San Sebastian is a beautiful Spanish city located in the North of Spain. It is famous for its urban beaches and the incredible food scene. On my recent trip to the Basque Country, I spent one night in San Sebastian. With such little time there, I did not want to spend my time doing the classic touristy things, because I know I will come back for longer where I can do that. Instead, I decided to spend my day there relaxing like a local and trying to get the best sense of the culture possible. In this short guide, I’ll share with you all the spots you can’t miss, where to stay and things to do in San Sebastian.
How to Get to San Sebastian
San Sebastian sits in the northeastern pocket of Spain known as the Basque Country. This region is famous for its rich culture, beautiful beaches, and incredible food scene. San Sebastian has to be the most iconic Basque town. San Sebastian has their airport, but for more affordable options you can fly into Bilbao and take the bus from there.
Where to Stay in San Sebastian
My favorite place to get a hotel in San Sebastian is along La Concha. Here you can access the old town within ten to fifteen minutes but you are a bit outside of the main tourist zone as well as away from the bar scene in Gros. I also love being close to the hotel when I get out of the water at La Concha so I don’t have to trudge through the old town wet in my swimsuit.
However, if you are going to San Sebastian for more of the young people’s bar scene staying in Gros is perfect. It can be a bit noisy at night but if you are going out it won’t matter to you. Also if you are planning on getting some surf while you are in San Sebastian, close proximity to Zurriola is ideal so hopefully you can hit it when the crowds aren’t so bad.
I have stayed at Hotel Villa Victoria by Intelier twice now, as well as their hotel in Sevilla and have always been immensely impressed. They offer affordable chic rooms (if you book in advance). It is located just a few blocks away from Kontxa Hondartza. The staff is extremely nice and very generous when giving recommendations. I reserved the room with the private patio, though next time I will skip this because the view was nothing special.
What to do in San Sebastian
I love spending my days in San Sebastian eating, shopping, and hanging out by the beach, but if you want to do some more organized outings the region is the perfect place to go cider tasting. I enjoyed a tour of the productions as well as a tasting at Petritegi.
Walks and Sites Around the City
While Basque Country is home to some of the most scenic hikes in Spain, some cool trails lie within the city of San Sebastian. I recommend taking one of the trails to Parque de Urgull as it makes a fantastic short hike. These trails also have many viewpoints where you can look over the city. Parque Alderdi Eder is located right in the center of town next to Kontxa Hondartza. It is an absolutely beautiful park with a boardwalk facing the beach. On my first trip to San Sebastian, they had a temporary Ferris wheel for the holidays. During my most recent trip there was a seasonal market set up with many local artisans. I highly recommend visiting this park and checking out what events they have going on.
Catedral del Boun Pastor is a beautiful cathedral located in the center of the city. It is a stunning 18th-century Gothic-style church. While the entrance is free, try to avoid going during mass.
San Sebastian has a lively old town district. The streets are lined with many bars and local shops. Walking through the streets you will find tons of people outside drinking and chatting. This is where you can find many of the iconic bars (Which we will talk about later).
Shopping!
Iruela
Probably my favorite store in San Sebastian has to be Iruela. They specialize in the most precious children’s clothing as well as stocking some intimates and pajamas for women. If you have any littles in your life Iruela is the place you must go. They are located in the heart of San Sebastian’s old town and have been open since 1932, with three generations! The ladies here are the sweetest and their clothing is handmade and they purchase much of their fabric from Liberty London.
Pukas
Being from California Pukas, San Sebastian’s main surf shop didn’t catch my eye at first because I mainly saw the basic surf brands such as Billabong, RVCA, Rhythm, ect. But after looking further I was pleased to find that they were stocked with some cool smaller Spanish brands. They also carry their own label which makes some really cool clothing and T-shirts that I ended up grabbing as gifts for my family.
The Colors of Basque Country
The Colors of Basque Country carries colorful basics, shoes, basque-themed graphic tees, art, and other fun random things. It is a great place to get a simple gift from your travels. They have a few different stores around Old Town and I think they all carry slightly different things so I’d recommend stopping by and checking them out whenever you come across one.
Beaches
There are two main beaches in San Sebastian city center: La Concha (Kontxa Hondartza) and Zurriola Beach. La Concha is a long and crescent-shaped beach. It starts by the San Sebastian city hall and runs along the city with a Spanish railing above. Swimming with a panoramic view of San Sebastian is out of this world. In the morning there are typically groups of older people taking a morning dip, and through the day people come in for a refresher and body surf. My number one tip is to check it out at sunrise. If you get lucky and the sky is clear you can watch the most incredible sunrise from this beach. This is my favorite spot to go for an early morning swim or a beach day with a view of the beautiful city of San Sebastian.
When in San Sebastian you might see barefoot people running through the streets of the city carrying surfboards. You can follow them across the bridge to the wonderful surfing beach inside the city, Zurriola Hondartza. The breaks are filled with surfers and many spectators who gather on the beach to watch. The water is much more crowded with surfers here but there is loads of space on the beach to hang out and watch the surfers or young people playing soccer on the sand.
