The good life in San Sebastián takes place around a table
I arrive in San Sebastian with the same emotion with which a girl debuts her new shoes. I guess that's how the queen regent should have presented herself Maria Cristina when, she could, she decided to turn this beautiful northern city into her summer residence. She ran the year 1866 and was the glamorous pike in Flanders that lacked to put San Sebastián to become the city of fashion that everyone was talking about. And she speaks.
From then until today, it has rained a lot -for the record that I am not trying to make an apology for the climate of the basque country -. I am referring to the written and unwritten history that has transpired in This belle époque movie set . For example, "few people know the military past of San Sebastián ", he said Ana Intxausti, the guide that accompanies me during my stay in the city and who, between us, was the secretary of the mythical Bette Davis in 1989, when, days before her death, she received the Donostia Award at the San Sebastian Festival. What he told me about Davis between pintxo and wine will remain forever picked up on my recorder with some of the succulent bars from San Sebastian as the only witness.
But, going back to the past of the city, its military connection is maintained until 1921 (in 1920, Primo de Rivera banned the game and the decline began) and, as a wink, everyone dresses up as a soldier or a cook every January 20, for the San Sebastian day. Everything is tributes in this city: cinema, art, gastronomy, architecture...
Regarding the latter, it is worth noting that most of the buildings in the city have been intact, and since 1912, a leading year in the history of San Sebastián, the city has proudly displayed some of its most mythical buildings, how are they Hotel Maria Cristina , the Victoria Eugenie Theater waves La Perla Hot Springs , which today are an interesting thalassotherapy center where they go the donostiarras, even more than tourists.
The Victoria Eugenia Theatre, an authentic jewel
But let's get to the important thing: if someone is wondering "What shouldn't I miss out on in San Sebastián?", they're in luck, because I've gotten ahead of myself, and Intxausti's answer is firm: the magical views from Mount Igueldo , the Museum of San Telmo and the street August 31 , where the four oldest buildings in the city are located, the only survivors of the fire that devastated Donosti in 1813 with Napoleon's wars.
The truth is the street is beautiful and without a doubt, it is well worth a walk, especially when you find three of the best pintxo bars in the city such as ** Atari , A Fuego Negro and Gandarias ** (in case you haven't noticed, I've just given you the definitive argument to visit it).
But, before this ride, it is acceptable settle a little more in the city, in the here and now, after this historic introduction. It is really easy to navigate in San Sebastián, since the Boulevard divides the city between the new part and the old part. As soon as you set foot in the city, you'll start hearing names like Gros, the trendy neighborhood and on whose beach you will not stop seeing surfers longing for waves; the Shell , the famous crescent-shaped beach of Donosti, and Ondarreta , more elegant and also somewhat quieter.
With this mental map in mind, now let's locate some key points of the city: the majestic Hotel María Cristina is on the west bank of the Urumea River ; Opposite is the Palace of Congresses ** Kursaal ,** designed by rafael moneo ; the Wind Comb -the set of sculptures of Eduardo Chillida- It is located at the end of the beach of Ondarreta and right in front of it, at the end of Paseo Nuevo, you will find the sculpture empty construction , by the artist Jorge Oteiza, Chillida's great rival. All this supervised, of course, by the watchful eye of the Sacred heart , who guards the city from the top of the Mount Urgull.
Moneo's contribution to San Sebastián
SAN SEBASTIAN FOODIE
But if the city is known for something, it is for its kitchen. And it is that in the map of the national gastronomy, San Sebastián occupies a pride of place . Its famous bars, full of delicious miniature gastronomy, they represent one of the greatest attractions of Donosti. The ritual is simple: enter, browse, pay attention to what your neighbor at the bar asks for and launch without fuss. Although if you prefer to play it safe, these are some of the pintxos you shouldn't miss in the city:
Bar Nestor
his famous omelette Every day and in two shifts, at 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., numerous diners crowd at its door. they just do two a day and each one gives for only 16 pintxos , so you better book yours in advance, because 32 every 24 hours they are few for such high demand.
The spoon of San Telmo
The pintxo of foie gras with apple compote It is a hallmark of the house. honest cooking and quality that of this bar with a pleasant terrace with great views.
Borda Berri
Difficult to choose from their menu, since everything you can try here is delicious . The risotto with Idiazábal cream may be what stands out the most in this uncomfortable place and always full of people , although the red wine cheeks attract numerous foodies from the city.
Ganbara
Its average price is a little more high than the rest, although their tasty mushroom rations and its txistorra puff pastry are well worth a visit. The Ganbara also has one of those colorful bars full of pintxos that we like so much.
The vineyard
The cheesecake of the La Viña bar is the best way to end any gastronomic route through San Sebastián. Because pintxos can also be sweet , this cheesecake from fluffy texture and mild flavor It is one of the biggest gastronomic attractions in the old part of Donosti.
Amaia Ortuzar and her son Amaiur Martínez have been flavoring Donosti in Ganbara for a quarter of a century
Outside the Old Town
Outside the old part of the city we find two rejuvenated classics: the Anthony's Bar , considered one of the best bars in Spain , and the Zazpi , for which they sound michelin bells in future editions.
With or without stars, it is clear that it will be in modest Antonio where we will find the best chefs in the world in the breaks of the fair gastronomy, and that in Zazpi they may serve -I say yes- the best ravioli stuffed with oxtail of the whole city. And that, here, is saying a lot.
As if that were not enough, in a luxurious environment and until October 15, the chef ** Hélène Darroze ** (three Michelin stars) is once again dominating the kitchen of the Hotel Maria Cristina and showing the world her particular vision of Basque cuisine , using local ingredients and seasonal. There are three menus (98, 135 and 180 euros) that make up her gastronomic proposal, which is served in shifts of lunches and dinners, and that brings together dishes that extol the best of the land with key ingredients such as foie gras, suckling pig, Osciète caviar or boletus.
Authentic miniature delicacies
MARÍA CRISTINA, A HOTEL FOR A QUEEN
Opened in 1912 by Queen María Cristina and reopened in 2012 After a meticulous reform, this hotel that we have talked about so much is famous for welcoming every year the many actors and actresses who travel to the San Sebastian Film Festival . Among all of them, his muse stands out, bette davis , who stayed at the María Cristina when she was awarded the Donostia award.
The actress, very ill, she was seen little in the city her, although she looked genius and appears in the hotel bar, having a cocktail and smoking a cigar after collecting the award. This is the last snapshot preserved from the Davis, sporting a fabulous headdress and poise.
Festivals aside, nowadays personalities of the stature of Bruce Springstee n, great southern lover, who is easy to see taking waves on Gros beach.
filmmakers haven