Three weeks before Christmas, San Sebastian turns into a farytale city. Christmas lights are lit on the streets and squares, holiday decorations are set on the seafront and suspended over Urumea river, Christmas market show up on the riverfront and multiple Christmas trees light up on city squares. Read more…
In the nineteenth century, farmers from Guipuzcoa province were coming to San Sebastian to sell farm produce and home products and to enjoy shopping in the city. Nowadays, city residents dress up in costumes and walk around town drinking cider with chistora – a favorite produce of local farmers. Read more…
Every country has a Christmas character. In the Basque Country, it is Olentzero. On the night before Christmas, December 24, he comes to San Sebastian with his wife Marie Domingue. The wizard descends from Mount Urgull and goes to the town hall, where he talks to children and puts letters with their wishes in a huge canvas bag. After that, surrounded by his elf assistants, he walks along the main streets of the city and gives out sweets and chestnuts to children. Read more…
Spanish winter holidays start on Christmas eve and end with fairy kings parade - an important Catholic ritual that symbolizes the journey of the Magi from all over the world to Jerusalem to present gifts for a newborn Jesus. A ritual that nowadays is very similar to Santa Claus’s visit on Christmas eve. Read more…
Tamborrada or San Sebastian Day is held on January 20th. The opening ceremony will take place at midnight on January 19th, when a president of gastronomic community Gaztelubide will raise the flag of the city at the Constitution Square. City residents celebrate the day of the patron saint for more than 150 years with a 24 hour parade of drummers in costumes and brass bands. Read more…
Festive processions dedicated to Carnival begin in San Sebastian 40 days before the Passover Week. Starting from Thursday, mummers walk through different quarters of the city, singing songs dedicated to the goddess Momo - the queen/patron of the carnival. Read more…
The film festival dedicated to social problems in society takes place in San Sebastian at the end of April. This festival features films about the difficulties of adoption, freedom of speech, bullying, migrants, struggle for women's rights, victims of dictatorships, sexual violence and torture, the fate of youth and other topics of concern of the contemporary authors. Read more…
he week before Easter in Spain is known as Semana Santa, or the Holy week. Starting from the Holy Thursday, Passover processions take place throughout Spain. This religious processions are dedicated to the events that occurred after Christ entered Jerusalem. In Guipúzcoa, this spectacular procession can be observed in Hondarribia and Irun. Read more…
On the day of summer solstice Spaniards celebrate the day of St. John (San Juan in Spanish), the roots of which go back to paganism. It is believed that after this longest day of the year is over, Light begins to lose its strength and Darkness takes over. Read more…
In mid-July, the most beautiful city of the Bay of Biscay becomes the center of navigation of the entire coast. Fastest sailboats arrive to San Sebastian from the north of Spain and south-west of France in order to participate in the International Sailing Regatta. Read more…
Day of the Virgen del Carmen, the patron saint of sailors and the Spanish Navy, is celebrated on July 16 in most fishing towns on the Spanish coast. Festivities del Carmen are celebrated three days in the port of San Sebastian from Thursday to Sunday. Read more…
At the height of summer, in San Sebastian, all the street corners are filled with the sound of jazz. One of the oldest European jazz festivals, ‘Jazzaldia’, (nowadays with an added sponsor title Heineken) is held here annually and is internationally renowned. Read more…
Starting from 1981, San Sebastian holds the classic one-day bicycle race, which is part of the elite road cycling tour (UCI World Tour). The race begins and ends in the capital of the province Gipuzkua, while its main part runs along the coast. Read more…
The first evenings of classical music in San Sebastian began back in the 1940s in order to expand the cultural program for city guests during the summer season. At that time, local choir and Grand Casino orchestra took part in the concerts as well as European musicians who took refuge in the Victoria Eugenia Theater during World War I. Read more…
Every year during the first week of September Basque provinces organize week-long events dedicated to the local culture. This week is called Euskal Jaiak. In cities and villages, locals compete in traditional sports, perform Basque songs and dances. Read more…
emana Grande is a weeklong festivity, which is celebrated in San Sebastian annually during the week that includes August 15th – the Assumption Day. The entertainment program is extensive - from Basque folklore in the city squares to large concerts at specially organized venues in the port and around Zurriola beach. Read more…
On this day, people of San Sebastian remember tragic events of the war with Napoleon. In 1813 allied troops of England and Portugal came to the city that was occupied by French. After heavy artillery bombardment of the city, they managed to breach the wall that protected San Sebastian. Read more…
One of the oldest and most famous rowing regattas Flag La Concha happens on the first two Sundays of September in San Sebastian. From 1879 competitions are held between teams from all over the northern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. Read more…
This event, perhaps, attracts the most visitors to the city. Film directors, actors, journalists and film fans from all over the world fill the streets of San Sebastian in the last week of September. Read more…
Twenty years ago, a revolution began in modern Spanish cuisine, which changed the world of gastronomy. This is how gastronomy without boundaries was born and redefined traditional recipes, classic dishes, methods of cooking and presentation. Read more…
This is one of the most unusual film festivals that has been held in San Sebastian for almost 30 years. Horror and fantasy features, short films and even movies for kids are screened at the festival. Read more…
Every year on second Sunday in November, tens of thousands of people come to Gipuzkoa from different countries to take part in the traditional 20 km race. The route begins in the Behobia disctrict that borders with France and ends on a boulevard in the heart of San Sebastian. Read more…
The first car rally was held in San Sebastian in 1923, when cars were still a luxury and not means of transportation. This high class event was designed to draw attention of European aristocrats to a small Spanish city on the Atlantic coast. Read more…
At the end of the 20th century, UNESCO established an international dance day that is celebrated on April 29. In San Sebastian, the whole April is a month of dance. On one of the Sundays, the famous beachfront railings of La Concha turn into one big ballet barre. Read more…
The most gourmet bokatas can be tasted in San Sebastian during the week of Keler Bokata Astea, when over 30 establishments offer delicious and original bokatas accompanied by a Keler beer at a single price of 7 euros. Bokata is a Spanish sub sandwich with various fillings. It is, probably, one of the most popular snacks in Spain. During this special week, bars of San Sebastian add a gourmet touch to this simple but satisfying dish. For example, "Spring" (a salmon bokata with arugula, cream cheese, avocado and Maldon salt) and "Japan Fusion" (a marinated turkey bokata with escarole, tomato, Gorgonzola cheese sauce, shiitake and wakame seaweed) are just few bokatas that stood out for us this year.
