Begin at the beautiful Ayuntamiento (city hall). This building was built at the end of the 19th century as a casino. Closed down when gambling was outlawed, it served various purposes before becoming, in 1945, today's City Hall.
If you head towards the beach from here, you'll have a nice panoramic view of La Concha Bay and its beach:
- Looking out to sea, in the middle, you'll see Isla de Santa Clara, a small island whose only constructions are a small dock and a lighthouse. Due to the tide, its beach is visible only for a few hours of the day. The island can be visited from June to September through a regular motor boat service, which leaves every half hour from the port and costs 3.80€ round trip for direct service and 6€ round trip if, in addition, you want a tour of the bay. We only recommend this if the weather is nice and you have some spare time.
- At the other end of the bay is Monte Igueldo, famous for its viewpoint and the small amusement park at its peak.
- To the right of the bay is Monte Urgull, with the statue of the Sacred Heart keeping watch over the city.
- Below is the port.
Start walking towards it. On the wharf you'll see the characteristic fishing boats of the north of Spain. It's very typical in this region to buy small portions of seafood, which are served in paper cones. One of the most famous places is Cocedero de Mariscos El Puerto, on Paseo del Muelle 1. They have a set menu for two of sea snails, shrimp and 2 soft drinks for 6.50€.
If you continue to the end of Paseo del Muelle and walk up the stairs, you'll come to Paseo Nuevo, which encircles the mountain. More or less at the halfway point, you'll see the sculpture "Construcción Vacía" (Empty Construction), by the sculptor Jorge Oteiza.
Continue on Paseo Nuevo until you reach the Zurriola Bridge, which crosses over to the neighbourhood known as Gros.
