San Sebastian also known as Donostia-San Sebastian is the capital province of Gipuzkoa in the basque country, Spain. Surrounded by beaches this place is blessed with pristine beauty located on the Basque coast of northwest Spain 20 km away from the French border. Strolling on the La Concha beach, the most famous and usually packed in July and August with large number of tourists is simply amazing. It is larger on the west side with an island and boats in the bay. Those people who love sports and adventures this place is heaven for them. La Zurriola is on the east of the old town and river is very popular and mostly thronged by the tourists as it is a surf beach were you can simply get in and ride the Atlantic waves and enjoy the beach sports.

Another beach Ondarreta is also famous for surfing and adventure sports. If you want you can go for hiking on the top of the mountain between the beaches. Hire a kayak and try to measure the depth of the water and tryst with the panoramic view. The city of Guipuzcoa is beautifully decorated with the breathtaking green mountain landscapes which attract attention of one and all. Going to this place and not visiting the museums and knowing its past history would be something like things done half heartedly. The Dominican monastery built in 16th century has remarkable collection of Basque artifacts from prehistoric times. The museum of San Sebastian is worth seeing.

Plaza Carlos Blasco de Imaz is an Oceanographic museum takes you to the underwater walkways and allows you to take glimpse of sharks, rays and other marine creatures. It also boasts of huge collection of numerous marine creatures kept in large tanks. The maritime museum shows the fascination of mankind towards the sea since ages with historical displays of naval artifacts, fishing gear and marine fossils.

San Sebastian has long known for its style and very conscious of the image formed since past gives way to the high-end shops with trendy boutiques filled with something which is off-beat or way-out designer gear. The Basque Cuisine is famous within Spain and San Sebastian is famous for its bar and restaurants. Every bar in San Sebastian burst with delicate looking Tapas which is usually enjoyed with a glass of wine or a small beer. The kalimotxo is a local drink made of 50% wine and 50% coca cola is very famous among the youngsters. The food available here is varied, one can go for Basque cuisine if not Chinese, German, Galician and Italian are also available. Some people enjoy the freshest seafood served in San Sebastian.

San Sebastian International Film Festival and International Jazz Festival are some of the biggest event which attracts not only the tourists but also the celebrities. There are some fine hotels here but not sufficient to accommodate the influx of tourists especially in the months of July and august to witness the unique candlelit ceremony, takes place to venerate San Sebastian's devastating 1813 fire. So reservation in advance is essential.

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Barcelona is such a breathtaking city. If you are planning to target European cities as a vacation spot, Catalonia’s capital and Spain’s second largest city should be on the top of your visit list. Here, you have numerous beautiful places to see and explore and you will have a lot of activities to engage in to make the trip worth your while.

During your stay in this beautiful city, don’t miss out on visiting some of Antonio Gaudi’s world famous creations like the Sagrada Familia Cathedral (Holy Family Cathedral) which is one of Gaudi’s biggest buildings that is still unfinished even up to this day. The most popular park in Barcelona which is the Park Güell is also one of his designs. It has been declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site. You can find here the famous dragon as well as unique monuments of unconventional shape and design. A spectacular view of the city can be seen from its terrace. The park is free for the public to visit and is open every day.

A visit to Picasso Museum at the center of the city will mystify and amaze you with some of Picasso’s famous works. A must visit also is the Maritime Museum. An art enthusiast can find dozens of museums in Barcelona.

Try taking a walk through the lively street of La Rambla. You can make a stop at the second largest opera theatre called “el Liceu.” This area is a popular place to dine, shop and most especially do some sightseeing.

If beaches are your thing, Barcelona has several to offer. Playa la Barcelona is just ten minutes away from central Barcelona. You could also opt for Sitges Beach which is outside the city.

For a visit to Gothic monuments, take a stopover at Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter). This place is filled with squares of bars and cafes with a busy market at its heart. If you visit the square on a Sunday you will get a chance to see some dancers perform a traditional Catalonian Dance called sardana.

If you are looking for leisure time visit some of Barcelona’s attraction parks like the one in Tibidabo or experience a three dimensional movie in IMAX Barcelona. If you have the extra time you can take a train for a one hour trip to an amusement park called Universal’s Port Aventura in Tarragona, a city near Barcelona. Take a ride in their roller coaster or enjoy the different country themes (China, Mexico, Polynesia, Mediterranean, and the Far West) that the park is offering.

Barcelona is also home to Europe’s largest aquarium. Enjoy the experience of seeing marine creatures, fishes, water flowers and animal invertebrates.

For a good night out, Barcelona has a lot of restaurants and bars. A nice dinner coupled with a glass of sparkling cava (local champagne) will prove to be a romantic evening. Try roaming through Port Vell where you will find Maremagnum Center for an array of shops, restaurants, cafés, pubs and bars. The Ribera, St. Gervasi and Gracia should also be considered.

When in Barcelona don’t overlook taking a taste of their delectable Catalan cuisine. Try sampling the escudella, suquet de peix and their wide array of fish and seafood dishes. For dessert, try crema catalana (custard with a caramel crust) and mel i mató (cottage cheese and honey).

If you haven’t done your shopping check out Eixample for fashion shops and jewelry stores. The Pesseig de Gracia is also abounding with commercial galleries. You can also find two department stores with designer boutiques in the Diagonal area. In Placa de las Glories Catalanes is a flea market called Mercat de les Encants selling unique antiques and trinkets.

You will surely enjoy your Barcelona experience. Visit Barcelona!

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Jonathan Williams is the travel writer for Destination Guide TV - the place to share travel videos. Visit http://www.DestinationGuide.tv/spain to view or share Spain travel videos

Michael Braganza is an eminent analyst and writer in Travel & Tourism related topics.Visit http://www.swagattours.com/