Somewhere for the weekend... San Sebastian

WHY GO NOW?

WHY GO NOW?

Tomorrow sees the start of the annual San Sebastian Film Festival, now in its 51st year. This offers 10 days of celluloid-packed action until 27 September. Cinematically, the city may not be on the same scale as Cannes or Venice, but it still attracts a stellar line-up of celebrities and film-makers. San Sebastian also offers a diverse programme of films, which this year includes a selection of Magrebhi films and retrospectives of the work of the directors Preston Sturges and Michael Winterbottom. Screenings take place in several cinemas around the city but the official selection will be shown at the spectacular Kursaal Centre.

Tickets, which cost €4.20 (£3), can be bought at the various cinemas and from the Festival Ticket office located in the Zinemaldi Plaza of the Kursaal Centre. This is open from 9am-8.30pm throughout the festival. For details of the schedule see the official website, www.sansebastianfestival.ya.com. For more information contact the Spanish Tourist Office on 020-7486 8077 and see www.tourspain.co.uk.

DOWN PAYMENT

San Sebastian's airport is located in Hondarribia, 22km from the centre of town. There are no direct flights from the UK, so it's best to fly to either Bilbao, 105km west of the city or Biarritz, 55km away over the border in France. This weekend, easyJet (0870 600 0000; www.easyJet.com) is offering return flights from Stansted to Bilbao (travelling out on Friday and back on Monday) for £100. Iberia (0845 601 2854; www.iberiaairlines.co.uk) flies from Heathrow, but has only business class available, price £635 return. From Bilbao's graceful Santiago Calatrava-designed airport, take the number 3247 bus to the centre of town for €1 (70p). Transfer on the underground two stops €1.15 (82p) to the bus station from which there are regular coach services to San Sebastian. The journey costs €8 (£5.70) one-way and takes around an hour. A taxi from Bilbao will cost €120 (£85).

Ryanair (0871 246 0000; www.ryanair.com) offers flights to Biarritz this weekend from Stansted for £176 return. This is definitely the budget option. From Biarritz airport you can walk to Biarritz station (nowhere near Biarritz town), and take a train to Hendaye on the Spanish border. Walk across to the Spanish town of Irun, and board the narrow-gauge train to San Sebastian. You should be able to do the trip for about €10 (£7) each way. Alternatively, a taxi should cost €80 (£57).

INSTANT BRIEFING

San Sebastian (Donostia, to give it its Basque name), is spectacularly positioned, surrounded by the verdant foothills of the Pyrénées, looking out towards the Bay of Biscay. The city boasts three beaches, the most celebrated being the golden sweep of sand called La Concha, that arcs around the edge of the bay of the same name. The bay is sheltered on either side by two hills, Monte Igeldo and the statue-topped Monte Urgull - the resulting effect being a bit like a mini-Rio de Janeiro. The city has a pleasant, old-fashioned feel, with gracious belle époque buildings and wide streets. This is largely due to San Sebastian's prominence as one of Europe's top spa resorts at the end of the 19th century. The Spanish royal family sealed its fate as Spain's most fashionable resort when they took up summer residence here in 1885.

At the foot of Monte Urgull, you'll find the city's tiny harbour located just outside what remains of the city walls. Nearby is the central Parte Vieja, or old town, a warren of golden-hued, sandstone streets lined with pintxos bars and restaurants. To the east across the river Urumea is the ultra-modern Kursaal Centre. This entertainment and cultural complex is considered by many to be San Sebastian's answer to the Guggenheim. Designed by architect Rafael Moneo, it was inaugurated in 1999. Its two wonky, rectangular, box-like glass structures are particularly spectacular at night when they are illuminated.

San Sebastian's main tourist office (00 34 943 48 11 66; www.sansebastianturismo.com) is located at Reina Regente 3. Until the end of September, it is open from 8am-8pm, daily except Sunday when it opens from 10am-2pm and 3-7pm.

REST ASSURED

During the festival, all the stars, directors and producers stay at the Maria Cristina at calle Oquendo 1 (00 34 943 43 76 00; www.starwood.com), a classic grande dame of a hotel. Located on the banks of the river Urumea, it's close to the centre of town and the beach - its belle époque exterior is most often likened to a wedding cake. Double rooms start from €248 (£177) including breakfast. Overlooking La Concha is another of San Sebastian's established hotels, the Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra at calle Zubieta 2 (00 34 943 440 770; www.hlondres.com). It has double rooms with sea view from €171 (£122) excluding breakfast. Close to Ondarreta beach, the Hotel La Galeria at Infanta Cristina 1-3 (00 34 943 216 077; www.hotellagalleria.com) is a French-style villa with double rooms excluding breakfast from €117 (£83) per night.

