152 places in and around San Sebastián, 27 of them among my favourite picks.
Chapter One
A Basque city that never came under Islamic rule. Since the 19th century it has been a summer resort of the Spanish royal court, and today, with its bay “La Concha”, it is counted among the world's gastronomy capitals.
Figures of San Sebastián
Juan Sebastián Elcano
A navigator born in nearby Getaria, who completed the first voyage around the world after the death of Magallanes, and has a monument in his hometown.
María Cristina de Habsburgo
The queen regent who made San Sebastián a summer resort for the court and built the Palacio de Miramar there.
Pío Baroja
A novelist of the “Generation of '98”, born in San Sebastián.
Jorge Oteiza
A Basque sculptor born in nearby Orio, one of the pioneers of modern sculpture.
Chapter Two
2 hour-by-hour day plans and 2 walking routes I drew myself in San Sebastián, with the places to pray and eat where I marked them.
Chapter Three
152 places I chose, arranged in chapters. A gold star marks one of my favourite picks.
Narrow alleys between the Urumea river and the harbour, the capital of Basque “pintxos”, where small restaurants line up with their miniature dishes; at its heart is the Plaza de la Constitución with its numbered balconies.
My tip
Stroll among the restaurants in the evening and check the ingredients of the pintxos (many contain pork); choose seafood dishes.
Huge iron sculptures by the artist Eduardo Chillida, fixed in the Atlantic rocks at the end of the bay. Holes in their base let out bursts of waves and air, a majestic sight.
My tip
Visit at high tide and on a windy day to see the waves leap through the holes; at the end of the Ondarreta promenade.
· Zestoa
A replica of the Ekain cave, a World Heritage site, with the finest horse paintings in European rock art (around 14,000 years old). It was built to protect the closed original, and gives a captivating account of the life of Stone Age hunters.
My tip
Tours are in Spanish or Basque, with audio guides in English; closed on Mondays. 35 minutes from San Sebastián.
The history museum of Basque society, in a 16th-century Dominican convent at the foot of Monte Urgull, with a contemporary wing covered in plants. It displays art, ethnography and the city's history.
My tip
1.5 hours; closed Mondays; free entry on Tuesdays; take the map of the sections at the entrance.
A large interactive science museum with a planetarium dome, a flight simulator and areas for little ones; one of the best children's activities in the Basque Country. Ideal for rainy days.
My tip
3–4 hours; around 10 € per adult; café and car parks; by bus or car (outside the centre).
· Hernani
An open-air sculpture garden of Eduardo Chillida, the most famous of the Basque sculptors: giant steel and stone blocks on a green meadow around a 16th-century country house.
My tip
1.5 hours; closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays; book a timed ticket; direct bus from central San Sebastián (20 minutes).
Casa Urola
Basque market cuisine; pintxos downstairs and a dining room upstairs. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Signature dishGrilled scallops with ajoblanco (almond soup)
Booking advised · Casual · Suits couples, business meetings and friends and groups
La Rampa
Seafood and grilled fish at the harbour. Closed Wednesdays.
TryGrilled fish, octopus, seafood
Booking advised · Everyday clothes · Suits families and children and friends and groups
Astelena 1997
Innovative Basque-French cuisine with a tasting menu. Closed Mondays.
TryBasque-French tasting menu
“Contemporary Basque cooking rated 4.6 in the old quarter.”
Booking advised · Casual · Suits couples and business meetings
Juanito Kojua
A classic of Basque and fish cooking (1947), the oldest in the old quarter. Sunday lunch only. · since 1947
TryGrilled fish, cod in pil-pil sauce
Booking advised · Smart casual · Suits families and children, business meetings and friends and groups
Borda Berri
Hot pintxos made to order: beef cheeks, ear, mushroom risotto. Closed Sundays and Mondays.
Signature dishOrzo risotto with Idiazabal cheese, and braised veal cheek
“Famous hot pintxos (veal cheek and risotto) in the old town.”
Everyday clothes · Suits couples and friends and groups
La Cuchara de San Telmo
Pintxos made to order: veal cheek, suckling pig, foie gras. Closed Mondays.
