows Av. Zurriola (and towards La Concha Beach), and adjacent park was a nice place to hang out and watch this part of the World go by. Our other activities included a wonderful Tapas Lunch, a not as impressive dinner, relaxing at La Bretxa Plaza over a drink, marveling at Constitución Square and the nearby Town Hall and Kursaal Conference Center buildings, venturing into Calle Juan de Bilbao for a short lesson in Basque politics, enjoying the outlying areas of El Muelle, Monte Urgull, and Gros, and doing a lot of walking, including trying to get lost. It's all compact and doable in a reasonable amount of time.

San Sebastian is one of the most beautiful places I've ever set my eyes on. It is even better to…read morewalk around and eat in. It is a destination for for those who love food as the Pintxos to Michelin star eateries are abundant. The architecture a mix of Basque, Spanish, full of one of the most enthusiastic eating societies ever. Going from bar to bar hunting down Pintxos in the old town is a great way to experience the culinary offerings that are hidden through the many nooks and alleys. The Basque culture one of the most unique I've ever experience and the breadth of it can be had here in the Parte VIeja

The Town Hall Building is located at one end of the Alderdi-Eder Park and generally divides the La…read moreConcha Beach, Old Town, and Downtown Areas of Donostia-San Sebastian. It's a strikingly beautiful structure and was originally designed as a casino in 1887, during the Belle Epoque. The casino closed in 1924 and the Town Hall moved to the building in 1947. Gayle and I strolled past the Town Hall Building on several occasions during our short stay here. We both enjoyed looking at the Building and sitting on the nearby benches and watching this City's world go by. We continued to be struck by all the cute Babies and Toddlers, along with the proud Mom's, and admiring Friends as we hung out in both the nearby Beach and Park.

I am a huge thrill seeker and this was truly the ultimate rush. After running with bulls, i feel…read morelike skydiving is best left for infants and toddlers. I am all that is man, gahhhhhh! Seriously awesome. Do not worry about bringing your whites because you can buy them there for very cheap and you can definitely negotiate. So if you are with a group I suggest buying together to get some good rates. However, it may be a good idea to get something with zippered pockets ahead of time because San Fermin is ideal for pickpocketers and the pants they sell are very flimsy. My safety tips: FOR RUNNING, Don't be stupid and drink all night before. We walked the course the night before, had a few beers, and talked to people who had run that morning about the best approach. Got some great advice but I don't want to ruin the experience for you. Just be sure to get there by 6:30 AM to get a good spot in the main plaza where people start. I recommend a chest or helmet cam because a hand camera might get you pulled by the cops and you will not be allowed to run. IN THE ARENA, go slap that bulls ass because touching a wild bull is pretty fucking cool. Do not grab the horns, pull the tail, or ride it because the locals will beat the ever loving shit out of you. The worst injuries I saw were tourists getting their asses kicked for disrespecting the bull. It is considered very disrespectful to do these things. If you get knocked by a bull in the arena or while running definitely do fetal position. Taking on a bull is pretty retarded. The Spaniards will help you up after and will also help you if the bull is actually attacking you. Also bulls don't like Gangnam Style shirts and they will try to end your life if you wear one. PARTYING: Drink all night stay close with friends and watch your pockets. Stay on the running route for most tourists. Get off the route a little to party with the locals (they are actually very welcoming). Get ready for the sweetest festival in the world. If you are going to go to the festival, RUN! You will feel like your testicles grew about 4 cm in diameter afterwards. So go there, run, make love to your girl, and conceive superhuman kids that will conquer the world one day.

Being from New Orleans, this is comparable to Mardi Gras. Both should be experienced at least twice…read morein your life. Once to get your bearings and the other time to do everything again, but better. Try to stay as close to the action as possible. Either run with the bulls or grab a seat in the arena. Plan on getting little sleep. Have fun.

This cute town, the capital city of the province of Guipuzcoa is one of my favorite cities in…read moreSpain. Its setting on a beautiful half moon bay surrounded by small hills is just breathtaking....you can see the rough seas hitting the rocks around the city, making the landscape just enchanting. San Sebastian, also known as Donostia or Donosti, lies along a white sandy bay between the Urgull and Igeldo hills. Made up of fishermen's houses, a smart suburb and modern districts make it one of the most attractive cities on the Cantabrian coast. The Museum of San Telmo, the Peine del Viento (the Wind Comb) and the Kursaal are examples of how the city brings together modern and traditional features. Basque cuisine has a recognized international prestige and the amount of restaurants and tapas bars that you can try is immense. Michelin star restaurants abound in the old town as well as in the city center..each area just a few minutes walk from each other. The town centre streets of San Sebastián unfold overlooking the La Concha Bay. Monte Igeldo marks one end of it - a wonderful vantage point for enjoying views over the city. At its feet is Torrepea Point, where the "Peine de los Vientos" ("the Wind Comb"), a sculpture by the famous Basque artist Eduardo Chillida, is installed....if you want to walk it from the old town is about a 30-40 min walk...leisurely on a nice promenade along the bay. A lovely promenade with elegant railings and street lamps runs along La Concha Beach. One of the prettiest buildings near the water is the old Casino, nowadays the City Hall. In this area, between the sea and the River Urumea, is the old town full of bars, tapas bars, shops, souvenir stands and lively squares and plazas. A tourist's dream ! Not far is the porticoed Plaza de la Constitución. Among its many balconies - numbered and painted white, betraying its origin as a bullring - stands the old Neoclassical City Hall, converted into the Municipal Library. Four lamps by the sculptor Mariano Benlliure light the way to the railway station, designed by Eiffel...a simple train station but with its nice architectural notes and touches. Overall a quaint, cozy, walkable, friendly city to visit. I recommend to come during the week, when most businesses in the center of town are open...during the weekends, many of them close, so more difficult to go shopping if that's what you want...the old town remains very active 7 days a week to cater the visitors.

San Sebastián or Donostia is the capital of the province of Gipuzkoa located in the Basque Country…read morein Spain. It is a very nice city near the Atlantic Ocean where a lot of tourists are used to having a walk on weekends. I put 5 stars as it is one of my favourite cities in Europe!!!