Beach Travel Wine Podcast · Leanne McCabe

144. San Sebastian, Spain. The best things to do in San Sebastian.

·43 min·2 clips

Anchovies with blueberry jam turned out to be delicious, despite sounding awful at first.

1. Beach Travel Wine Podcast episode 144 focuses on San Sebastian, Spain, a Basque coastal city the hosts also call Donostia. 2. Lyle and Leonita host the episode, and Sylvia appears later as the local pinchos guide who explains bar etiquette and food choices. 3. The episode answers what San Sebastian is good for: walking, beaches, pinchos bars, and city views. 4. The hosts say they reached San Sebastian by regional train from Segovia in about five to six hours. 5. They mention three nearby airports: San Sebastian, Bilbao, and Biarritz. 6. Their walking tour begins near the Urumia River, which divides the old town from the newer side of the city. 7. The Maria Christina Bridge, the Maria Cristina Hotel, and the Victoria Eugenia Theatre are early landmarks on the route. 8. The hosts stop at the Maria Christina Hotel to point out Civil War bullet holes still visible on the building. 9. The tour continues through Zuriola Beach, which they describe as surfy, wide, and closer to an Australian beach than most Spanish beaches. 10. They also spend time at La Concha Beach, the Miramar Palace gardens, Mount Igueldo, and Mount Urgull. 11. The hosts say the Maria Cristina Bridge is the first thing you see when you leave the train station. 12. They describe Plaza de Gipuzkoa as a garden with ponds, swans, and the Diputacion building. 13. They note that San Sebastian has a strong coffee culture and an upscale shopping district with fashion shops and a food market. 14. The old casino area at El Derrida Park is linked in the guide to Second World War spies. 15. Sylvia explains that pinchos were invented in San Sebastian during the 1930s to 1940s. 16. The hosts say the classic Gilda pincho uses anchovy, guindilla pepper, and olive, and that toothpicks used to determine the bill. 17. The pinchos tour teaches them to order directly at the bar, make room in crowded spaces, and leave after one or two bites and drinks. 18. Their tastings include anchovies with blueberry jam, anchovies with crab meat, mixed jamón, prawn skewers, smoked salmon, duck, and scallops. 19. The episode feels conversational and travel-guide-like, with two hosts comparing notes, telling stories, and stopping for practical details. 20. Listeners who like food travel, Basque cities, and walkable beach towns will get the most from it; listeners wanting a fast-paced narrative should skip it.

As heard by us

A useful San Sebastian guide with promenade walking, pinchos advice, and trip-planning extras.

San Sebastian gets a practical, ground-level look: a walk along the promenade, time in the old town, and a few useful notes on how to get into busy pinchos bars without standing there frozen at the door.

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Why you'd press play

You want a San Sebastian plan that feels like advice from friends who just got back.

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