San Sebastian, located in the North of Spain, holds a special place because it is in the Basque Country, which is an autonomous community. With a strong hold of history, culture, and traditions, San Sebastian also has modern influence and has a reputation for world-class cuisine.
While the rest of Spain enjoys a great crowd most of the time in the year, San Sebastian is relatively less crowded and offers solace from the rush. When planning for a San Sebastian city tour, knowing about few facts will add more flavor to your itinerary.
It Is Called Donostia
Many people visiting San Sebastian don’t know that it is called Donostia, and you will even see the name everywhere. The reason why the locals call it Donostia or Donosti is because of an urban legend. As per the legend, Saint Sebastian was killed and named the Saint of Ostia, a small port near Rome. Saint is referred to as Don in Italian, and Ostia was the place, creating the term Donostia.
The Fourth Beach
As a small island town, San Sebastian does have beaches, and there are mainly 3 beaches that people know of, but there is actually a fourth one. Apart from La Concha, Ondarreta, and La Zurriola, San Sebastian also has Santa Clara Beach because which is only visible during the low tide.
They Have Their Own Language
The Basque is not a new country and has existed for quite a long time. Based on the cave painting found suggests that the Basque language has its origin in the language which was spoken some 40,000 years ago, and is known as Euskera, which is still spoken in many parts of Europe and the Basque. There are quite a few dialects of the language that you will often hear in people of the Basque speaking.
One of the Oldest Cultures
Not many know, but the Basque Country boasts one of the oldest cultures of Europe, and some research suggests that Basques are a remnant of the Palaeolithic in Western Europe, dating back some 35,000 years ago. You will also find the reference to the Basque made by Ceaser.
The beauty of San Sebastian is distinctive than the rest of Spain, and the experience will double up when you have the knowledge of some of these facts and will better relate to the places you are visiting.
