36 Hours in San Sebastián, Spain

36 Hours in San Sebastián, Spain
By INGRID K. WILLIAMS
Published: August 4, 2011.
Copyright by The New York Times 2011.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/08/07/travel/36-hours-in-san-sebastin-spain.html?hpw


TO visit San Sebastián, on Spain’s northern coast, is to fall in love. The first sight of the shimmering scallop-shaped bay, replete with crescents of golden sand and turquoise waves, will sweep you off your feet. Pairing this natural beauty with the unrivaled local cuisine — from decadent Michelin-starred feasts to delectable bite-sized pintxos (Basque-style tapas) — may leave your head spinning. A spruced-up seaside promenade, a renovated museum and a forthcoming culinary school all add to the city’s allure. But this love affair doesn’t have to be a fling. In June, the city secured a coveted designation as a 2016 European Capital of Culture, ensuring that it will put its best foot forward for years to come.

Friday

4 p.m.
1) PHANTOM BEACH

Start with a stroll along the four-mile oceanfront promenade that hugs the city’s three sandy beaches. The loveliest segment cradles La Concha beach and the bay. Or, for a new perspective of this gorgeous shore scene, take the 10-minute boat ride offered by Motoras de la Isla (Paseo Mollaberria; 34-943-000-450; motorasdelaisla.com; 3.80 euros, or $5.35 at $1.41 to the euro) from the port to Isla Santa Clara in the middle of the bay. Depending on the tides, the uninhabited islet might reveal its own slip of sand — San Sebastián’s phantom fourth beach.

6:30 p.m.
2) MUSEO PASEO

Take the scenic route to the San Telmo Museoa (Plaza Zuloaga 1; 34-943-481-580; santelmomuseoa.com), which reopened in the Parte Vieja (Old Town) in April, by following the promenade from the port around Mount Urgull, the wooded peak crowned with a statue of Jesus on the eastern edge of the bay. The museum’s new facade — a stark gray wall pocked with holes through which greenery sprouts — mimics the natural rocky surroundings but sharply contrasts with the adjoining building, a refurbished 16th-century former Dominican convent where the permanent collection of Basque art and historical artifacts is displayed.

9 p.m.
3) DRAMATIC DINING

Ni Neu (Avenida de Zurriola 1; 34-943-003-162; restaurantenineu.com), which means “I Myself” in Basque, is the new restaurant at the Kursaal, the auditorium and convention center occupying a pair of glowing modernist cubes beside Zurriola beach. The restaurant’s slick black walls and spotlighted tables are the stage upon which the stylish set gathers to dine on tuna tartare with green lemon cream, or roast lamb with flourishes of coffee and cardamom. If you prefer less drama with dinner, consider Narru (Calle de Zubieta 56; 34-943-423-349; narru.es), which reopened in April beneath the Hotel Niza after a crosstown move. The popular subterranean restaurant serves pared-down, unpretentious fare like a meltingly tender secreto Ibérico with Basque apples. Dinner for two (including wine) at either hot spot is about 60 euros.

11:30 p.m.
4) THE LAID-BACK OPTION

Avoid the cheesy beachfront discos and seek out the laid-back bar Ondarra (Avenida de Zurriola 16; no phone; ondarraclub.com) in Gros, the neighborhood that flanks the surfing beach Zurriola. Early in the evening, the tables that spill onto the sidewalk are the ideal spot for a round of gin and tonics with new friends. Later, the downstairs club, 16 bis, plugs in.

Saturday

9:30 a.m.
5) EAT YOUR HOMEWORK

Don’t sleep through this class. A multi-Michelin-starred chef might be at the head of the classroom at the Basque Culinary Center (Paseo Juan Avelino Barriola 101; 34-943-535-103; bculinary.com), a new culinary school and research institute with an international consultancy board headed by the nonpareil chef Ferran Adrià. The brand-new campus and four-year degree program won’t make its debut until October, but continuing-education courses for professional chefs and half-day classes for “gastronomic enthusiasts”(the rest of us) — like an introduction to avant-garde sweets or a summer grilling lesson — have already begun in off-site locations around the city. For now, classes are conducted only in Spanish, but the center plans to add courses in English beginning in September.

2:30 p.m.
6) STELLAR CELLAR

Hidden among the pintxo bars of the Parte Vieja is a simple staircase that descends to the sunny-walled restaurant Bodegón Alejandro (Calle de Fermín Calbetón 4; 34-943-427-158; bodegonalejandro.com), a longtime bastion of stellar Basque cuisine. The colorful tile and sturdy wooden tables feel traditional, but the six-course tasting menu — a steal at 38.50 euros, without drinks — is a modern riff on regional classics. A recent version included “lasagna” of anchovies and ratatouille atop gazpacho cream, and a rich risotto infused with cuttlefish oil and Idiazábal cheese.