MUST SEE

The Miramar Place is surrounded by a velvety blanket of lawns and gardens with views over La Concha. Built in 1893 in an English-mansion-style, it was Queen Maria Cristina's summer residence and is now a pleasant public garden.

San Sebastian's most famous artist is the sculptor Eduardo Chillida. At the westerly end of Ondarreta beach you will find his spectacular sculpture El Peine del Viento (the Wind's Comb) - three giant, prong-like combs positioned on the rocks and exposed to the full force of the elements. Walk the few steps to the perfectly preserved 1920s Monte Igueldo funicular railway and ascend to the top for panoramic views of the city. Return tickets cost €1.60 (£1.15).

Do as most people do and walk at least a section of the promenade around the entire length of San Sebastian's bay and beaches. Afterwards, take a walk around the Aquarium at Plaza Carlos Blasco de Imaz (00 34 943 44 00 99; www.aquariumss.com), which has a walk-through tunnel displaying piscine life. It opens 11am-7pm from Monday to Friday, 11am-8pm at weekends, admission €9 (£6.40).

In the Parte Vieja, visit the church of San Vincente on the calle 31 de Agosto - this was built in the 15th century and is the oldest monument in the city. Alternatively, spend an afternoon in the relaxing waters of the La Perla thalassotherapy centre on Paseo de la Concha (00 34 943 45 88 56; www.la-perla.net). This is still housed in the same original building right on La Concha. An hour and 45 minutes bobbing around in its heated, sea-water pools costs €16.80 (£12).

MUST BUY

San Sebastian prides itself on its lack of department stores, but there are plenty of independent shops to browse around particularly in the streets surrounding Alameda del Boulevard and the Avenida de la Libertad.

Visit the fish stalls in the daily market in the basement of the central Mercado de la Brecha. Here you'll see displays of glistening fish, freshly plucked from the Atlantic. Outside, there's a small market of local produce from the surrounding hills and make sure you pick up a bottle of locally produced cider for €1.70 (£1.20).

MUST EAT

Pintxos (pronounced pinchos), are the Basque equivalent of tapas and an integral part of life here. The Parte Vieja is home to the vast majority, its streets are lined with bars and restaurants, particularly Fermin Calbeton and calle 31 Agosto - referred to as "restaurant walk". Every local has their favourite pintxos bar and will visit several in an evening. Go to Astelena at Inigo 1 (00 34 943 42 62 75) for delicious hot potato croquettes and hake pastels; La Cepa at calle 31 de Agosto 7 (00 34 943 42 63 94) for a taste of the celebrated Iberico ham which dangles from its ceiling; and Ganbara at San Jeronimo 21 for flash-fried plates of local mushrooms. This is all washed down with the requisite tipple of a glass of red wine or the local sparkling white wine called txakoli, poured with a flourish from a height of around 3ft above the glass.

San Sebastian is a gourmet's heaven. There are no fewer than 15 Michelin-starred restaurants in and around the city. The most celebrated of these is the three-starred Restaurant Arzak at Alt Miracruz 21 (00 34 943 28 55 93). Its blow-out menu degustation costs €77 (£55) and will take your taste buds to a place they've never been before.

The city is also renowned for its regional Basque specialities. Rekondo on Paseo de Igueldo (00 34 943 212 907) serves delicious Basque cuisine such as baked spider crab txangurro al horno.

In the old town, Bodegon Alejandro (Fermin Calbeton; 00 34 943 42 71 58; www.matinberasategui.com) serves three courses of traditional-style dishes, the highlight of which is the steak, for €27 (£19). It's difficult not to have a good meal in any restaurant as standards are so high. Pick up a useful gourmet guide at the tourist office for €1.50 (£1.10).

INTO THE NIGHT

If you're not groaning after all the excess, you'll have no problem finding action after dinner. You can return to the pintxos bars for further drinks - most stay open until 2am - or head to the Plaza de la Constitucion, in the heart of the old city, which is also lined with bars with tables spilling out into the square.

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