On April 24, hundreds of citizens of all ages took part in the ‘Cycling and Rolling Night March’ in Donostia-San Sebastián (Spain). Cyclists, skaters and rollers occupied the city centre as part of the Breakwater Festival to promote Donostia-San Sebastián as a candidate for European Culture Capital of Culture in 2016. The procession started at 10 p.m. from Kursaal Auditorium and paraded along the seaside to the Antiguo District before returning to the Kursaal.

Aside from being a cultural campaign, festive demonstrators also demanded more room in the city for cycling. There are currently 34 bidegorris (cycling paths) in Donostia-San Sebastián, while a further eight are in the planning stage. There is certainly a symbiotic relationship between the growing popularity of cycling as an alternative means of transport and the number of bike paths in the city.

It was evident at the rally that cycling in Donostia-San Sebastián is not restricted to the young. Many people aged 50 or over were pedalling as well, a clear indication that the activity is not merely a pursuit for “idle bohemians”, as one resident cynically claimed when cycling first gained momentum in the city.

Rally participants enjoyed a magnificently clear night and friendly atmosphere. People of all ages had the opportunity to share a hobby in unison, and briefly made every serious cyclist’s dream a brief reality: depriving cars of the road.

Author: Andrés Martinez