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Where do you enjoying travelling the most? What is it that attracts you to a particular city or country?
Outside of Turkey, I would say that I am happiest in Spain. I enjoy the Spanish outlook on life, their optimism and their sense of hospitality. My favourite area in Spain is the Basque region, which stretches all the way from northeast Spain to southwest France. The landscape is stunning. Every time I visit the city of San Sebastian, I fall in love with it all over again. The Basque name of the city is Donostia.
What are your favourite places to visit?
I love the old port. The streets are filled with fish restaurants and they are all excellent. In the evening, head to the large beach in the city centre and take a walk and watch the changing of the tide. Stay at the Hotel Maria Idalgo or the Hotel Maria Cristina if you can afford it. San Sebastian also has the world's first Aqua Park. Make sure to visit Saint -Jean de Luz and Hondarabbia between Biarritz and San Sebastian.
What are your favourite restaurants and which dishes would you recommend from the menu?
As the Spanish say, San Sebastian has the best seafood in the whole world. The shellfish is excellent. The Restaurant Arzak is owned and run by one of the best chefs in Europe Tel: 73 943278465. However, before you go there, wander around the city streets and pop in to a couple of bars for some tapas and frothy cidra (apple wine). If you still have space in your stomach, then head to Restaurant Arzak. I recommend the Rioja, Remelluri, Baron de Ley and Marques de Riscal wines.
What do you recommend people should do in the evening?
Dinner often finishes very late at night, so the nightlife is centred around the restaurants. After dinner, you can enjoy a wide variety of music and company at the city's many bars. I don't have a specific preference. You can have fun anywhere, even on the streets.
Can you recommend any cultural activities or events?
Until the beginning of the century, the royal family summered in San Sebastian. It was the Monaco of its day. Today, it still hosts important festivals, particularly the film festival that starts on September 22. The Guggenheim in Bilbao is only an hour away. If you want to enjoy a concert, all you have to do is drop by one of the city's many squares. San Sebastian is also home to Turkish footballer Nihat Kaveci.
