Came here while visiting Donostia and we managed to get free entry! It's a really great museum and…read moreit's manageable for spending as little as an hour, unless you want to go through all of the exhibits in substantial detail, which could take quite a bit more time. There's a lot of old Basque history including seafaring history, whaling stuff, and then more modern stuff, too, ranging from Basque artists to, I don't know, secret Basque space lasers. The architectural integration of the old cathedral and cloister is also well done-- leaving the sanctuary, you walk out into this gorgeous, peaceful grassy area and aren't even thinking about the fact that the upstairs is more of a proper museum setting. Definitely worth a visit

Definitely recommend visiting if you are in San Sebastian for more than a couple of days, or if…read moreit's raining and are looking for an indoor activity. It's a great way to learn about Basque history and culture and it includes a church and cloister as part of the building's structure. Bonus: they have a a cafe with tasty pintxos and tapas for the appetite you will work up walking through the museum.

We were entertaining a family member from out of town and wanted something to do in Bayonne. Le…read moreMusee Basque et de L'Histoire de Bayonne is well worth your time and a visit. The museum is house in a lovely old building in the heart of Petit Bayonne, that appears to have many original old features like colombage walls, wide plank flooring, and multiple exposed beams. The railings that are on the interior stairwell, while newer than some other building features, are lovely examples of old iron work. Museum guides are available in multiple languages. The rooms in the museum are arranged thematically like religious life, home life, fishing, etc. We also appreciated that there was a room that had artifacts and photos from the Jewish community that lived there in the 1800s. The pieces of furniture and pottery were also lovely. Because it is an old building, the layout is slightly unusual but still intuitive. It would have been preferable to have some more explanatory plaques in some of the rooms. One very nice feature are the lockers in the lobby so you can place coats, bags, etc. Parking is available a couple of blocks away.

It's 6,50€ for entry into this museum, which is chock-full of great artifacts and history of the…read moreregion. Can accommodate a quick 1-2 hour visit, or longer if you have the time/inclination. Well worth your time.

I just returned from Spain, where we saw Chillida sculptures everywhere, particularly in the north…read more This was an eye-opener, as I only learned about him a few years ago, while staying with friends in St. Jean-de-Luz, in France, about 20 minutes north of the Spanish border. Luckily, at that time, my friend's father practically forced my friend's wife and I to go down to Spain to the Chillida sculpture garden. So I knew them when I saw them. (I'll add some pictures in the future.) I'm actually not a huge fan of abstract sculpture, but the space is beautiful and when you can see all of his work in one place, it clicks. If you are in Bilbao for the Guggenheim, or in the area for any other reason, I strongly recommend spending an hour or two at this museum. Note: It's not terribly easy to find. Get directions in advance.

Our wonderful hosts at the Pension Bellas Artes told my wife and I that we needed to pay a visit to…read morethe Chillida museum. This was emphasized even more by the the fact that apparently they were closing at the end of 2010. Personally I am not a huge fan of most forms of modern art, but I found the Chillida museum pretty engaging. You can wander around the many pieces of art that are placed throughout the grounds. It might be a fun place to let the kids expend some energy while you wander around and interpret the pieces. Hopefully someone will step in and manage the finances of this uniquely Basque artist's legacy, far better then the previous caretakers.

The children's science museum in San Sebastián has quick accessibility from anywhere in the area…read morevia a bus ride. This convenience makes it an easy and convenient option for families looking for a fun and educational activity. It's not just convenient and indoors it's loads of fun , making it a great choice for a rainy day activity. The diverse range of exhibits caters to children of all ages, providing an engaging and interactive experience. The museum is well-priced for the amount of exhibits and activities available. This makes it a cost-effective option for families looking to explore and learn together. There is a small cafe attached but I would not use up caloric space there and save it for one of San Sebastian's culinary palaces of flavor. All exhibits at the museum have explanations in English, French, Spanish, and Basque. This inclusive approach ensures that visitors from various linguistic backgrounds can fully enjoy and understand the educational content on display. It's a great change from what else you have been doing here and definitely worth checking out if you have the time.

The museum itself is fantastic. A great way to spend the day with kids. Highly recommended…read more But if you get hungry, avoid the cafe/restaurant attached to the museum. The service is dismal. It is overpriced and the little boy claiming to be the manager has anger management issues when it comes to dealing with any adults not on his side of the counter. Advice: eat somewhere else.

We enjoyed an amazing lunch here. We sat in the beautiful quaint courtyard on a lovely afternoon to…read moreenjoy all their specialities including the carpaccio of red prawns that melted in your mouth, glazed crispy suckling pig so tender inside, savory black pudding ravioli with truffle and incredibly flavorful ribeye. We ended the meal with a tasty hot apple cake with vanilla ice cream. Each dish raised the bar. Service was attentive but non-intrusive.

Food was very good- we had a number of dishes and particularly enjoyed the rice with clams, baked…read morecrab and turbot. The wine cellar is out of this world- probably one of the best in all of Spain if not the world. Definitely worth coming here if you love wine from the old world - ask for cellar tour at the end of your meal.

One of the big reasons for me to travel through Spain was some of the architecture. Now Calatrava…read moreand Gaudi aside, there were a number of things I saw that I knew nothing about. The Kursaal by Rafael Moneo was one of those. Sitting at the center of the city's "La Concha" where the river ends at the ocean near Gros. Auditoriums, conventions, dining, music, film festivals all make their way through this intriguing space. Built of two prism cubes, it stands out somewhat futuristically against all of the old Basque surroundings.

Beautiful slices of jamon. Make it a point to try as many as possible and take some back to your…read moreapartment for late night snacking. Lovely owners, nice selection of conservas, txakoli, and crianza, too!

Must-stop shop in Donostia-San Sebastian, for high-quality foods at fair prices in a clean, cozy…read moreshop in Parte Vieja. We were looking for tasty local and regional specialties to bring home, and our finds there did not disappoint. Sylvain was friendly, well-informed about everything on the shelves, and so helpful. He hand-carved some Ibérico from Córdoba for us to sample. Will stop in again the next time we visit the area.