Santo Tomás Market: on 21 December the city smells of talo with chistorra
Every 21 December Donostia transforms into a giant rural market. Farmhouses from across Gipuzkoa come down to the city with their produce: talo with chistorra, txistorra, idiazabal cheese, honey and cider.
Santo Tomás: Donostia's most cherished rural fair
The Santo Tomás Market, held every 21 December on the Plaza de la Constitución and the adjacent Old Town streets, is a tradition dating back to the 18th century. More than 200 stalls from farmhouses across Gipuzkoa fill the city with the unmistakeable aroma of talo with chistorra.
The star products
- Talo with chistorra — the maize flatbread wrapped around freshly grilled chistorra is the day's gastronomic symbol
- Artisan idiazabal cheese in all its varieties: smoked, young, semi-cured and cured
- Mountain honey and oak, heather and chestnut honeys from Gipuzkoa mountain hives
- Young natural cider, txakoli of the year and farmhouse herb liqueurs
- Seasonal fruit and vegetables from kitchen gardens — the last apples, winter leeks
How the day unfolds
The atmosphere starts at 9:00 in the morning and stalls last until 18:00. The best time is between 10:00 and 12:00, before the queues for the talo become too long. Chefs from nearby restaurants come at the earliest hours to buy the fresh produce for their Christmas menus. A spectacle within the spectacle.
Where the fair takes place
Plaza de la Constitución is the centre, but the fair extends along Calle 31 de Agosto, Calle Narrica and Plaza de la Trinidad. You can walk from any point in the old town — check the map to get your bearings.
