Lounge along the Bay of Biscay at Hotel Maria Cristina in San Sebastian
The western coasts of the modern nations of Spain and France meet at the southeastern bend of the Bay of Biscay, a large extended arm of the Atlantic Ocean. This corner of land, mountainous in the interior, craggy but dotted with inlets and bays along the ocean, is home to the Basques. The coastline of the Basques is both rugged and sandy, with several of the moderately sizes bays creating beautiful harbors and beaches. The city of San Sebastian, called Donostia by the Basques peoples, is lucky enough to sit upon the nicely sheltered Bahia De Concha, the Bay of Conchs, and the sands there are wide and tan and perfect for summer swimming. The river Urumea flows into the ocean just east of the bay, and along its banks stands one of the finest rivers walks in Europe, where the old city takes in the cooling winds of the sea. There stands the grand Hotel Maria Cristina, five stories tall, named for Spain’s regent Queen, who favoured the town and encouraged the touring and hotelier industries there in the 1890s.
The hotel was designed in the full flower of Belle Epoque architecture, like many other leading structures of San Sebastian. Today the hotel is one of the true royal resorts of Europe, its interiors filled with deluxe gold accents and shimmering lights. At each side of the hotel, the city maintains a pair of lovely small parks, one with a statue of the hero Antonio Oquendo, an admiral who fought for Spain in the 1600s. The Hotel Maria Cristina offers guests five-star service, unsurpassed views of the river and surrounding mountains, as well as intimate access to the city’s most beautiful sights and sounds.
www.hotel-mariacristina.com/en
