San Sebastián

Pintxos bar with the delicious brocheta de gambas (fried prawns with a special vinaigrette), bola de carne (meat ball with red pepper) and a lot of cold pintxos with anchovies, mushrooms, cod, salmon, etc. Any of wine by glasses is good.

Best, cheapest 'bocadillo de tortilla de patatas' in Parte Vieja. Also offers huge sandwiches.

The menu is on a chalk board and everything is excellent.

Great and inexpensive steak house.

Fish restaurant with Basque flavour. Perfectly-trained waiters with excellent English. Grilled rape is particularly good. Try cider, take a specialty cider pouring cork with you.

Simple Basque dishes which are cooked delicately. Go downstairs. Popular with locals. For lunch, arrive before 3PM to catch full range of options. The daily menu includes a glass of wine. Flan is rare case when it has taste in every layer.

Excellent, reasonably priced renditions of Basque specialties Txangurro, Chipirones en su tinta, y sopa de pescado.

A little bit out of old town you'll find huge portions of tasty pintxos without breaking the bank. If you want to meet locals or see how this whole pintxos thing is done, this is the place to do it without being obnoxious or tacky. Minimal tourist flow and friendly, professional staff that speak enough English to understand you. Try the marinated octopus and meatballs in tomato sauce, although these are slightly expensive, it's a full meal in itself and comes with bread. You can't go wrong with the even cheaper bread-based pintxos which range from interesting flavour combinations to the ol' steady, jamon on bread. Beer and wine is cheap and they won't turn up their noses if you ask for tap water.

Try Solo Mio (a piece of sirloin steak) with a glass of Belondrade Y Lurton white wine.

Pintxos bar, quite spacious. Not overcrowded in the evenings during the weekdays.

Excellent pintxos with a changing menu. Try the 'Taco de Bacalao' (Tempura fried cod with a romesco sauce)

Don't judge their food by their interior. Jamon Iberico is cited as particularly good.

Three Michelin stars restaurant. All credit cards accepted. About €150 per head by the time you've added the wine etc., but well worth it!

Calzada Vieja de Ategorrieta, 3, 943 323 310. Just outside Gros in a residential street this family run restaurant has a mainly seafood menu. Its specialty is Spider Crab - its baked variety is worth the 10 minute walk from the old town!

A 3 Michelin star restaurant close to San Sebastian with other outlets at Kursaal and in Bilbao at the Guggenheim.

A great pension/hostel in the centre of San Sebastian. Close to the beaches and all the bars and restaurants.

(Amara). €80-100.

55 Road to Igeldo (Igeldo). Prices from €78-125.

Rooms are all in the same design, but vary in size (#5 Donostia is much smaller than #4 Kursaal or #1). Some rooms have no view (e.g. #5). Shared bathroom, unoccupied most of the time even in high season. No breakfasts; no shared guestroom to spend time with fellow travelers. Helpful staff. The whole pension is less than 10 rooms.

13 San Jeronimo (Old town), Phone/. €25-50 depending on season and room size. Very clean and friendly.

C/San Juan nº 13 - 3 floor. It´s in the Old Town. Double and group rooms (€15-65).

San Jerónimo 17-1º Derecha (Old town). Rooms with en-suite bathroom €25-47 depending on season. Clean and friendly.

Next to the Ondarreta beach

Clean and friendly. Her sister runs the nearby Urkia. Rooms with en-suite bathroom.

Clean and friendly. Her sister runs the nearby La Perla. Rooms with en-suite bathroom

Pº del Faro 134(Igeldo), Prices range from €96-130. The Hotel sits on top of Mountain Igeldo and has scenic view over San Sebastian and the best beach in San Sebastian "La Concha"

a Luxury Collection Hotel. A luxury belle epoque hotel, it is the choice of many actors during the world-famous cinema festival. Renovated in May 2013, this hotel combines the best of modern luxury with old world charm. Don't miss the hotel bar, the underground gym (complete with full shower facilities), and internet/computer library.

The shop has the major surf brands plus helpful stuff that surf themself with passion. One finds surf boards, wet suits or swim and beach clothing.