San Sebastian
San Sebastian, also called Donostia in Basque, is a city located in the north of Spain but also the capital of the province Guipuzcoa belonging to the Basque Country. The city was an important military and naval base during the Middle Ages. Nowadays San Sebastian is a lively university town and a major economical pole.
Restaurants
San Sebastian counts 3 of the 7 Restaurants in Spain that hold the highest distinction in the gastronomy world , which is to say the coveted Michelin 3 stars. This is a true testimony and proof of the know-how of the culinary artists of San Sebastian.
- Akelare - Pedro Subijana:
This Michelin 3 star restaurant is located 7km west from the train station so you will need a car to reach it . If you have never been there, you may legitimately wonder why the restaurant is decentralised. Once you have seen this breathtaking location, you can understand all the magic of this place which is overlooking the Bay of Biscay. The famous chef Pedro Subijana is an emblematic figure of the gastronomy world and his numerous awards speak for themselves. He has been working and improving a base of three menus that will help you to discover his culinary world. You will explore a variety of new tastes in an incomparable setting.
- Restaurante Martín Berasategui:
As for our previous recommendation, this other Michelin 3 star restaurant is not centrally located, it is a 20 minutes car ride away from the centre which is totally worth the detour. In 2016, Tripadvisor has ranked his restaurant the best in the world for the second year in a row; not only for the unquestionable quality of his food but also his work ethic and philosophy.
- Casama Cámara:
The restaurant is situated in the east part of the city and is found inside a seventeenth century house at the entrance of the Pasajes harbour. Casama Cámara was founded in 1884 and has always belonged to the Cámara family. The perfect geographical location has allowed the restaurant to develop a strong reputation for its catering which is exclusively composed of fresh fish and sea food. Even if the restaurant does not have any Michelin star, the authentic and traditional setting combined to products of quality will leave you a lasting memory.
Hotels
- Hotel Arrizul Center:
The Hotel Arrizul Center is located in front of the Kuursaal Congress Center. The traditional style of its exterior façade gives a charming first impression and is just a few steps away from the city centre. There are 12 beautiful well-groomed rooms available. During the Film Festival of San Sebastian you will see the artists come to present their films or as you have a direct access to the centre you can also enjoy the tapas bars and shopping centres at the local rhythm.
- Hotel Niza:
This 3 star hotel offers a wonderful view of La Concha beach as well as its surroundings. You will enjoy a panorama of the beach surrounded by hills and beautiful houses with a typical Basque style, overlooking a passage through which the sea flow into the Bay. The central location will allow you to walk everywhere in the city, and the multilingual, attentive staff will advise you of their top tips of the town.
- Hotel Maria Christina:
The Hotel Maria Christina was built in 1912 and is an institution of San Sebastian as it is a magnificent 5 star hotel contributing to the international outreach of the city. This is an exceptional hotel with a customer satisfaction rating of 96%. The hotel is just a few blocks away from La Concha beach. However, what really distinguishes the Hotel Maria Christina is its environmental awareness and, in 2016, it was awarded the gold medal of the project ICARIUS from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA).