A beautiful Spanish coastal town with incredible food and amazing beach has been voted the best in the country.
San Sebastián, or Donostia as it is also known, is a resort town on the Bay of Biscay in Spain’s mountainous Basque region. It is home to some of the most famous beaches in the country including Playa de la Concha and Playa de Ondarreta, as well as a world renowned foodie scene.
In its cobblestoned old town visitors are treated to an idyllic way of life where upscale shops sit next to vibrant pintxo bars.
The Spanish town has been judged the best on the coast in a survey of more than 1,200 holidaymaking Brits conducted by Which? At the complete other end of the survey and offering a totally different vibe is Puerto Banús in Marbella, which was dismissed as 'tacky' and 'too expensive'.
While the pricey label could also be slapped onto San Sebastián, no one could charge it with tackiness. Timon van Basten, a Spain-based tour guide and founder of Travel Spain 24, who has called Spain home for five years, said the beloved coastal town was "very different" from Marbella.
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San Sebastián topped the Which? survey (Getty Images)"It is considered the best beach resort in Spain, and I totally recommend it! This city in the Basque region is famous for its amazing food, with multiple restaurants that have Michelin stars. The whole food culture celebrates delicious, traditional Basque cooking," he told the Mirror.
"I'll never forget when (my partner) Filipa and I first found this tiny little pintxos bar in San Sebastián's Old Town. Pintxos are these delightful little bites, kind of like Spanish tapas. One incredibly tasty pintxos dish after another just kept arriving at our table. Each one was an explosion of flavours in our mouths.
"But San Sebastián isn't just about the mind-blowing food (although that's a great reason to visit!). It also has gorgeous beaches, beautiful old buildings, and a really lively arts and culture scene. It's an all-around awesome, authentic Spanish destination."
Despite scoring higher in every category, San Sebastián is significantly cheaper to visit than Marbella. On average, it costs around €90 per person per day there, while Marbella averages €117 per person.
Lucia Polla is a travel expert specializing in Southern Spain. She is the founder of Viva La Vita, a travel blog featuring hidden gems and popular destinations in Southern Spain.
"Unlike flashy Puerto Banús, San Sebastián is elegant in a humble way and very proud of its culture and food," she explained.
"The old town architecture in San Sebastián is gorgeous. The promenades along the beach are lively and fun. But the best part is the amazing food! San Sebastián has a ton of Michelin-starred restaurants and cozy tapa bars with creative Basque small plates. Going bar-hopping to try the local drinks is one of my favorite things to do there.
The beautiful town is also known as Donostia (Getty Images)"While Puerto Banús is for seeing luxury, San Sebastián is the perfect Spanish city getaway. You can experience the true culture, eat incredible meals, stroll beautiful streets, and just relax in the laid-back Spanish way of life. As a travel expert, I want people to visit places like San Sebastián that show the heart of Spain."
The one potential drawback with visiting San Sebastián is that many others are likely to have had the same idea. It scored badly on Which?'s peace and quiet scale, in no small part due to the large crowds which congregate on the cobbles and the harbour.
Since April 10, San Sebastián has limited the maximum number of people in guided visits to 25 to avoid congestion, noise, nuisance and overcrowding in the historical city. The local council has warned tour guides that they face a fine of up to 1,500 euros if they are found flouting the rules.
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The new rules soon to kick in aim to "promote a more orderly flow of visitors in the busiest areas of the city". A few months ago, the city council also prohibited the use of public address systems on guided tours, in a bid to keep the peace.
In terms of getting there, a number of UK airport run flights to the small San Sebastián airport, while the town is just a 40 minute drive from Barcelona. Brittany Ferries also runs services from the south coast of England to ports close to the Spanish town.
The full results can be found on the Which? website.
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