San Sebastián

As I said in my last post, I made a spur of the moment decision to book a solo trip to a warm destination. I landed on San Sebastián (or Donostia to the locals) for a few reasons: 1) The RyanAir flight to nearby Biarritz, France was cheap, 2) It's a gorgeous beach town, and 3) SS was a place I've never heard about until living in Europe, but I've heard nothing but glowing recommendations since being here from foodies and surfers alike. Some call it the world's best food city, as it is home to a number of Michelin star restaurants, as well as world-renowned bar snacks called pintxos.

After flying into Biarritz and taking the train to SS, I arrived in the late afternoon, got settled and acquainted with my Airbnb host.... who did not speak a word of English. Talk about a crash review of my college Minor Spanish! 5 years of not speaking the language meant I had to shake off some serious rust. I was able to do that immediately when my host, Ana, invited me to get Chocolate y Churros (very rich, but yummy!) with her and her cousin. Afterwards we strolled around the city at dusk and Ana pointed out places for me to check out in the coming days.

The next morning, I awoke bright and early, went on a run along La Playa de la Concha at sunrise, then got cleaned up, shared a coffee with Ana, and set out for a day of sightseeing. I hiked up to the top of Monte Urgull to see Castillo de La Mota and Cristo de la Mota, a 12th century castle and statue of Christ atop the hill. From here, you also get panoramic views of the city and the bay, Bahía de la Concha.

Cristo de la Mota (same statue lit up on top of the hill in the first pic)

I also spent my fair share of time (the first day and every day!) wandering around La Parte Vieja, the old town area of SS. It's made up of narrow, pedestrian streets, filled with little Tabernas, or Pintxos bars. There are also a couple beautiful cathedrals, including one, Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Coro, that faces the gothic cathedral, Catedral del Buen Pastor in the more modern part of town (below).

Plaza de la Constitución

In the evening, I commenced what became my nightly routine: reading in Plaza de la Constitución over a glass of wine, then a traditional Pintxos Crawl, where you make your way from through various Pintxos bars, sampling wines and tasty morsels that are not only delicious, but super cheap! I'd follow this with a stroll along the boardwalk at sunset, and an early retreat for some conversation with my host and Skyping with family. Pretty much my idea of heaven.

PINTXOS... get in my belly!

The next day brought exploration of the other side of the bay, Monte Igueldo. I checked out Los Peines del Viento (wind combs), then hiked up to the top of the Mt. for one of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen. I spent the afternoon getting lost in the streets and watching surfers over at Zurriola Beach before retiring to Old Town.

Los Peines del Viento

View from Monte Igueldo... see what I mean?

SS is small, so after the first couple days, I had seen all the sites. I ventured out on a day trip to Hondarribia, Spain (a town on the border of Spain & France - I'll cover another time!), then spent the remaining days laying on the beach, reading, eating pintxos, and enjoying the ocean and the sunshine. Rough life! 

I enjoyed my time there so much that I extended my stay an extra day, but I still can't wait to go back some day with my husband and share in the amazing experience that is San Sebastián.

Next up, I spent a couple days in Biarritz...

Ridin' Solo

One of the things I mentioned I'd do differently with 9 months off again was travel more. I know what you're thinking. More? We've traveled so much already! However, if I had the time again, I'd take more solo trips, because... why not? Once I traveled by myself one time, I realised (just realized I typed the alternate spelling!) that I could do it. And not only that -- I really enjoyed it. It was liberating!

After 4 months of Irish weather, I got tired of waiting around in the rain for my permit and decided it was time to take a break from Dublin and the non-existent summer. So, I booked a spur of the moment trip to San Sebastián, Spain & Biarritz, France, a couple beach towns in Basque country, to recharge with some much needed sunshine.

Playa de la Concha - San Sebastián

I had never traveled alone before. Sure, I've taken flights around the U.S. on my own, but that's peanuts compared to a week-long solo trip in foreign countries where I don't speak the language. Needless to say, I was nervous about it (and chose not to mention it to my parents until I arrived, because I knew they would worry and make me more nervous!). What is great about traveling solo is that it forces you to get over these nerves and out of your comfort zone. You have only yourself to rely on for directions, what to do, etc.

My first day was an excellent ice breaker for the rest of the trip. I flew to Biarritz, France, then figured out the bus to take from the airport to the train station, booked a ticket to Hendaye (a little French town on the border of Spain), transferred to a separate train station, booked a ticket to San Sebastián, then walked about a mile with my little suitcase (pretty sure this is where it broke) to the Airbnb apartment I reserved, to stay with a woman who didn't speak a word of English. I definitely had trouble reading train and bus schedules (not to mention that trains in France are often not on time!), and stumbled through communication, awkwardly blurting out 2-word sentences like, "Train... Hendaye?" 

 Once you get over the hiccups and feeling uncomfortable, the rest is amazing. I had intermittent lonely moments where I missed my husband, felt silly taking even a few pics of myself, or wanted to share my experience with someone (at least the beauty of modern technology means being able to share pictures, FB updates, Skype, etc. to make you feel more connected). Otherwise, it's great being on your own schedule -- you do what you want, where you want, when you want. You have total control over your vacation.

View of San Sebastián from Monte Urgull

I brought a few great books and spent my days running on the beach at sunrise, exploring the towns, people watching at cafes, chatting with my hosts and interesting fellow travelers, practicing Spanish, strolling the boardwalks and lounging in the sunshine. Just writing all that makes me want to do it all over again!

Cidra & White Asparagus - Basque cuisine

Sitting in Spain, looking across the harbor at France (right)

Best book to bring with you on a solo trip!

Evening routine - watching sunset at Playa de la Concha

I would absolutely recommend to anyone to challenge yourself to "ride solo" on a trip if the opportunity presents itself. It's an unforgettable experience and you'll be proud of yourself for it. I'll write a separate post with tips for women traveling solo (being a young woman, I know I certainly did a little research before taking off on my own). Next up though: I'll post about the San Sebastián and Biarritz trips themselves... stay tuned!!