May not roll smoothly on the tongue but try saying “pinchos” and “tchakoli” instead, so the tongue may not strike a knot on itself. Pintxos is the Basque variant of tapas and the biggest difference is that in the Basque country the food is usually spiced with a cocktail stick, barbecue skewer or toothpick. The main thing is that the food is pierced with a stick. Txakoli is a kind of wine with a slightly lower alcohol content, usually it is white wine but there are some types of both red and rosé. Both food and wine can be found in many bars around San Sebastian. Going on a bar tour of the city is a great way to get acquainted with the local flavors. If you want to go to one of the really big restaurants with Michelin stars, you usually have to book several months in advance.
The old town which is generally cozy to stroll around has nice cobbled streets and some beautiful churches to look at. But there is also some shopping, ranging from souvenirs to design shops. If you go to the Gros area you can shop some odd and unique things, there are many antiques and some sports shops where you can buy for example a surfboard.
Many who go to San Sebastian have the beaches in sight. Rightly so, Playa de la Concha has been named the most beautiful and best beach in Europe. Stroll along the pleasant promenade that leads west to Playa de la Ondarreta, which is especially good for families with children. The city’s third beach is called Playa de Zurriola and here many of the city’s youngsters hang out and there is volleyball, beach football and of course a lot of surfing.
There is also a mountain, Monte Igueldo, on the la Concha beach and at the top of the mountain is an amusement park that is more than 100 years old. To get up the mountain, you must ride an old train path. If you want to hike in nature instead you can ascend Monte Urgull, you get up by walking on winding little paths and at the top is a 12-meter-high statue of Jesus.
