Things to do in San Sebastián: the bay, the old town and the coast
San Sebastián (Donostia in Basque) is a small city built round a shell-shaped bay, with a good city beach, an old town packed with bars and two green hills at either end. Two or three days is enough. The one thing to know: it rains in every season, so keep the beach plans flexible.
The short answer
- First trip
- Walk La Concha promenade, climb Monte Urgull, eat your way along the old town bars and take one half-day trip along the coast.
- Where to stay
- The Parte Vieja for the bars, the Centro for calm and the beach, Gros for surf and local life.
- How many days
- Two days for the bay and the old town, three if you add Hondarribia, Getaria or Biarritz.
- Best time to go
- June to September for the beaches, September for the film festival, and winter if you want quiet.
- Book ahead
- Dinner at sit-down restaurants and hotels in July, August and the film festival.
- From the airport
- San Sebastián airport is small and sits on the French border. A public bus runs to the city via Hondarribia.
Where to stay in San Sebastián, in brief
Parte Vieja
bars and first visits
The old town, with the pintxo bars at your door and the port beside it. It is loud late, especially at weekends, and rooms are small and dear.
Centro
calm and the beach
Grid streets of late 19th-century buildings between the old town and La Concha. Quieter at night, still walkable to everything.
Gros
surf and local life
Across the river, beside Zurriola beach, with neighborhood bars and a younger crowd. Less pretty, usually cheaper, ten to fifteen minutes from the old town.
Antiguo
a long beach walk
At the west end of the bay by Ondarreta beach. Residential and calm, with the funicular up Monte Igeldo nearby, and about twenty-five minutes on foot from the old town.
Things to do in San Sebastián
La Concha beach and promenade
A curved city beach with a white railed promenade running its whole length. Walk it end to end, and swim from late May if the sea allows. The tide goes far out, so check it before you lay a towel down.
Monte Urgull
The green hill between the old town and the sea, with paths, old cannon and a castle at the top. Allow an hour and a half and go early or at sunset for the views.
Monte Igeldo and the funicular
A 1912 funicular climbs the hill at the west end of the bay to a viewpoint over the whole shoreline. There is a small old-style amusement park at the top.
The Parte Vieja
The old town, rebuilt after a fire in 1813, with the Plaza de la Constitución and the churches of San Vicente and Santa María. Come in the morning to see it before the bars fill.
Peine del Viento
Eduardo Chillida's steel sculptures anchored in the rocks at the end of Ondarreta beach. Come at high tide, when the sea is rough, and you will see why it is there.
San Telmo Museoa
The Basque museum in a former convent in the old town, covering the history, society and art of the region. Good for a wet afternoon.
Zurriola beach and the Kursaal
The surf beach on the east side, beside the Kursaal conference and concert building. Surf schools rent boards and wetsuits for lessons.
Tabakalera
A former tobacco factory in Egia turned into a center for contemporary culture, with exhibitions, a cinema and a rooftop. Check the program before you go.
Boat to Santa Clara island
A small boat crosses from the port to the island in the middle of the bay in summer. It has a tiny beach, a lighthouse and a bar. Check the season and the last boat back.
A pintxo crawl in the old town
The point of the city for most visitors. Order a drink and one or two pintxos at each bar, then move on. Stand at the bar and pay as you go.
What to book before you go
These sell out. Most of the rest of San Sebastián can be decided on the day.
Every tour and ticket in San Sebastián, and which to pick- Dinner at a sit-down restaurant1 to 3 weeks ahead
Tables at the well-known grills and tasting-menu places go early, and more so in summer and at the film festival.
- A room in July, August or the film festival2 to 3 months ahead
The city is small and full of Spanish and French holidaymakers in summer, and rooms near the old town go first.
- A cider house lunch1 to 2 weeks ahead in season
Cider houses in the hills open for the new cider from about January to April, and groups fill them at weekends.
