In Donostia, there is something just as traditional as eating pintxos, taking the funicular up Mount Igeldo or visiting La Concha Beach: enjoying a creamy, artisan ice cream, the kind that leaves its flavour lingering in your mouth for hours. A classic, old-fashioned ice cream.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s summer or winter, whether it’s cold, raining or scorching hot. In Donostia, you will always find an ice cream parlour open, and you are bound to come across someone strolling through the Old Town or watching the sunset from one of the viewpoints along La Concha promenade while enjoying an ice cream in a cup or cone.

And that’s because in Donostia, ice cream is not associated with a particular season or type of weather, but with special moments.

You can’t leave the city without watching the sunset from Sagüés, or taking an evening stroll along the bay or Paseo Nuevo with an ice cream in your hand. In fact, you simply can’t visit Donostia without trying an ice cream from one of its many ice cream parlours.

If you’re indecisive, take your time. First, you’ll have to choose an ice cream parlour — and be warned, there are more than 15 in the stretch between the Kursaal and the Boulevard alone. And those aren’t the only ones. If you’re exploring the streets of Riberas de Loyola, Antiguo, Amara, Egia or Gros, you’ll also find plenty of ice cream parlours where you can enjoy that little moment of happiness that can be surprisingly addictive. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like ice cream!

Once you’ve chosen one, you’ll have to ‘face’ wide counters bursting with colour. Litres and litres of creamy ice cream, ready to be enjoyed. More than 30 different flavours, most of them free from artificial colourings and additives, with some lower in sugar, but always maintaining the same high quality.

Dozens of flavours, from more exotic options such as Mango or Pistachio — favourites among tourists — to more traditional choices like Yoghurt, Lemon or Chocolate, as well as newer flavours such as Kinder Bueno, Cookies or Dulce de leche. You’ll also find innovative treats like Roscón de Reyes ice cream, a real delight if you have a sweet tooth.

Whenever you walk down Garibay Street, you’re bound to see someone holding a cone topped with scoops of Coffee or Dark chocolate ice cream. Chances are, it will be from Casa Arnoldo, which has been sweetening the city since 1935. They were the pioneers. That year, they arrived in Donostia from Italy, bringing with them the art of ice cream making. Their artisan recipes are made using a traditional formula that is still followed today.

If you’re a Chocolate lover, a visit to this ice cream parlour is a must. Its chocolate ice cream is pure magic: cold and creamy, with an intense flavour that lingers for hours.

Stepping into this ice cream parlour is an experience in itself. Its counter is filled with flavours bearing original names, which change frequently to tempt you to come back and try something new. There are 52 flavours in total, 48 of them suitable for people with coeliac disease and 12 specially created for vegans. Oiartzun is a paradise for anyone open to discovering new ice creams and enjoying a blend of different flavours and aromas in a single bite. Unique creations such as Donosti or Primavera sit alongside the more traditional flavours.

This is an ice cream parlour with a genuine passion for craftsmanship, where pastry-making and ice cream traditions come together to create flavours inspired by delicious pastries made in its own workshop, such as Roscón de Reyes ice cream. Craftsmanship, tradition and natural ingredients come together to reinforce the reputation for quality of ice cream made in San Sebastian.

Enjoying an ice cream without rushing, savouring it before it melts, knowing that it is the real thing: wholesome, creamy, full of texture and flavour. A unique moment while strolling along the Bay, wandering through the Old Town or watching the sunset in Sagüés. You can’t leave Donostia without treating yourself to the city’s sweetest flavour.

My birramona — great-grandmother in Basque — used to say that ice cream was once sold in pharmacies as medicine. And when you think about it, it makes sense, because there’s hardly anything a sweet treat can’t make better. You’ll rarely see someone holding an ice cream without closing their eyes and smiling. And in those moments when you’re feeling low, discouraged, overwhelmed or simply need to switch off… tell me the truth: don’t you feel like having a really good ice cream? After all, they’re scoops of pure happiness.

Fancy an ice cream?