The best way to descend Igueldo is aboard its wooden funicular, which is more than 100 years old. We get off next to the most photographed sculpture in the city: the Peine del Viento by Eduardo Chillida, made of corten steel (hence its deliberate rust color.) To scratch the winds and frequent waves of this place.

We’ll head over to the other 'Finis Terrae' of the city, Sagüés and La Zurriola, the epicenter of the surfing scene in San Sebastián. But first we’ll check out the main hallmarks of the city: its 'posh' side, its romantic nooks, the palace built for royal summers at the end of the 19th century (Miramar Palace), the French-influenced, modernist and rationalist buildings (with the odd nod to the Bauhaus), or more recent architecture such as the Kursaal, two buildings that seem to be beached rocks by the sea.

The Old Town is the gastronomic epicenter of San Sebastián (yes, here are the pintxo bars, the gastronomic sociedades ‘ [think private eating clubs], seasoned locals enjoying the timeless 'txikiteo' [a sort of uptempo bar-hopping] – ordering 'zuritos' or 'cañas'. Here is the gluttonous, indulgent San Sebastián you’ve heard tell of), and the site of the city’s oldest buildings. You’ll come away with a Master's Degree in navigating “miniature cuisine” (how do you order a pintxo? When do you pay?), and High Honors in Basque bars. Okay. Let's talk about serious things. Everything we’ve told you about pintxos wouldn’t make sense if we didn’t visit the most iconic bars to try their most famous pintxos accompanied by cider, wine or beer. The snack will end with the sweet dessert that locals love to eat while walking down the street: a creamy, sweet and stunning artisanal ice cream. Now you can go to bed satisfied.