Known in Spanish as San Sebastián, in Basque as Donostia and officially as Donostia-San Sebastián, this multicultural city is located on the southern coast of the Bay of Biscay, not far from the French border. With multiple cultural festivals, interesting history and stunning bays and beaches, San Sebastián provides the perfect setting for a study abroad experience. The city's location also offers easy weekend excursions to Bilbao, Pamplona and the French Basque Coast, as well as Madrid, Toledo and Barcelona. 

While Spanish is the main language spoken in the city, the Basque language, called euskara or euskera, is also spoken by many city residents and in the small villages surrounding the city. Unrelated to the Romance languages spoken in the area, such as Spanish and French, Basque is the last remnant of the indigenous languages spoken in the Iberian Peninsula before the arrival of the Romans.

San Sebastián is also an ideal location to learn or perfect your Spanish. The Spanish spoken in northern Spain is very clearly enunciated and closer to standard Spanish than the Spanish spoken in other parts of the country, such as Andalucia.

San Sebastián offers an excellent array of higher education institutions, from The University of the Basque Country to Deusto University San Sebastian. Technologically oriented students should consider attending FECYT, the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology, the Instituto Tecnolo'gico de Arago'n or the University of the Basque Country, which has a world-renowned engineering faculty.

Basque inscriptions and drawings found in the area date back to the third century A.D. and will fascinate history students. Some inscriptions refer to early Christianity in the region, for example "lesus, lose ata ta Mirian ama," which means "Jesus, father Joseph and mother Mary," and "geure ata zutan" meaning "our father [be] with you."

After delving into the mystery of the language, history majors can explore San Sebastián's beginnings, starting in 1014, when Sancho III of Pamplona donated the monastery of Saint Sebastián to the Abbey of Leire. In 1180, the town began as a fishing village and grew until the city was conquered in 1200 by Castille. During the Peninsular War in 1808, Napoleon's forces took control. The city was the site of a royal wedding, saw multiple battles and sieges and was completely destroyed only to be rebuilt exactly as it was.

Today, San Sebastián is a popular tourist destination with three main beaches as well as a calm bay surrounded by mountains. In addition to the beautiful setting, the city also boasts frequent cultural festivals. The three biggest include the Tamborrada, the Semana Grande and the Donostia-San Sebastian International Film Festival.

The Tomborrada, the feast of Saint Sebastián, is held every January 20, and the celebration lasts a full 24 hours, with citizens marching through the streets dressed as cooks and soldiers. Children and students typically wear costumes representing a specific country. Food is the theme and is offered to everyone, by everyone. Semana Grande takes place every August, and includes a weeklong fireworks competition. Every night, fireworks explode over the bay, and at the end of the week, a winner is chosen and celebrated. Film majors will delight in attending the Donostia-San Sebastian International Film Festival, which is considered the most important film festival in Spain. It is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy 10 days of great films in a dynamic international setting.

San Sebastián's beautiful setting, interesting history, mix of cultures and language and excellent educational options all make the city an enticing study abroad destination.

Resources -

San Sebastian Information & Tourism: http://www.san-sebastian.world-guides.com
University of Deusto: http://www.deusto.es/
University of Basque Country: http://www.ehu.es
San Sebastian Travel Guide: http://www.sansebastianspain.info/
Spain Ministry of Education and Sciences: http://www.mecd.es

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