Traces of all this still can be found, but the city has changed quite a bit during the last forty years. Today San Sebastian is a busy and down to earth place for real people - not the summer vacation hot spot for the European gentry it used to be. That doesn't mean that is has lost its charm, although the palaces could use some fresh paint.
Today San Sebastian is one of the mayor tourist hot spots in Northern Spain. Tourists from all over the world come to visit the lovely old city center, the glamour might be decaying, the prices of hotels still reflect the old splendour...
Today San Sebastian is one of the mayor tourist hot spots in Northern Spain. Tourists from all over the world come to visit the lovely old city center, the glamour might be decaying, the prices of hotels still reflect the old splendour...
You won't need a car when visiting San Sebastian. The city has about 170,000 inhabitants, but almost all the sights are well withing walking distance from the city center. Orientation is easy: the main beach La Concha (the shell) is always close. As the name indicates, it forms a perfect half circle and the shiny white sand indeed reminds the visitor of a beautiful seashell. Either end of La Concha is marked by a hill - at the western end the Monte Igleldo, in the East the Monte Urgull. Right in middle of the bay you can see the little island Santa Clara, a popular place in summer, because it is usually less crowded than the cities beaches.
San Sebastian as a popular vacation spot - this is the obvious side of the city - but there is another darker side. The most recent history hasn't always been peaceful, San Sebastian is one of the mayor cities for ETA terrorists activities.
San Sebastian as a popular vacation spot - this is the obvious side of the city - but there is another darker side. The most recent history hasn't always been peaceful, San Sebastian is one of the mayor cities for ETA terrorists activities.
Memory isn't a good companion when you walk the streets of San Sebastian, says Pablo Ordaz in the daily newspaper "El Pais". Here the bar that you'd better not visit, there the bookshop whose owners gave up after replacing too many broken windows and shrugging off too many threats. The landmarks of terror are everywhere. You as a tourist won´t see them, but for the people who live here, they still determine their daily lives to a certain point.
The time of daily violence seems to be over, the molotov-cocktails and burning garbage cans gave way to a more common criminality. Demonstrations of the followers of ETA attract less people and La Parte Vieja (The old part of town), once ETA-territory, is open to everybody once again. But every bomb, every ETA killing brings back the memories and opens the wounds.
But people are looking forward, even though almost half of the Basque population would like to be independent from Spain, an overwhelming majority resents the violence ETA uses. San Sebastian is definitely a safe place to visit - and a fun one! There is much to be seen and the city is a perfect starting point to discover the lovely landscape of the Basque Country.
But people are looking forward, even though almost half of the Basque population would like to be independent from Spain, an overwhelming majority resents the violence ETA uses. San Sebastian is definitely a safe place to visit - and a fun one! There is much to be seen and the city is a perfect starting point to discover the lovely landscape of the Basque Country.
by stephasterling
stephasterling
Hello world. This is my bio. I can edit it later!
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