San Sebastián in the Basque Country, Northern Spain is known for it's unbeatable food scene from Michelin Star Restaurants to Pintxos, beautiful beaches and totally unique culture. Apart from wine it also has a totally unique beer drinking tradition.
Who's heard of a Zurito & what is a Caña?
They are both on tap draft beers but it's all about the size.
A Caña is the larger of the two, about a half a pint but with a more generous pour.
A Zurito is a smaller about half the size of the Cana and a regular half of beer.
Why small beers are the locals way to go in San Sebastian
They both pair perfectly with Pintxos and give you the chance for multiple bar stops without getting too full. More importantly keeping the beer short keeps it ice cold, just right for those hot, Summer days. There's no hugging warm pints on these streets!
Not breaking the bank, a zurito usually costs around €1.60, while the caña €2.50.
How to order like a local?
"Un zurito, por favor." (for a small beer)
"Una caña, por favor." (for a slightly larger half beer)
& for those balmy, hot sticky days at a beach side Txiringito we love it with a quarter lemon, "yes please!"
We would totally recommend paring it with some tasty olives, the iconic gilda pintxo, tortilla de patata (we love Bar Adamo) or some grilled Foie in Bar Sport.
It's a Cheers, Chin Chin, Salud or we like to say Topa!
So next time skip the oversized pint and enjoy beer the Basque way: small, fresh, and always with great company!
For a full deep dive into the Pintxo food scene here, what's the new, where's those hidden spots, the best wines to pair with what, plus beer spots and where we love to have cocktails The BEST Pintxo Experience in San Sebastian
The days are getting shorter, the jumpers are on and the burnt colours of Autumn are setting in. This means one thing, It's Sweet Chestnut time, a total nutty treat!
Strolling the city, late afternoon at dusk in there it is WHAM BAM! That absolutely gorgeous wintery smell of chestnuts roasting. The same city spots and the same sellers, wrapped up warm, sat in front of the roaster, cheeks flushed phrooarrrr I love this time of the year.
For a 3€ you have a cone of buttery, soft, freshly, roasted chestnuts to warm those fingers and those tummys and the cosiness of winter comes flooding back..
It's a simple pleasure that encapsulates the total essence of autumn in San Sebastian.
Now for a little history into the humble castaña..
Sweet chestnuts have a long history in San Sebastian and the Basque Country. The sweet chestnut tree, native to this stunning region, has been a source of sustenance for centuries. Historically, chestnuts served as a crucial staple during times of scarcity. They were roasted, boiled, or ground into flour for a variety of dishes, making them a very important food for locals.
San Sebastian's renowned chefs also embrace the sweet chestnut, incorporating it into their innovative dishes. From chestnut-infused, delicious puddings to hearty stews, this little nut finds its way into the city's culinary scene, adding a nutty twist to traditional Basque flavours.
So, the next time you find yourself in San Sebastian during the Autumn, be sure to savor the nutty delight of sweet chestnuts, a true taste of the season in this coastal gem of a city.
San Sebastian day otherwise known as "Dia San Sebastian" is back after a 2 year hiatus!
20th January celebrates the Patron Saint of San Sebastian and it's one of the most beloved days for local Donostiarras. The official start to the amazing 24hr fiesta is midnight 00.00 when the city's iconic blue and white flag is raised and the city fires up.
We head to the nucleus of the "Old Part" Plaza Constitution where the official celebration kicks off. Tamborradas, drumming with local dancers and singers. It is a completely unique experience and the atmosphere is absolutely electric. It's usually a cold night and this years not looking any different but we have never really had an issue with the freezing or the wet, it comes with the territory.
Over the next 24hrs the whole community will be out in force celebrating through the streets of the city with an open door policy on the usually private cooking societies.
And what's with all the drumming?
Arguably the drums and dress up all started back in 1836 in the local carnival celebrating San Sebastian day but for the drumming tradition you have to go way back when.....
Rumour has it the French soldiers, brass band in tow were marching through the city showing off. The local chefs and artisans used to come out taking the mickey by banging barrels imitating the soldiers and there you have it!
There are now around 150 different Tamborradas in San Sebastián who all have an designated area and time that they play and march through the city. Each Tamborrada is made up of a mix of soldiers and chefs each with up to 50 drums and 100 barrels accompanied by a brass band and flag-bearers bringing one huge winter tune and party to the streets of Donostia.
We are open all year round, if you would like more details on all our adventures please get in touch. [email protected]
YES Autumn might just be our favourite time of the year in San Sebastian!
This season September, October, November in the Basque Country is ticking all the boxes.
Here's our "TOP 10 REASONS" why you should book your trip post Summer.
It's probably the driest months of the year, yes folks it rains in San Sebastian but consistently less in Autumn than Spring.
The weathers still on point, between 18 - 30 degrees. Fresh mornings, sunny, hot days and cool nights, is there anything better?
The sea's still warm so Swimming, Sailing, Surfing and Stand up paddleboarding are all on the cards.
It's harvest time which means if you like wine a visit to La Rioja is an absolute must. See the inner workings of the wineries at their most exciting when all the magic happens. An absolute treat to see the art of vino.
They don't call it the beautiful Basque Country for nothing and rolling into Autumn it's spectacular, whether it's hiking inland or out on the coast, bike rides through the woods or exploring up into France on those clear cut days.
It's a whole lost quieter, Summers finished and there's a relaxed vibe everywhere from the beaches to the bars.
Less people means it's easier to get into exclusive hotels, restaurants and visit our favourite pintxo spots.
It's swell season, after days and days of small surf September is when those ground swells start to roll in and the whole coast lights up.
There's still so much going on with the San Sebastian International film festival in September being a full highlight.
It's sunset time, brooding red skies for days & days.
We are open all year round, if you would like more details on all our adventures please get in touch. [email protected]
Our latest bespoke tour was three days we won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
We kicked off with a pintxo tour of the old part, all our favourites on the menu and definitely off the beaten path from the usual hot spots, topped off with goblets of gin and tonic and a cheesecake surprise.
The next day we had a mellow start by hopping aboard the incredible Lucretia, a beautiful ninety seven year old, sixty foot, wooden hull yacht. There was a light breeze making the perfect conditions to cruise down the coast, we stopped off at Getaria for a superb lunch, wandered the streets of the lovely old fishing port where we spotted the old tradition of fixing the nets, before heading back to San Sebastian.
The final outing started with a trip East to Txakoli territory, with a full tour of the grounds and vineyard, we took a breather on the patio surrounded by vines we had a taster and tapas session.
We didnt want to get too full as next on the list is the cooking class in one of the top seafood restaurants in the area and of course we got to eat our hard afternoons work. Overlooking the sea we relaxed, filled our bellies and sipped the areas finest vino.
Thursday turned cloudy and we had a last minute request for a bespoke trip in the Pyrenees. What a weekend it turned out to be, hot, hot, hot. After a 2-hour drive through stunning countryside we arrived at the picture-perfect medieval town of Ainsa, where the Cinca and Ara rivers meet. We spend mornings hiking in the foothills of the surrounding valleys cooling off from the 40-degree heat in the waterfalls, pools, and rivers. Topped off by incredible nights filling our stomachs in the Ainsa square by candlelight with the cool but gentle breeze of the night. We liked this tour as much as our clients.
If this Pyrenees mountain adventure is up your street then please get intouch and we'll send you all the details. [email protected]
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