The next stop on my “La Longue Route de l’Atlantique” road trip was San Sebastian (Donostia in Basque), located on the Bay of Biscay on Spain’s northern coast with breathtaking views of green hills and the winding coastline. Already a favoured resort for Spanish royals in the 19th century, in addition to being the place with the highest number of Michelin star restaurants per square kilometre in the world, it is now a centre of a vibrant art scene thanks to initiatives like that of Cy Schnabel, son of famous artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel. In 2020, Cy decided to return to his home in San Sebastian, where his maternal family comes from, to found his art gallery - Villa Magdalena. His desire to establish the gallery in this city arose from an urge to add something new by creating a gallery with an international approach to complement the local art scene and to offer a new, unique and dynamic space for the local public and a global audience. A key aspect of Villa Magdalena’s exhibition programme is the founder’s approach. His personal taste and understanding of art determine what is shown and are the guiding light for the space. Working with both established and emerging artists - from Spain and elsewhere - forms the gallery’s natural vision, which is also committed to the long-term development of their careers.