This section is dedicated to take away all your "I wish someone had told me that before I went!" experiences. This way, you can spend less time settling in, and more time making new friends in your chosen hostel. We share our insider knowledge of tips, tricks and important things to look out for in Donostia-San Sebastián.
San Sebastián (Donostia) is an amazing city with such a lively and upbeat feel. The locals are very nice and most of them speak English. There are two main beaches, one on either side of town -- La Concha and La Zurriola; both good for sun-bathing and surfing (there are reasonably priced surf lessons and board rentals). There are also kayaks available to rent if you are staying at a San Sebastián hostel.
San Sebastián is made up of the Old Town and New Town, both of which are beautiful and fun to experience. The architecture and Spanish-style buildings are beautiful to view. You can walk, bike, or ride the bus throughout. The whole city can be walked in a few hours and if the outdoors is your thing, you can hike up to the statue of Christ. For the kids there is an amusement park and an aquarium. The harbor is a beautiful place to take pictures, buy some souvenirs, and eat a meal. Donostia-San Sebastián is a very stylish city and there are a couple streets with high-end clothing brands and boutiques. The whole city is filled with restaurants with delicious traditional food. The tapas in Spain is amazing (not to mention cheap!). There is also an open-air market with fresh products to buy. There are quite a few internet cafes and many places that even store your luggage if you're just there for the day, at very reasonable prices compared to the rest of Europe.
There are a lot of San Sebastián hostels at fairly decent prices -- there are even tents if you are on a strict budget. There are very nice hotels that cost a pretty penny. The train station is about a fifteen-minute walk from the center of town and a perfectly safe walk. Many people choose to stay here during San Fermin (running with the bulls) because of accommodation in Pamplona. It's only about an hour away and they offer buses back and forth during that week. The weather is beautiful year-round -- very hot in the beautiful summer, but still moderate temperatures throughout the rest of the year. Donostia-San Sebastián is a great place to visit in Spain.
