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Local Culture

Culture

Basque language and culture

In order to get to know any corner of the world in depth, it is necessary to know its language and culture, which are what make it unique. In this sense, the Basque Country is a region that stands out not only for its landscapes, but also for its unique cultural identity in Spain. At […]

Culture

31st of August Donostia 2024

If there is one important date in the history of San Sebastian that marks a before and after and brings a profound transformation to the city, it is the 31st of August 1813. The day Donostia was destroyed In 1808, in the midst of the Napoleonic Wars, San Sebastian was invaded by the French army, […]

Culture

Basque mythology

Before the arrival of Christianity in the Basque Country, the ancient inhabitants of our region, belonging to different tribes and speakers of Proto-Basque, had their own belief system. Basque mythology had its gods, supernatural beings and legends, which, although nobody believes in them any more, are still very much alive in many of our traditions […]

Festivals in the neighbourhoods of San Sebastián Culture

Festivals in the neighbourhoods of San Sebastian

In San Sebastian we have a lot of festivals and festivities throughout the year: the Tamborrada, the Zinemaldi, the day of Santo Tomás, the Semana Grande… Dates marked on the calendar, famous outside our city and that structure the life of all the people of San Sebastian. But Donosti has many more festivals, festivals that […]

Jazzaldia: the San Sebastian Jazz Festival Culture

Jazzaldia: the San Sebastian Jazz Festival

San Sebastian is a benchmark city in many areas, some of the best known are its history, its cultural touches and its great natural wealth such as its incredible coasts. However, there are other points in which San Sebastian is a benchmark, these being the great events of international importance. One of the best known […]

Caballería de Gallos Culture

Traditional carnival of San Sebastian

In the Basque Country, carnival is a very important festival, it is the most important festival of the year in many towns, such as Tolosa or Lantz, and in Donosti, although the most important date is the Tamborrada, this is only the prelude to the carnival that is celebrated just a few weeks later. The […]

bandera de la concha Culture

Festivals of San Sebastian

San Sebastian is a city that has a large number of tourists and visitors to the area who come to the city and attend a multitude of celebrations that take place throughout the year. We show you a list of the most important celebrations and Festivals of San Sebastian that take place in our city […]

Itsas Festibala Culture

Pasaia Itsas Festibala

With the passing of months and the normalization of the situation after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and with the return to normality we used to live before it, old and new cultural events that at the time, and for responsibility, disappeared temporarily, are back again. One of these was the Pasaia Itsas Festibala, […]

Culture

The San Sebastian Film and Human Rights Festival

The San Sebastian Film and Human Rights Festival, organised by the Human Rights Department of the City Council and Donostia Kultura, seeks to build, through images and constructive debate, a critical, plural and committed vision of the great challenges facing humanity and to disseminate values thanks to the magic of cinema. The topics covered in […]

Culture

Bertsos, basque improvised poetry

In Japan, they have the haikus. In hip-hop culture, they have their flamboyant rap battles… And the Basque people, we have our bertsos. These are poetic improvised compositions that only have one verse, with consonant rhymes in the even verses that are sung in Basque! Although presented like these it may sound easy, you have […]

Culture

Leclercq Hat Shop

San Sebastian is a city that despite all the troubles and disasters that has lived over its hundreds of years of existence, still has some places with history, and that are part of the city’s history. Today we talk about one of them, located in the Old Town, on the corner of Narrika and Iñigo […]

Culture

Basque witchcraft

The Basque Country is land of witchcraft and paganism, just look at the fact that here in Christmas the person bringing presents is a Gentile from ancient times. The sorgina is one of the most featured characters of this cultural heritage of ours. Although at first is tempting to translate “sorgina” simply as “witch” in […]