Septemberte 10th 2022
The wind tastes of salt, and the road hugs the cliffs so tightly that the Atlantic spray almost touches the windshield. My roadtrip along the Basque coast is a journey of contrasts. On the way from Bilbao to San Sebastián, the Basque Country reveals its untamed, wild side. Nature rules here with a dramatic gesture: rugged, steep cliffs plunge vertically into the deep blue ocean, while dense, deep green pine forests reach right up to the edges of the drop-offs. Down in the hidden coves, the water breaks against gray pebble beaches, creating a fascinating play of colors that ranges from light turquoise to rich emerald green and deep azure blue in the sunlight. The rocks themselves look like stone history books; their millions-of-years-old, wavy layers bear witness to the irrepressible power of nature.
Gallery I: The Wild Atlantic Coast
After the lonely, windswept cliffs, the landscape suddenly opens up to reveal one of the most elegant cities in Europe. San Sebastián – or Donostia, as it is called in Basque – welcomes me with bright sunshine and the lively summer bustle of the world-famous Playa de la Concha. The fine sand beach stretches like a perfect, golden crescent moon along the bay. The eye rests on the deep blue water, topped on the left by the prominent Monte Urgull, while the magnificent promenade stretches out to the right.
Here, the raw nature gives way to the grand elegance of the Belle Époque. The majestic City Hall, a former casino from the late 19th century, dominates the scenery with its light sandstone facades, ornate domes, and symmetrical round arches. Right in front of it, in the green Alderdi Eder Park, history blends with modernity: a striking, dark green stele by the artist Eduardo Chillida breaks up the classical lines of the architecture. From here, I am inevitably drawn into the pulsing life of the old town. Strolling through the narrow, shaded alleys of the Parte Vieja, the view opens up again and again into breathtaking street canyons. The Calle Mayor fascinates with its tall, balcony-adorned facades, the purple-lit entrance of the Teatro Principal, and the grand vanishing point at the end of the street: there, the exuberant, baroque magnificent facade of the Basilica of Santa María del Coro rises, its ornate sculptures glowing golden in the warm afternoon light.
Gallery II: The Elegance of the Shell Bay and the Alleys of the Old Town
Just a few steps further, the atmosphere changes noticeably. The lightness of the Baroque gives way to the venerable, almost defensive silence of the Church of San Vicente. As the city’s oldest house of worship, it stands like a medieval rock in the surf of modernity with its massive buttresses, dark, heavy stone, and delicate rose window. Stepping through the heavy portal into the dim interior takes your breath away: beneath the mighty, austere Gothic ribbed vaults, the huge Renaissance altar from the 16th century shines brightly. The masterfully carved, gilded wood reflects the sparse incoming light and fills the sacred space with a warm, devout aura.
My walk finally leads me back out into the daylight and across to the Urumea River. Here, the monumental María Cristina Bridge spans across the water. Its four snow-white pylons, crowned by gleaming, gilded sculptures, act like majestic guardians of the river and instantly transport me back to the fashionable San Sebastián of the turn of the century. The crowning finale of my tour is the path to the center to the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. The Neo-Gothic giant made of warm, sand-colored stone soars boldly into the cloudless sky with its 75-meter-high, pointed spire. Its strict, vertical lines and fine tracery windows form a harmonious contrast to the soft treetops of the square in front of it – a perfect reflection of this city, where nature, history, and urban splendor blend so fluidly together.
Gallery III: Sacred Treasures and Stone Witnesses