Signature dishGrilled duck liver (foie) with apple compote
“One of the most famous bars for hot pintxos cooked to order.”
Everyday clothes · Suits couples and friends and groups
One of the most beautiful urban beaches in Europe: a shell-shaped bay bordered by Santa Clara island and the Igueldo and Urgull hills. It was the summer resort of Queen María Cristina de Habsburgo in the 19th century.
My tip
Walk the seafront along its famous white railing at sunset; the tides change the width of the beach a great deal.
A green hill above the old town, topped by the Castillo de la Mota and the statue of Christ, with walking paths along the sea and views of the bay and the island.
My tip
The climb takes around 20 minutes from behind the San Telmo Museoa; or simply take the circular path around the mountain in the morning.
· Getaria
A Basque country house (caserío) above the green hills overlooking the sea at Getaria, between the fishing village and San Sebastián.
My tip
25 minutes from San Sebastián; the coastal walking trail to Zarautz and the geological beach of Zumaia are nearby.
· Zumaia
Country apartments in a Basque caserío among the pastures above Zumaia, with kitchens, green spaces and views of the coast.
My tip
Self-catering apartments suit large families; visit the famous “flysch” cliffs in Zumaia at low tide.
· Zarautz
The longest beach in the Basque Country (around 2.5 km), with a lively seafront promenade, 25 minutes from San Sebastián; the surfing capital of the north, and next to it the pretty coastal village of Getaria. The water is fairly cold (20° in August).
My tip
Suitable for families in the middle section, under lifeguard supervision in summer; the waves are strong at times. Combine it with a walk along the coastal promenade to Getaria (around 1 hour).
· Askizu (Getaria)
A Basque country house among the green hills above Getaria, converted into a small luxury hotel for adults only, with views over the Cantabrian Sea, a pool and a garden. 30 minutes from San Sebastián.
My tip
Adults only; combine it with a visit to the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria and the coastal walk to Zarautz.
· Biarritz
A rock in the sea topped by a statue, reached by an iron bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel's office, with Atlantic waves breaking around it. The icon of Biarritz and its imperial resort since the time of Napoleon III and his wife Eugénie.
What to see
The old fishermen's harbour (Port des Pêcheurs) right below the rock, and Côte des Basques beach to the south; the Biarritz Aquarium is 100 m away.
My tip
Best at sunset or on a day of high waves. The bridge closes in storms. Reminder for the trip to France: carry your passport (and the visa or Spanish residence card) for each person.
· Espelette
A Basque village whose white façades are hung with clusters of dried red pepper, the region's most famous product. At “L'Atelier du Piment” there is a free tour of the fields and the factory, with tastings of pepper sauces and jams.
What to see
The Baron's Castle in the village centre (the town hall), the Basque church with its wooden balconies, and pepper shops on the main street.
My tip
The best time is from August to October, when the chilli pepper clusters hang, and its festival is at the end of October. Note that some products offered for tasting contain pork or alcohol, so ask. Reminder for the trip to France: carry your passport (and the visa or Spanish residence card) for each person.
· Sare
A wooden cog railway from 1924 climbs for 35 minutes to the summit of La Rhune (905 m) on the French-Spanish border, among wild pottok horses and eagles. From the top, the coast is visible from Biarritz to San Sebastián.
What to see
The village of Sare is one of the most beautiful villages in France, and the Grottes de Sare are 10 minutes away.
My tip
It runs daily from around the end of March to the beginning of November (2026: 28 March – 1 November). Book online; in summer, book two or three days ahead. The full trip takes around 2.5 hours; the child ticket (aged 4–12) is around 18 euros return. Reminder for the trip to France: carry your passport (and the visa or Spanish residence card) for each person.
· Hondarribia
A walled border town at the mouth of the Bidasoa river, facing France, with the castle of Carlos V (today the Parador hotel), stone alleys and a fishermen's quarter with houses that have coloured wooden balconies.
What to see
The walled old town and the Santa María Gate · Castle of Carlos V (Parador) · Plaza de Armas · the “La Marina” quarter with its coloured houses · Mount Jaizkibel and its observatory · a boat to French Hendaye
My tip
30 minutes from San Sebastián; combine it with a small boat to the French town of Hendaye opposite.
