San Sebastian. One of the beautiful cities.

Top: Outdoor Pieta at St Vincent's. Below: Indoor head at St Vincent's, Cork not only city with a cow, and mariner Antonio de Oquendo

On Friday, we headed for San Sebastian, going by narrow gauge EuskaTren (Basque train) from Hendaye. We reached the Amara station and then strolled up Easo Street. We knew what to expect, had been there before.

But still the gorgeous view at the end of the street, the elegant curve surrounding La Concha beach, the old buildings nearby, the hill of Monto Urgull, the blue skies, the golden sands, took our breath away. Here we were in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Coastal sculpture (by Chillida) and schoolkids

Then we headed, past the City Hall, into the compact old city,making for the market (Bretxa). Amazingly, McDonald's have been given a front entrance here. The real market though is down below. Amazing food stalls.  Then we found Constitution Square full of delivery vans! The square was once used as a bull ring and the numbers on the apartments were once used for booking your seat.

Beaches and churches

Made our way then to the church of Santa Maria (left, above), passed by the Naval Museum and Aquarium and headed for the Paseo Nouevo, the road that runs around Monte Urgull. It is also a beautiful coastal walk, so we did it, admiring the Chillida sculpture as we started off. Not too long afterwards, we found  ourselves entering the other side of the old city with the huge Kraal conference centre across the river Urumea, spanned by a variety of bridges, some very ornate indeed. Then we called to the church of San Vincenze, the city's oldest, and also saw the museum of San Telmo.

Stayed close to the river, walking past some more spectacular older buildings, such as the Victoria Eugene Theatre before cutting in to see the church of Buen Pastor.

We did make a one or two food and drink stops, coffee and a slice of tart for about €2.70, and also some shopping before all the walking in the heat (31/2 degrees) began to take its toll and so we headed back down Easo Street and the train back to Hendaye.

City Hall

The sheltered bay: Mount Urgull on right.
More pics here