San Sebastián Off The Beaten Path

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The Plaza de Bilbao is another one of those well-planned additions to the Ensanche Cortazar. It is a wide, circular plaza with a massive fountain in the centre. It is also one of the sights you’re likely to see when you first arrive if you come by train, as it is right across the Puente Maria Cristina from the Estación del Norte. I don’t know that there is much significance to this particular square, but it is ringed by excellent cafés, so you should really plan to stop in and enjoy the Belle Époque spirit of the Ensanche at one of the bars along the square. Be careful of sitting to close to the fountain – especially on a windy day!

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Centro Cultural Koldo Mitxelena is a free cultural centre right across from the Catedral del Buen Pastor. Actually, it is a good idea to plan to visit these two sites at the same time, if both of them interest you. The Cultural Centre has a number of installations, including a library and exhibition room, and I believe that the mission of the centre is to focus more on modern art and popular cultural rather than classical works. When I visited San Sebastian, the Cultural Centre has an exhibition of art through video games. It was actually fairly clever – artists used their programming abilities to design videogames that either exposed our sensitivity to violence or the difficulties of running a fast food store or the various stereotypes that underlie popular culture and music. Plus, it was interactive and let you pretend that playing video games was actually a way to broaden your knowledge of modern art. This is not a heavily frequently exhibition centre either, so if you’re looking to do something in order to escape the crowds, the Cultural Centre might be a good idea.

The museum shows 700 years of Naval History:
Collections of corals, fossils, crustaceans and shells;
Reproductions of historic large ships;
11m long whale skeleton;
Different whaling skills, from the middle age to nowadays techniques;
Thousands species and great fish tank with a 360 degrees tunnel going through it.

Special place built by Chillida... located in Ondarreta Neighbourhood under the hill where you can go up by a teleferic
it looks where the wind gets the coastline and the sculpture (combs) "comb" the air

There are several beautiful fisher towns near San Sebastian that deserve a visit: Pasajes San Juan, Hondarribi (also with fortress), Orio, Zarautz, Getaria, Zumaia...
In the city, visit the Cristina-Enea Park, the Ayete Park with their palaces...and another interesting view of the city from the Ulia Mountain with a nice drink from the Bar-Restaurant there.
Another thing you should not forget is going up to the Igeldo mountain in the railway funicular that departs from near the 'Peine del Viento' by 'Ondarreta' beach.

Well, this is a suggestion for all people who love the trekking. You can go from Donostia to Pasaia or from Pasaia to Donostia, during 2 or 3 hours of a pleasant trek. The duration of the trek depends on the way that you choose. Basically, there are 3 routes: the red and white marks route, the yellow and white marks route, and the yellow-boots route.
I recommend you the last one: yellow boots route, because you walk close to the sea.
Only you have to do before choosing a route is follow the marks. Marks are painted on trees, on rocks....

I think you should visit this bath. It is on the middle of the Kontxa Bay, and the views from it are spectaculars. Also, you will enjoy a lot with its therapies.
Then, you will complet a great experience having a meal at its restaurant.
The prices are unexpensives, so enjoy!

The green hills outside of San Sebastian are well known for there cider production.
Apparently from around late January until late April you can visit the Cider Houses and eat and drink there. Due to time etc. we did not get chance to visit but would love to do this another time. If anyone has info on how you get to these places etc. I would be very grateful for the information.