San Sebastián

San Sebastián (Spaingie: [san seβasˈtjan]) Basque: Donostia (Basque: [doˈnos̺tia]; French: Saint-Sébastien) is a coastal ceety an municipality locatit in the Basque Autonomous Commonty, Spain. It lees on the coast o the Bay o Biscay, 20 km (12 mile) from the French border. Capital ceety o Gipuzkoa, the municipality's population is 186,409 (2012), wi its metropolitan aurie reaching 436,500 (2010). Locals caw thairsels donostiarra (singular), baith in Spaingie an Basque. The main economic activities are commerce an tourism, an it is ane o the maist famous tourist destinations in Spain. Despite the ceety’s smaw size, events such as the San Sebastián Internaitional Film Festival hae gien it a internaitional dimension. Etymologie In spite o appearances, baith the Basque form Donostia an the Spaingie form San Sebastián hae the same meanin o Saunt Sebastian. The dona/dono/doni element in Basque place-names signifees "saunt" an is derivit frae Laitin domine; the seicont pairt o Dono(stia) conteens a shortened form o the saunt's name. Gastronomy Donostia is renouned for its Basque cuisine. San Sebastián an its surroondin aurie is hame tae a heich concentration o restaurants boastin Michelin starns, Arzak (San Sebastián), Berasategi (Lasarte), Akelarre (district Igeldo) and Mugaritz (Errenteria) tae mention but a few. Addeetionally, based on the 2013 rankin, twa o the warld's top ten best restaurants can be foond here. Addin tae these ceukin heichlichts, the ceety featurs tasty snacks similar tae tapas cried pintxos, which mey be foond at the bars o the Auld Quairter. It is the birthplace o Basque gastronomical societies an aw, wi the auldest recordit mention o such a txoko back in 1870. Varsity Donostia-San Sebastián haes become a important varsity toun. Hostin different varsities like Universidad de Navarra, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Universidad de Deusto an Varsity o Mondragón, the seicontar studies activity is haein an increasingly impact on social, cultural, technological an economical levels o the ceety an surroondins. Wi its pushin innovative an research centre an its research strategies it is becomin ane o Spain's main Science production locations, alang wi Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Sevilla an Valencia, amang ithers. Donostia-San Sebastian's Scientific production covers auries like Materials Science, Cancer Research, Alzheimer an Parkinson, Airchitectur, Polymer Science, Biomaterials, Nanotechnology Robotics or Informatics. Sport The principal fitbaa club in the ceety is Real Sociedad. Efter twa saisons in the Segunda División, the club wan promotion back tae La Liga efter winnin the 2009–10 Segunda División. Real Sociedad wis ane o the foondin members o the top diveesion in Spaingie fitbaw, La Liga. They enjoyed a pairticularly successful period o history in the early 1980s when they wur Spainyie champions for twa years runnin (1980–81, 1981–82). The ceety's Anoeta Stadium is hame stadium o Real Sociedad an hosts rugby union matches featurin Biarritz Olympique or Aviron Bayonnais an aw. Each simmer the ceety is host tae the weel kent bicycle race, the ane-day Clásica de San Sebastián (San Sebastián Classic). Bicycle racin is extremely popular in Spain, the Clásica de San Sebastián processional cycle race is held durin early August. It haes been held annually in San Sebastián syne 1981. The race is part of the UCI ProTour an wis previously pairt o its predecessor the UCI Road Warld Cup. Internaitional relations Twin touns – Sister ceeties San Sebastián is twinned wi: Notes Freemit airtins Offeecial wabsteid Tourist information