Manifesting My San Se-Best-ián Era

A fantabulous time was had in San Sebastián!

I’m not great with geography, but it’s technically in Spain, although they prefer it to be referred to as the Basque region. I mean, it’s not far from France, if that helps?

Above all, San Sebastián is the food capital of Europe, if not the world… 😋🤤

The food there is kind of like tapas, but they call it pintxos, and we were obsessed with it! In a nutshell, it’s a picky-bits lover’s delight.

My top recommendation? Any croquettes from KROKETERIA DONOSTIARRA, but especially the cheese ones.

I came back looking and smelling like a dairy cow from the amount of cheese croquettes I ate… No regrets, and I’d 100% do it again! 🧀😂

Basque-ing in the Glory of Cheesecake

One of the things they’re most famous for is their Basque cheesecakes.

Now, I’m a huge cheesecake fan in general, but Basque cheesecake is next level!

I think it also helps that we tried the OG from La Viña.

If you ever find yourself in San Sebastián, make sure you go to La Viña! Another reason to love it? They give you two slices with each order. Result! 👌🍰🤩

If Life’s a Beach, Make It Worthwhile

Back to the title of this blog post: I’m literally obsessed with the beach near our hotel, Ondarreta. It was so quiet, with hardly anyone on it!

The sand was so clean and golden, and the beach itself was beautifully maintained and pristine.

I just loved the chilled atmosphere. Everyone was so laid back, and the vibe was pure mellow!

Another shoutout: La Perla is the perfect place to hang out with views of the sea, sippin’ an Aperol (other beverages are available). 🍹🌊

Literally Coasting Along, And Having A Roller of Time

One fun fact we learned while we were there: their weekend days are Sunday and Monday, meaning lots of shops, bars and restaurants were closed.

We’d definitely recommend checking opening times in advance, as they weren’t always the same as advertised on Google. For example, La Viña doesn’t open on Mondays. Not that it stopped us going there every other day… 😋

Also, we’d actually visited during the quieter season, having just missed the August tourist rush.

Mid-September turned out to be the perfect time to go though, with fewer crowds, shorter queues and gorgeous weather. ☀️

Another thing we noticed? Everyone spoke to us in Spanish, which made us feel like honorary locals.

I even downloaded Duolingo when I got home because I could genuinely see myself living there one day! 😆 (This always happens, every time I travel!)

Putting the “Fun” in Funicular

Another highlight of the trip, aside from the food and beach, was the funicular. The views from the top were incredible, but the rollercoaster up there completely caught us off guard! 😂

I expected a gentle little ride giving us the chance to take in the views, but it was surprisingly fast, and most of my footage ended up being me screaming, laughing.

On the whole, though? Sensayshhh! 🙌

The view from the top of the funicular (and Mount Igueldo)? 👇✨

Beau. Ti. Ful. Or – full of beauty, amiright?

It wouldn’t be an ‘art blog’ if I didn’t share something arty:

“SAND” Sebastián! 🎨🏖️

We spotted some incredible sand art on the beach that was so detailed and beautiful. Honestly, I have no idea how they created it, especially as they couldn’t even see it from above!

The artists would occasionally look up to spot people taking photos and ask for a donation, but we happily gave them some money anyway because their work was brilliant. 😍

I loved it so much that I started referring to the place as “SAND Sebastián”. 😆

We also came across a few buskers who were fantastic. One was playing proper Spanish music and the whole thing was giving siesta vibes. I was absolutely here, there and everywhere for it! 💃🏻

The cherry on the Basque cheesecake* for me? The Jesus statue up on the hill, visible from all over the city and towering above everything else.

What a guy, JC! ❤️

Oh, and Jesus if you’re reading this, thanks for the rainbow on the day we headed home. 🌈