· Getaria
A fishing village on the Basque coast, birthplace of the navigator Elcano, the first to complete a voyage around the world, and of the designer Cristóbal Balenciaga, whose museum here bears his name; known for charcoal-grilled fish.
What to see
The island-mountain “Ratón de Getaria” and its trail · Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum · the port and grilled fish · the Elcano statue · the coastal walk to Zarautz
My tip
40 minutes west; visit the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum, then have lunch of grilled fish at the port.
· Pasaia
An enchanting fishing village with a single street of coloured houses on a narrow estuary, where Victor Hugo stayed. You cross to it by small boat from Pasaia San Pedro.
My tip
10 minutes by car, or 2.5 hours on foot along the coastal path from the Gros district via Monte Ulia; the boat takes a few minutes and costs less than 1 €.
· Zumaia
A boat trip of about an hour along the “flysch” cliffs of the Basque Coast Geopark, where rock layers formed over more than 50 million years lie like the pages of an open book. The most beautiful angle to see them is from the sea.
My tip
Book online in advance in summer; trips are cancelled if the sea gets rough. The commentary is usually in Spanish, with an audio link in other languages. Take a spray-proof jacket and sunscreen; suitable for all ages.
A summit overlooking La Concha bay with the finest view in San Sebastián, reached by a wooden funicular running since 1912; at the top is a small old amusement park.
My tip
Take the funicular before sunset; the amusement park usually opens at weekends outside summer.
One of the oldest marine aquariums in Europe (1928), with a glass tunnel that sharks swim over, and a wing on the history of Basque navigation and fishing.
My tip
Book tickets online; the visit takes around 2 hours and is ideal for children.
· Donostia / San Sebastián
Zurriola beach in the Gros quarter is the heart of surf culture in San Sebastián, with regular waves all year suitable for beginners, overlooked by the modern buildings of the Kursaal palace at the mouth of the Urumea river.
My tip
The waves are calmest and the water warmest from June to September; book a morning group lesson and wear the neoprene suit the school provides.
Small boats leave from the old harbour for the green island in the middle of La Concha bay, with an option of a tour around the bay. On the island are a lighthouse, short trails and a small beach.
My tip
Return trip around 5 € and the long tour (40 minutes) around 8 €; don't take the last boat; trips are cancelled when the sea gets rough.
· Azpeitia
A museum of historic trains in the old Azpeitia station, with 3 centuries of carriages and a working mechanical workshop. The highlight is a ride of about 40 minutes on a real steam train through the Urola valley.
My tip
The steam train usually runs at weekends (Saturday noon and evening and Sunday noon, depending on the season); tickets are bought on site, so arrive an hour early. Closed on Mondays.
· Donostia / San Sebastián (Gros)
The best halal butcher in San Sebastián: fresh chicken, rabbit, lamb and beef, Moroccan products, vegetables and olive oil.
My tip
In the Gros district near Zurriola beach; open daily 8:00–22:00.
A 4-star design hotel in the old Tabakalera tobacco factory building in San Sebastián, near the railway station and the old quarter.
A 4-star hotel on the summit of Monte Igueldo with a unique panoramic view over La Concha bay, reached by the historic mountain railway.
A villa from the “Belle Époque” (1910) right on the Playa de La Concha seafront, from the era when San Sebastián was the summer resort of the Spanish royal court. Its suites overlook the bay.
My tip
Ask for a room with a sea view; the old town is a 5-minute walk away.
A modern boutique hotel in a 19th-century building in the Romantic quarter (Área Romántica), blending Basque crafts with contemporary design, between Playa de La Concha and the old town.
My tip
The reception team helps with hard-to-get restaurant bookings and provides transfers from Bilbao airport.
· Donostia / San Sebastián
The official municipal area in San Sebastián near the university campus, and the only practical legal way to stay overnight in the city; buses link it to Playa de La Concha and the old town.
My tip
It fills up early; paid by ticket for 24/48/72 hours; no electricity or toilets.
· Donostia / San Sebastián
Small upscale apartments in the heart of San Sebastián, a few steps from the old town and Playa de La Concha. A near-perfect rating for cleanliness and design.
