So you want to visit San Sebastian? Known locally as Donostia, this is a city built around one of the most photogenic bays in Europe, a near perfect crescent of golden sand framed by two green hills, but the setting is only the start of it.
San Sebastian has quietly become one of the world’s great food cities, home to more Michelin starred restaurants per capita than almost anywhere else on the planet, and to a pintxos culture where the humble bar snack has been elevated into a genuine art form. It works equally well as a relaxed beach break or a serious food pilgrimage, and most visitors end up doing a bit of both whether they planned to or not.
AT A GLANCE
Capital of the region
San Sebastian is the capital of Gipuzkoa province, though the wider Basque Country’s official capital is Vitoria-Gasteiz.
Language
Spanish and Euskara, the Basque language, both official and widely used on signage and menus. English is common in tourist areas.
Currency
Euro.
Flight time from the UK
San Sebastian’s own airport has limited direct UK flights, so most visitors fly into Bilbao, around two hours from the UK, and continue by road, a journey of around an hour and fifteen minutes.
Best time to visit
Late spring and early autumn, April to June and September to October, bring the most reliable weather with fewer crowds than the summer beach season. Summer is busy and popular for the beaches, but bring waterproofs regardless of when you visit, since rain is a genuine possibility year round.
Time difference
One hour ahead of the UK.
Climate and Weather
San Sebastian has an oceanic climate, mild and notably wetter than southern Spain. Summers are pleasant rather than hot, generally in the low to mid twenties Celsius, and winters are mild on the coast, though rain is frequent throughout the year, so packing for it is worthwhile whatever the season.
Getting There
Bilbao airport is the main gateway, with direct flights from a range of UK airports and a road transfer of around an hour and fifteen minutes to San Sebastian. San Sebastian’s own smaller airport, Hondarribia, has more limited direct UK connections. Biarritz, just over the French border, is another alternative arrival point.
TOP TEN THINGS TO DO
La Concha Beach
Often ranked among the most beautiful urban beaches in Europe, this sheltered crescent of golden sand is lined by an ornate white railing that has become one of the city’s defining images. It gets busy in summer, so an early start secures the best spot.
Pintxos in the Old Town
The Parte Vieja is said to have the highest concentration of bars anywhere in the world, and working your way along the counters here, trying a pintxo and a small glass of txakoli at each stop, is the essential San Sebastian experience. Thursday evenings bring pintxo pote, a kind of Basque happy hour.
Monte Urgull
A green hill rising directly out of the old town, with a network of paths leading up through old fortifications to the Castillo de la Mota and sweeping views over the bay. The climb takes around forty minutes at a gentle pace.
Monte Igueldo
The hill on the opposite side of the bay, reachable by a funicular railway that has been running since 1912, with a small old fashioned amusement park at the summit alongside the view.
The Comb of the Wind
A set of iron sculptures by the Basque artist Eduardo Chillida, embedded into the rocks at the western end of Ondarreta beach, where the waves crash dramatically against the metalwork in rough weather.
The San Telmo Museum
Housed in a former monastery, this museum covers Basque history, art and culture, and gives useful context to the language and identity you will encounter throughout your visit.
Zurriola Beach
San Sebastian’s surf beach, on the other side of Monte Urgull from La Concha, with a livelier, younger atmosphere and a reliable enough swell to support a genuine local surf scene.
A Michelin starred meal
San Sebastian and its surrounding area hold an unusually high concentration of Michelin stars, including three-starred restaurants such as Arzak and Akelarre. Tables at the most famous names require booking well in advance.
Cristina Enea Park
A quieter, English style park a short walk from the centre, good for an easy stroll away from the crowds of the old town and the beach.
A day trip to Getaria
A small fishing town a short drive along the coast, birthplace of both the fashion designer Cristobal Balenciaga and the navigator Juan Sebastian Elcano, with a good museum dedicated to Balenciaga and excellent seafood restaurants along the harbour.
Getting Around
Central San Sebastian, including the old town, the beaches and the surrounding hills, is compact and easily covered on foot. A local bus network fills in the gaps for outlying neighbourhoods, and taxis are widely available. For day trips along the coast, such as Getaria, a hire car or organised tour gives the most flexibility.
Practical Tips
Book tables at well known Michelin starred restaurants as far in advance as possible, some require reservations weeks or months ahead. Bring a light waterproof even in summer, since the weather here can turn quickly. Basque identity and history are a sensitive and important subject locally, worth reading up on before your visit to avoid unintentional missteps.
Travel Life Tips!
San Sebastian’s pintxos bars operate on an honesty system in many cases, plates are left out on the counter and diners help themselves, tallying up what they have eaten at the end rather than ordering from a menu. It can feel disorienting on a first visit, so it is worth simply following the lead of the locals around you rather than waiting to be served.
Book It
See our Basque Country Travel Guide for the full region, and our guide to Bilbao for more of the Basque Country.
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Got a taste for Michelin stars?
Malta is cooking up a storm too. Read The Michelin Guide: In Praise Of Gastronomic Malta.
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