Donostia-San Sebastián, the capital of Gipuzkoa, is a city of 180.000 inhabitants. Built around the Concha Bay, Donostia-San Sebastián is a well-known tourist destination and attracts a large number of surfers. The area made up of the Ondarreta and Concha beaches, with the Island of Santa Clara emerging out of the middle of the bay, is one of the most identifiable images of the city. The third beach in the city, Zurriola, located next to Kursaal Congress Centre, is internationally renowned for being a great place to surf.

The city is located just 20 kilometres from the border with France (Hendaye is the first French town), so it is very easy to visit the French coast.

Besides its natural beauty, the city offers cultural activities and major events (Jazzaldia-the International Jazz Festival, Zinemaldia-the International Film Festival, and so on) and numerous sports, as well as folklore and tradition.

Food is a cornerstone of Basque culture: a good meal is at the heart of any family or social celebration. To the quality of local products (home grown vegetables, an important fishing sector and good quality meat) is added a taste for gastronomy when it comes to creating spectacular counters adorned with tapas (here we call them ‘pintxos') in bars and many restaurants which top the international rankings (Michelin, Restaurant, and so forth).

Money: Euro, the common currency throughout most of the European Union.

Official languages: Basque and Spanish.

Climate: Temperate, characterised by moderate temperatures, high humidity, frequent cloudiness and abundant rainfall throughout the year. The coldest month is always January, with an average temperature of 7.9ºC, while the hottest month is August, with an average temperature of 20ºC.