What to skip in San Sebastián
- Eating on the squares in the old town
The terraces on Plaza de la Constitución pour you a coffee and charge for the view. Eat at the bars on the side streets, Calle 31 de Agosto and Calle Fermín Calbetón.
- Driving into the center
Parking is scarce and dear, and much of the old town is closed to cars. Use the bus, your feet or a car park at the edge.
- A beach day on the first sunny weekend of summer
La Concha is packed from the early morning. Go on a weekday, early or after five, or swim at Ondarreta.
Best time to visit San Sebastián
June to September is the main beach season, with warm days, long evenings and the busiest streets. August is hot and crowded, with the Semana Grande week in the middle of the month. Even so, the Basque coast is damp, and a rainy day in summer is normal.
September is a good month: the sea is still warm, the crowds thin, and the film festival takes over the city late in the month. Winter is quiet, mild and wet, with the bars still open and rooms cheaper. The cider houses open from about January.
- From San Sebastián airportThe airport is at Hondarribia, on the French border. A public bus, the Lurraldebus E21, runs to the city in about 35 to 50 minutes and stops at Plaza Gipuzkoa in the center. A taxi is quicker and costs much more. Many visitors also fly into Bilbao or Biarritz, and take a coach or train on.
- On footThe old town, the center, La Concha and Gros are all within about twenty minutes of each other. Walking is the best way to see the city.
- City busesThe Dbus network covers the city and reaches Monte Igeldo and the beaches. Pay with a rechargeable card or contactless, and check the fare on the day.
- Trains and coachesThe Renfe and Euskotren station is at Amara, a short walk south of the center. The Euskotren Topo line links the city with Hondarribia and Hendaye. Coaches go to Bilbao, Pamplona and Biarritz.
San Sebastián in three days
- Day 1
Walk La Concha promenade, then climb Monte Urgull in the afternoon. Spend the evening on a pintxo crawl in the Parte Vieja.
- Day 2
Morning at La Bretxa market and San Telmo Museoa, afternoon at the beach or the funicular up Monte Igeldo. Dinner at a sit-down restaurant in Gros or the center.
- Day 3
Take the bus to Hondarribia or Getaria for a long lunch by the sea, and come back for a last evening in Gros.
Day trips from San Sebastián
- HondarribiaA walled fishing town on the French border, about 35 to 50 minutes by bus. The old quarter has balconies, bars and the harbor.
- GetariaA coastal town west of the city, known for txakoli wine and grilled fish and for Cristóbal Balenciaga. Buses run from the center in under an hour.
- Biarritz and Saint-Jean-de-LuzFrench Basque coast towns that you can reach in under an hour and a half by train or coach through Hendaye. Take a passport or ID card.
San Sebastián: questions people ask
How many days do you need in San Sebastián?
Two days covers the bay, the old town and a pintxo crawl. Three days adds a day trip to Hondarribia, Getaria or Biarritz. A fourth is only needed for surf lessons or the cider houses.
Is San Sebastián worth visiting?
Yes, for a short city break. It is small, walkable and set on a bay, with an old town full of good bars. It is dear in summer and wet in every season.
What is the best time to visit San Sebastián?
June to September for the beaches, and September in particular for fewer crowds and the film festival. Winter is quiet and cheaper if you can accept rain.
Is San Sebastián expensive?
It is one of the dearer cities in Spain, especially in July and August. Eating at the bar, drinking house wine and txakoli, and staying outside the old town keep the bill down.
Is Donostia the same as San Sebastián?
Yes. Donostia is the Basque name and San Sebastián the Spanish one. You will see both on signs, and the city uses them together.
Can you swim in San Sebastián?
Yes. La Concha and Ondarreta are the calm beaches, with lifeguards in summer. Zurriola has waves and is for surfers. The sea is cool, and the tide goes far out on La Concha.
What is there to do in San Sebastián when it rains?
San Telmo Museoa, Tabakalera, the markets and the bars. Rain is common, and the covered counters of the old town are made for it.