Hidden Spanish city home to some of Europe's best beaches can be flown to from Scotland

When you think about travelling to Spain to catch some rays, you probably imagine lying on a sun lounger on the Costa Del Sol, or enjoying a drink at a pretty beach bar in Benidorm or Tenerife.

However, there's one amazing Spanish beach destination that you might not have considered yet - San Sebastian. Also known as Donostia, in the far north of the country, close to the French border, it's part of Basque Country - an autonomous community within Spain.

The stunning city boasts a sub-tropical climate with blazing summers and very mild winters, plus year round sunshine. According to TUI, the hottest month of the year is August with an average daily maximum of 28C and an average low of 21C., and the coolest is February with an average daily maximum of 20C and an average low of 14C.

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San Sebastian is famous for its beautiful golden beaches, and balmy sea temperatures that average 23C or above from June to November.

One of the most iconic is La Concha - the second top city beach in the world, according to Travel and Leisure Magazine. Its crystal clear waters are ideal for diving and swimming. From there, you can also take a short boat trip to Isla Santa Clara, the small island in the centre of the bay which has its own beach, lighthouse and a bar.

Ondaretta is another well-known beach, with slightly rougher waters, making it a favourite amongst surfers and body boarders. Volleyball and football are also popular activities on offer, plus there's a canoe rental service if you want to head out for a paddle.

After all of that exertion, you have a choice of not one, but two beach bars to enjoy a refreshing pint and watch the sun go down.

Zurriola beach is another beautiful stretch of sand that's also known as "surfers paradise" due to its impressive waves. It's less busy than La Concha, with reviewers praising its "chilled vibe".

However, the beaches are far from the only attraction San Sebastian has to offer.

You should certainly make time to explore the Parte Vieja - the old town; an enchanting enclave filled with colourful buildings, narrow, winding streets and a wide selection of restaurants and bars.

One of the top-rated places to grab a bit to eat in the old town is Mendaur Berria; a fantastic place to sample some traditional Basque pintxos. Unlike tapas, which usually takes the form of small versions of larger meals, pintxos are usually served on a skewer or toothpick. In fact, the same "pintxo" comes from the Spanish word pincho, which means "spike" or "thorn".

Mendaur Berria has over 1000 five star reviews on TripAdvisor, with visitors praising the wide variety of small plates on offer. One person who visited in October 2024 wrote: "The food was fantastic! Softshell crab, octopus in three sauces, pork belly, zucchini, risotto, and you have to have the brioche dessert!"

If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre for a while, you should definitely head to nearby Monte Igueldo - but don't worry, you don't have to climb to the top of the mountain yourself, unless you want to burn off some pintxos calories of course.

You can take a funicular railway to the summit, where you can check out the truly amazing panoramic view of San Sebastian stretched out below. While you're up there you should also visit the historic Monte Igueldo Amusement Park, with its incredible vintage attractions including a charming old roller coaster.

If all of this sounds delightful, but you're worried that getting to San Sebastian will be a faff, don't be.

British Airways operate twice-weekly direct flights from Edinburgh Airport over the summer months on Tuesdays and Saturdays. They start up again next year on Saturday, May 24.

What's more, the flight time is just two hours and 25 minutes, so it's not far at all, meaning you could be enjoying a cold pint and a delicious array of pintxos before you know it.

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