San Sebastián tours and tickets
San Sebastián is a town of beaches, hills and bars, and its best experiences are free or small. The main bookings are tables at sit-down restaurants, cider house lunches and food tours. The funicular, Monte Urgull and the beaches need no tickets, and Hondarribia and Getaria are easy day trips.
Book these first
- Dinner at a sit-down restaurant
- 1 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 festival
- 2 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 lunch
- 1 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.
Nobody pays to be on this page. The Viator buttons are partner links: if you book through one, Viator may pay us a commission, at no cost to you. Where the official site sells the ticket, we link it too. How we rank
Food tours and classes
Pintxo crawl with a guide
A guided walk through the bars of the old town, with stops for pintxos, local wine and cider, and advice on what to order. Tours last about three hours.
Which to pick. Join an early-evening tour to learn the routine, then go back alone. Book a small group, and say what you cannot eat.
A few days aheadTours and tickets on ViatorBasque cooking class
A hands-on class in making Basque dishes such as hake in green sauce or a cheesecake, often starting at the market. Most end with the meal.
Which to pick. Book a morning class that starts at the market. Classes are small and sell out in summer.
1 to 2 weeks aheadTours and tickets on ViatorCider house lunch
A meal at a traditional sagardotegi in the hills, with cider poured from barrels, a set menu of cod omelette, steak and cheese.
Which to pick. Reserve a table, since the houses are small and busy. Some offer transport from town.
1 to 2 weeks ahead in seasonTours and tickets on Viator
Outdoors
Monte Urgull
A forested hill above the old town with paths, old batteries and a statue of Christ at the top. It is free and takes about an hour.
Which to pick. Go in the afternoon for the views, with water. No ticket or guide is needed.
Not needed, entry is freeVisitor guideTours and tickets on ViatorMonte Igeldo funicular
A historic funicular up the hill west of La Concha, with an old amusement park and a view over the bay. Tickets are sold at the lower station.
Which to pick. Buy the ticket at the lower station and go near sunset, when the light on the bay is at its best. The old park at the top is small.
On the day is fineTours and tickets on ViatorBoat to Santa Clara island
A short boat from the harbor to a small island in the bay, with a small beach and a lighthouse. It runs in summer.
Which to pick. Go in the morning and check the return times before you land. Take sun protection and food, since the island has few facilities.
On the day is fineTours and tickets on Viator
Museums and galleries
San Telmo Museoa
A museum in a former convent, with Basque history, art and ethnography around a cloister. Entry has a ticket and a guided tour is available.
Which to pick. Buy at the door. It is a good choice when it rains, and a guide helps with the Basque context.
On the day is fineVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorTabakalera
A large cultural center in a former tobacco factory, with exhibitions, a rooftop terrace and a cafe. Many spaces are free.
Which to pick. Walk in on the day. It is a quiet and free alternative to the museums.
Not needed, entry is freeVisitor guideOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Day trips
Hondarribia
A fishing town with a walled upper town and a lively harbor street for pintxos, about 30 minutes by bus.
Which to pick. Go by bus and have lunch on the harbor street, where the bars are busiest at midday. No tickets are needed in advance.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on ViatorGetaria
A coastal town known for grilled turbot and txakoli wine, about 30 minutes by bus or train, with a harbor, a Balenciaga museum and views of the coast.
Which to pick. Book a lunch table ahead, because the grill restaurants fill. Go by train or bus and walk the harbor before or after your meal.
A few days aheadTours and tickets on ViatorBiarritz and Saint-Jean-de-Luz
Two French coastal towns across the border, about an hour by bus or train, with beaches, markets and a historic harbor.
Which to pick. Go by train and spend the day on the beach and in the markets. Take your passport or ID, even though the border is open.
On the day is fineOfficial siteTours and tickets on Viator
Booking tours and tickets in San Sebastián
Do I need to book restaurants?
For sit-down restaurants, yes, a week or two ahead. For pintxo bars, no, you walk in and order at the counter.
Is a pintxo tour worth it?
On a first visit, yes. A guide teaches how the bars work and what to order, then you can repeat the routine alone.
Can I swim at La Concha?
Yes, and the beach is clean and patrolled in summer. Check the tide, which changes the beach a lot.
Is there a tourist pass?
There is no major pass. Most sights are free, and the funicular and museums have separate tickets.
What if it rains?
San Telmo, Tabakalera, a cooking class and a long pintxo lunch all work indoors. Book a class on a wet day.
What can wait until I arrive?
The beaches, Monte Urgull, the old town and the pintxo bars can be done on the day. Book restaurants, cider house lunches and classes first.