5 p.m.
7) T-SHIRT TIME

At Kukuxumusu (Calle Mayor 15; 34-943-421-184; kukuxumusu.com), goofy cartoons are slapped on everything from T-shirts to flasks. This storefront in the Parte Vieja was this design company’s first, but the kooky brand has since expanded all over Spain. For an authentic upstart vibe, instead visit Viva la Vida (Calle de Narrica 12; 34-943-430-378; vivalavidatodalavida.com), which opened last year. The tiny shop peddles playful, original graphic designs, like melting rainbow-colored sunglasses, that are splashed across simple tanks, tees and tote bags.

6:30 p.m.
8) FOR HIPSTERS AND KIDS

The sublime mingles with the absurd atop Mount Igueldo (34-943-213-525; www.monteigueldo.es) on the western edge of the bay. Ride the rumbling funicular (2.80 euros) to the summit where the Mount Igueldo Tower claims to offer “the best view in the world” (it is indeed grand). Then revisit childhood at the ancient amusement park, where the rickety rides and classic carnival games are all so ridiculously — though unintentionally — retro that they transcend tackiness and become hilariously fun for small children and hipsters alike.

9:30 p.m.
9) TXIKITEO CHEAT SHEET

Tailor a txikiteo — the Basque term for a pintxo-bar hop — around the bars in the Parte Vieja where traditional pintxos are being elevated to haute cuisine in miniature. Start at the long wooden counter of Astelena (Calle de Iñigo 1; 34-943-425-245) with croquetas coated in crunchy pistachios, or crispy crepes stuffed with salmon and cheese. Then squeeze into the narrow La Cuchara de San Telmo (Calle 31 de Agosto 28; no phone; lacucharadesantelmo.com) for sumptuous seared foie gras with apple compote, or tangy orzo and goat cheese risotto. Round out the tour at the black-and-red bar A Fuego Negro (Calle 31 de Agosto 31; 34-650-135-373; afuegonegro.com), the pinnacle of pintxo prowess. Order the “Makcobe,” a mini wagyu burger on a ketchup-infused bun with fried banana “txips,” but don’t miss the three icy scoops of spider crab, avocado and licorice (a strangely delicious trio), or pastel cherry-meringue wafer with mackerel, sheep’s cheese and mint. Each pintxo costs about 3 euros.

Sunday

9 a.m.
10) BREADCRUMB TRAIL

This year marks the 800th anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, the final destination of the pilgrimage trail known as the Camino de Santiago. One major route of the Camino passes through San Sebastián, so for a taste of the celebrated trek, hike up Calle de Zemoriya in Gros and follow the yellow trail markings (in reverse), weaving through lush forests and past postcard-perfect panoramas of cliffs sinking into the sea. Before you set off, carbo load with a moist, chewy brioche or a crusty baguette from Galparsoro (Calle Mayor 6; 34-943-420-113; galparsorookindegia.eu), a phenomenal little bakery that supplies the area’s top restaurants.

1:30 p.m.
11) TWO IF BY LAND ...

Last year, a fire devastated the kitchen of Mugaritz (Aldura Aldea 20, Errenteria; 34-943-522-455; mugaritz.com), a two-Michelin-star restaurant in an understated country house nestled in the hills outside town. After a four-month closure, the restaurant reopened in June 2010 with the chef Andoni Luis Aduriz once again puzzling and delighting diners — often simultaneously — with ingenious dishes like an aromatic mortar soup (which requires diners to pestle-pound spices and seeds before servers add finishing touches of herbs and fish broth) and crispy shredded beef tongue (presented as “mystery meat”). Curious to find out what clinches that elusive third star? Book a table with a view overlooking the sea at Akelarre (Paseo Padre Orcolaga 56; 34-943-311-209; akelarre.net), the three-Michelin-star gastronomic temple where Pedro Subijana has been feeding foodies for over 30 years, with concoctions that range from edible paper and foie gras with sugar to ethereal mousses. Tasting menus (18 courses at Mugaritz; 8 courses at Akelarre) are about 140 euros, without drinks.

IF YOU GO

The Hotel Gran Bahía Bernardo (Calle de Trueba 1; 34-943-298-049; www.hotelgranbahiabernardo.com) opened in December 2010 in Gros, a few blocks from Zurriola beach. The 10 simple rooms have hardwood floors, cool photography on the walls and free Wi-Fi. Doubles cost 144 euros, or $203, in high season.

The two-year old, 102-room Hotel Astoria 7 (Calle de la Sagrada Familia 1; 34-943-445-000; astoria7hotel.com) pays homage to the cinema stars of San Sebastián’s annual film festival. The top-notch food emporium Don Serapio is nearby, but the pintxo-packed Parte Vieja is a 20-minute walk. High-season doubles from 140 euros.