Quick trip to Northern Spain
My finances are not too big to fail, so I only had a couple of days to spend outside of Madrid. First stop was San Sebastián, or as the Basques prefer to call it, Donostia. It's a lovely town on the northern Atlantic coast. It is home to one of Europe's most popular film festivals and is known for excellent cuisine.
1.
The beach (La Concha) is a popular destination for Spaniards. It is bounded by two large hills that overlook the bay. We stayed in a hotel at the top of one of them. The temperatures in the north are moderate in summer, when the rest of the country is sweltering.
2.
The Urumea river runs through it to the sea.
3.
Basque nationalism is strong, and separatist extremism has been responsible for terrorist violence for decades. We missed a demonstration that turned ugly by only a day.
4.
There is a small fishing port which is a popular destination for seafood. Many great restaurants in the area.
5.
We timed our visit badly, as it was in the middle of one of the town's biggest fiestas, Semana Grande (Aste Nagusia in Basque). All the bars and restaurants were packed to overflowing but one nice thing were the fireworks at night. I wasn't carrying a tripod, but I did the best I could.
6.
We decided to flee the crowds to a quieter spot, so we headed inland towards a tiny medieval town named Sos del Rey Católico. We took a slight detour to see a castle in a village named Javier. It has a population of less than one hundred and they all seemed to be dedicated to selling Coca Cola to the tourists who stop there. Just Another Roadside Attraction, in the end.
7.
Sos was the birthplace of Ferdinand II (1452). Not much has happened there since, which makes it a perfectly charming place. It has a population of around 700, but it is well known enough in Spain that there are several good hotels and a few restaurants for visitors. Built on a hilltop, it is a maze of cobblestone streets and old but well preserved stone buildings.
8.
The roofs are mostly tile. I have a thing about old tile roofs, so I was in heaven there.
9.
10.
If it weren't for the wind turbines in the distance (and the TV antennas and satellite dishes) it would be easy to forget what century it is.
11.
There were few tourists and even fewer residents. I think they must have all gone to San Sebastian for the fiesta.
12.
13.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Spanish town without a big, old church. The oldest parts of this one (San Esteban) date from the 12th century.
14.
15.
Well, that gives you a taste. If you're still hungry, more pics can be found here.
Thanks for looking. C&C always welcome.
Hasta luego. :wave
1.
The beach (La Concha) is a popular destination for Spaniards. It is bounded by two large hills that overlook the bay. We stayed in a hotel at the top of one of them. The temperatures in the north are moderate in summer, when the rest of the country is sweltering.
2.
The Urumea river runs through it to the sea.
3.
Basque nationalism is strong, and separatist extremism has been responsible for terrorist violence for decades. We missed a demonstration that turned ugly by only a day.
4.
There is a small fishing port which is a popular destination for seafood. Many great restaurants in the area.
5.
We timed our visit badly, as it was in the middle of one of the town's biggest fiestas, Semana Grande (Aste Nagusia in Basque). All the bars and restaurants were packed to overflowing but one nice thing were the fireworks at night. I wasn't carrying a tripod, but I did the best I could.
6.
We decided to flee the crowds to a quieter spot, so we headed inland towards a tiny medieval town named Sos del Rey Católico. We took a slight detour to see a castle in a village named Javier. It has a population of less than one hundred and they all seemed to be dedicated to selling Coca Cola to the tourists who stop there. Just Another Roadside Attraction, in the end.
7.
Sos was the birthplace of Ferdinand II (1452). Not much has happened there since, which makes it a perfectly charming place. It has a population of around 700, but it is well known enough in Spain that there are several good hotels and a few restaurants for visitors. Built on a hilltop, it is a maze of cobblestone streets and old but well preserved stone buildings.
8.
The roofs are mostly tile. I have a thing about old tile roofs, so I was in heaven there.
9.
10.
If it weren't for the wind turbines in the distance (and the TV antennas and satellite dishes) it would be easy to forget what century it is.
11.
There were few tourists and even fewer residents. I think they must have all gone to San Sebastian for the fiesta.
12.
13.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Spanish town without a big, old church. The oldest parts of this one (San Esteban) date from the 12th century.
14.
15.
Well, that gives you a taste. If you're still hungry, more pics can be found here.
Thanks for looking. C&C always welcome.
Hasta luego. :wave
0
Comments
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Looks like you had a nice trip! Thanks for taking us with you!
Bob: I live in Madrid, so it was an easy train ride to San Sebastian. I spent 10 days in Galicia a few years ago and loved it. But like San Sebastian, the weather can be nasty there outside of May-Sept. Lots of rain and overcast days.
Thanks, tisun. I wish I could have spent more time there.
Thanks for commenting, Andrew. Much appreciated.