La Concha Bay, San Sebastian
An old European city overlooking the ocean is an amazing sight and San Sebastian, Spain, is no exception. It is home to three beaches – the larger of the three, La Concha Bay, is a beach where you can lounge beneath the Basque sun and admire the stunning historical architecture. An island in the distance adds to the already picturesque horizon especially during the sunset when the entire city takes on a warm glow reflecting yellows and oranges from the buildings onto your tanning skin.
Separated from La Concha by a rocky outcropping called El Pico del Loro, is Ondarreta beach which technically is on the same bay as La Concha. Both La Concha and Ondarreta are your typical lounging beaches complete with daily umbrella rentals, free bathrooms and changing rooms.
San Sebastian
If you are looking for more of a surfing scene then La Zurriola is the place for you. You can rent surfboards there and the waves are pretty decent. You can find waterskiing on La Concha and Kayaking on Ondarreta. If this isn’t enough activity for you or perhaps you need a break from the beach (whch I’d like to think is HIGHLY unlikely!) then going for hike to appreciate the surroundings from a higher vantage point is the way to go.
I recommend taking a leisurely pace about an hour before sunset so you have enough time to enjoy the hike in time to admire the sun setting over the Atlantic from the ‘hidden’ beach bar at the top.
Related: Dreaming of Spain and Costa del Sol; Taller de Tapas in Barcelona, Spain.
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6 Responses
I’m trying to find where and how to pre-book umbrella rentals. Do you know how?
Stacey – I’m not sure if you can pre-book them although if you are staying somewhere that has umbrella rentals I am pretty sure you get priority service over someone who isn’t a guest.
Ok, that’s it, I’ve just discovered this blog and you’ve already hit on several of my favorite places in the world.
If you’re going to the Basque country, also look into the smaller seaside villages. Plentzia was one of my favorites while studying in Bilbao, and the surfers in our group enjoyed Sopelana and Larrabasterra. They’re both on the metro line from Bilbao (~20 minutes from the city center), so are easily accessible (~90 minutes from San Sebastian). And then there’s San Juan de Guatxulete near Berneo…
[...] San Sebastian, in the northern Basque area of Spain, is one of the country’s most beautiful resort towns. Its crescent beach lures Spain’s elite, who stay in glitzy high-rise hotels with ocean views, dine at Michelin-starred restaurants and generally live the Spanish high life. For those on a more modest budget, Pension Bellas Artes, a 10-minute walk from the beach, is a less expensive and more personal option. The Beach at San Sebastian [...]
Best beaches on the Basque Country are further west, in Bizkaya (or whatever). Concha is too posh to be fun.
This one is Laida, I think.
We had a really great vacation and a good time at the beach in San Sebastian. Lot’s of memories… .