If you haven't already guessed it from my Instagram and Twitter updates over the last couple of months, I absolutely fell in love with San Sebastián. I knew it would be beautiful, but my god, I wasn't prepared for just how much! We were only there for around 24 hours but Sam and I had such a great time that it's definitely on our list of places to return to, and today I wanted to tell you why you should visit too.

5 Reasons To Visit San Sebastián

1) It's gorgeous

The first thing that hit us when we stepped off the bus in San Sebastián is just how gorgeous this city is. On the walk to our hotel we kept stopping and gasping at another beautiful sight - the Parisian inspired architecture, the cobbled streets, the pretty river. And then we saw the beach front view and the dock area of the old town and were pretty much speechless. If you're the kinda person who likes to wander around a new city, snapping photos as you go, then San Sebastián is perfect for you.

2) The food is amazing

San Sebastián is probably most famous as a foodie destination and I can totally see why - we didn't eat a bad thing the whole time we were there! The city has an incredibly high concentration of Michelin star restaurants given it's relatively small size, but as we were only there for one evening we chose to stick to a pintxos crawl in the old town. The pintxos were definitely more gourmet than those we'd enjoyed in Bilbao, but the atmosphere at the bars was just as fun and relaxed.

3) The drinks are great too

The food might draw people into this city, but the drinks that compliment the gastronomic delights are just as great. From the local txakoli to the full-bodied Riojas, San Sebastián is a wine lovers heaven - I definitely need to return to try some more. If wine isn't your kinda thing then maybe you could opt for a copa of gin and tonic - it was chefs in the local area who first had the idea of putting the popular drink in those big balloon glasses that you see in most bars these days.

4) The beaches are world class

I've visited quite a few cities with a beach, but none of them have had a beach quite as beautiful as those in San Sebastián. While sat on the sand with your toes dipped in the sea and the shore line spreading out in front of you, you could be forgiven for thinking that you were in Ibiza or a small beach town in Portugal as opposed to a city and you could almost forget that there is plenty of hustle and bustle going on behind you.

5) The sunsets are beautiful

I couldn't write this post without mentioning the beautiful sunsets because they were a definite highlight for us! Watching nature put on it's own little show across the gorgeous bay was just incredible - it definitely added to the magic of this little seaside city. We were lucky enough to take in the view from the private terrace at our hotel, but lots of people recommend Monte Urgell as a great spot to take it in too.

There you have it, my 5 reasons to visit San Sebastián. Writing this post has just made me want to visit again even more - this city really does have so much to offer!