La Concha beach

Image | Pixabay

Emblem of San Sebastián and the pride of its neighbors, La Concha beach is located in the bay of the same name and is considered by many to be the best urban beach in Europe. Located in the heart of the city and flanked by the Urgull and Igeldo mountains, it has spectacular views of its beautiful shell-shaped bay with the island of Santa Clara in the center. In this post, we offer you tips and information about La Concha beach so that you can enjoy your stay in San Sebastián to the fullest. Do not miss it!

Where is Concha beach?

Of the beaches of San Sebastián, La Concha is more central. It gets its name from the shape of the bay in which it is located. On one side, we find Mount Urgull, next to the town hall and the port, and on the other Mount Igueldo. In less than a minute, from the town hall, you can access this beach with clean waters and fine golden sand.

Dimensions of La Concha beach

At 1350 meters long and 40 meters wide, La Concha beach is very wide, although the tides of the Cantabrian Sea can influence its size.

At the end of La Concha beach we can see the Pico de Loro, a small rocky passage that is hidden at high tide. Behind it begins the Ondarreta beach, which is also in La Concha Bay and its limit is demarcated by Mount Igueldo.

Thanks to the fact that La Concha beach is so long and its location in relation to the city, it is the ideal place to take a walk along the coast all year round. In addition, you can also practice numerous sports activities such as surfing, windsurfing, canoeing, bodyboarding, volleyball or beach soccer. In summer, a structure is placed in the sea with slides and diving boards so that young people can enjoy bathing even more.

Image | Pixabay

What makes it unique?

A set of things. For example, due to its large size, it is perfect for tanning, walking along the shore and performing various water activities.. On the other hand, as La Concha Bay is surrounded by green mountains, the views and beautiful buildings, the image is spectacular. In turn, it is protected against strong waves and wind.

Due to its good accessibility, the elderly and families with children have many facilities to spend an unforgettable day outdoors in this place. It is a beach that usually keeps its waters calm, so it is safe to go with small children but without losing sight of them.

La Concha beach is one of the most elegant in the world. After all, it was the vacation destination of choice for Spanish royalty and upper classes to enjoy the summer.

The shades of the blue and white striped sun loungers and umbrellas that can be rented on La Concha beach, in addition to being elegant, are symbolic for San Sebastián as they are also the colors of the city's flag.

The beach resort of La Concha

In the XNUMXth century, La Concha beach was the place where Queen Elizabeth II's doctor advised her to go to receive her bath therapies. San Sebastián automatically became the summer residence of the royal family as well as the nobility and the bourgeoisie of the country.

The La Perla spa is located on La Concha beach, with its own Belle Époque style. Here you can enjoy body care therapies or end a day at the beach with an afternoon at the spa and dinner at its restaurant, tasting the best of the delicious Basque cuisine. Both the spa and the restaurant have impressive views of the sea through their large windows.

Image | Pixabay

The Miramar Palace

The tradition of the Spanish royal family to spend the summer in San Sebastián gave rise to a series of proposals in the town hall to build a residence to offer to the kings during their stay. However, Queen María Cristina declined the offer and bought the property that the Count of Moviana had in Miraconcha.

This building was built in English style and some neo-Gothic elements were included. After the death of Queen María Cristina, the estate became the property of Alfonso XIII. During the Second Republic it was expropriated and, years later, it was returned to the Bourbon family. In 1972 the city council bought the palace and the current gardens. Currently the gardens are freely accessible, while the palace is rarely open to the public.

La Concha beach promenade

As with the beach, the promenade is also characterized by its elegant and stately style thanks to the white railing and the elegant street lamps and clocks that decorate it. During the San Sebastián Film Festival, these lampposts are turned into small statuettes.

Tourists from all over the world and 18 Spain come here to take beautiful photos on the San Sebastián promenade with the spectacular views of La Concha Bay in the background.


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