My tip
Apartments in San Sebastián are rare and expensive in summer; book months ahead. Check the tourist licence number (VUT/ESFCTU) in the listing, don't transfer money outside the platform, and beware of fake Idealista and Facebook offers.
· Donostia / San Sebastián
The oldest confectioner in San Sebastián since 1886, famous for the “pantxineta” (almond custard pastry) and the “Basque cake”.
My tip
In the old quarter near the port; open daily.
The modern central market in the new city centre: stalls of fish, vegetables and Basque cheeses, and a supermarket in the basement. A place to see the daily life of the city's people.
My tip
Mornings are best for seeing fresh fish; next to the main shopping street; half an hour.
The oldest confectioner in San Sebastián, founded in 1886 in the old quarter and still run by the same family. Its shop on Narrika street keeps a 19th-century atmosphere, and it is mainly for buying.
My tip
Try the “pantxineta” (almond custard pastry) and the “pastel vasco”. Buy one and sit on a bench in the nearby Plaza de la Constitución. Mornings are best.
· Errenteria
A large picnic area in the Errenteria mountains near San Sebastián, with free fixed barbecues, many tables, meadows, shade, water, toilets and a small playground.
My tip
Barbecue spots fill up quickly, so bring your own portable grill as a backup if allowed; there are sidrerías (cider houses) around them.
· Asteasu
A wide green meadow under huge ancient trees in the Asteasu valley, with built-in barbecues, tables, a spring and a children's playground. Clean and well kept.
My tip
Popular on sunny weekends; come before noon.
Chapter Four
Pick a month to see its weather and events.
Among my best months An event or holidayBars: lowest and highest temperature
June13° to 22°
Warm and pleasant (13–22°C). We recommend swimming at La Concha and a boat trip to Santa Clara island.
No events listed in June. A quiet month, and prices are often lower.
Chapter Five
From my own stays
I stayed here in 2024★★★★
A 4-star design hotel in the old Tabakalera tobacco factory building in San Sebastián, near the railway station and the old quarter.
I stayed here in 2023★★★★
A 4-star hotel on the summit of Monte Igueldo with a unique panoramic view over La Concha bay, reached by the historic mountain railway.
Where I wouldn't stay
The old town for sleepingParte Vieja
Wonderful for tasting food by day, but very crowded and noisy until midnight; many of its bars serve alcohol and pork.
Chapter Six
What deserves to come home with you from San Sebastián: the genuine article, and what carries a protected origin.
Idiazabal cheese
Queso Idiazabal DOPRaw sheep's cheese from the Latxa and Carranzana breeds, compact and firm, and may be lightly smoked; it is curdled with animal rennet.
Tuna belly and Cantabrian anchovies
Ventresca de bonito del Norte y anchoas del CantábricoWhite “Bonito del Norte” tuna, line-caught in summer, and spring anchovies, are canned in olive oil in factories on the Basque coast and often bear the “Eusko Label” seal.
Ibarra peppers
Guindillas de IbarraA thin, mildly hot pickled green pepper, an ingredient of the famous “Gilda” pintxo, which is made of only pepper, anchovy and olives.
Almond custard cake
PantxinetaA flaky pastry filled with cream and topped with almonds, made famous by the confectioner Otaegui in San Sebastián.
Burnt cheesecake
Tarta de queso de La ViñaThe “burnt” cheesecake that became world-famous from the La Viña restaurant in the old town, creamy in the centre and dark on top.
Chapter Seven
San Sebastián is small and can be walked along the seafront or travelled on Dbus buses, and the Euskotren train links it to Bilbao and the French border (Hendaye). The rechargeable “Mugi” card cuts the prices of buses and trains. Airports: San Sebastián airport (Hondarribia) is small with limited flights; Bilbao airport has more flights and a direct bus to San Sebastián in about 1 hour 15 minutes; Biarritz airport, in France, is 45 minutes away. Taxis are available, and ride-hailing apps are very limited. Tips: parking in the city is expensive and scarce, so choose a hotel with parking or leave the car.
Last reviewed1 October 2026