Ondarreta is another beach just a little further down from La Concha. I haven’t visited it myself but I am guessing it would be a great alternative to La Concha if it’s too busy!
San Sebastian Food Guide
Breakfast in San Sebastian
Old Town Coffee is a fantastic place to go if you are on the old town side of town and looking for a place for great coffee and food. We enjoyed some tostadas as well as an açai bowl. Along with coffee they also serve chais and matchas. The location is really cute and I recommend getting a seat outside.
Simona Specialty Coffee Club takes you out of San Sebastian and transports you to the chic cafes of Amsterdam. Their cafe is spacious and their coffee is incredible. We also got some great acai bowls for breakfast.
San Sebastian’s Best Wine Bars
Arrenalas
Arrenalas has to be my favorite wine bar in San Sebastian. The spirit behind this place is incredible and clearly seen in their flavor-forward plates. A waiter at my favorite restaurant in Biarritz recommended this place to me and it might be one of the best recommendations I have ever gotten. My first time experiencing the food and atmosphere from this lovely wine bar was during my most recent trip to San Sebastian and I just had to come back another time, even on my short 3 day trip.
The first time I went here it was for dinner and I enjoyed some fantastic apps including a crudo and a pickled eggplant dish. I had no idea that pickled eggplants people pickled eggplants (and that they were so good) but when I came back the second day I couldn’t help myself from ordering them again. And once I arrived back to Milan I searched hard for something similar to these flavor-packed eggplants. For my main course, I got a fantastic steak and potatoes dish that was cooked perfectly and a very generous portion. When I came back the second day I enjoyed some pre-dinner wine as they have an incredible selection of local and natural wine as well as some of their small plates that they offer for aperitivo.
The owner was so kind and on our way out gave us a list of all of her favorite local spots including Bar Manajo where we then went right after to enjoy some more drinks and snacks. I really hope that you stop by this place when visiting San Sebastian and enjoy some wine and their amazing rotating menu.
Bar Manajo
Bar Manojo is found not in the old town area but instead on the Zurriola beach side of town. On my last night in town, I stopped by for a glass of wine and a snack. The place was pretty full but they managed to squeeze us in, however I highly recommend reserving ahead of time as I really wish I would have gotten to experience the full menu. Here, you’ll find a selection of natural wines and a small but somewhat sporadic menu. I had the lovely porchetta sandwich. The ambiance was truly unique and had some of my favorite decorations I’ve seen in the area. I was sad I was there only for a little bit on my last night but it gives me something to look forward to exploring more next time.
Pinchos!
You cannot go to San Sebastian without eating pinchos. Pinchos are famous from this region in Spain. They are like tapas but in Basque style. I lived in Spain for a year, and never did I have such consistently fantastic tapas anywhere else in the country. I cannot stress enough how amazing this food was, as well as the very low prices (2-7 euros).
Atariis located right in the center of the Old Town in San Sebastian and has some of the best pinchos in the city. I ordered the solomillo, pork belly, seasonal rice, bonito, and the carrillera. The solomillo and their seasonal rice were by far my favorite. I also highly recommend their torrija for dessert. Torrija was one of my favorite treats when living in Spain (a style of Spanish French toast but better). This might have been the best torrija I have had, the outside was super crispy and it was served with ice cream! The service staff was fun and friendly, and despite the busyness, they were still able to be helpful and patient with tourists. They have their menu written all over the restaurant but I recommend looking at their full menu, I believe one is posted outside or you could ask the bar for one.
Pintxo-Pote
Pinxto-Pote mixes 2 of the best parts of San Sebastian into one, pintxos and drinks. It is a contemporary happy hour-style concept that includes a pintxo with the purchase of a drink. On my second night in San Sebastian, I was lucky enough to be staying next to a street filled with restaurants all participating in a pintxo-pote event. The streets were packed with young people eating and drinking. While for this event the tapas aren’t the most high quality it is an incredible experience to be immersed with San Sebastian’s young population all enjoying drinks and small bites in the streets.
Sweet Treats in San Sebastian
Ice Cream
What is a trip to the beach without ice cream? A few blocks from the famous beach of Zurriola lies some of the best gelato in the Basque country, Helados Pozzetti. This relatively new gelato shop is run by one of the most passionate ice cream makers I have met. We went in to get some quick gelato before heading to the beach and ended up having a great conversation and learning so much about where he sources all of his ingredients to make the highest quality and best-tasting gelato in San Sebastian. You can’t go wrong with any of his flavors, I recommend bringing a friend so you can try the best of his cream and sorbet-based flavors such as dulce de leche, maracuya, and stracciatella. And keep an eye out for his boozy flavors like mojito if that’s your thing
If you want to try a more classic gelateria in San Sebastian I recommend Arnoldo. They have a few locations throughout the city and have great classic flavors. I normally will stop by here on my way to La Concha or THIS location in the old town.
Bakeries!
One of my other favorite places to stop for a quick snack is Galparoso Okindegia. When in San Sebastian, I often find myself hungry for a little snack and Galparoso Okindegia is my favorite. The bakery sits perfectly in the heart of the old town. My favorites are their focaccia or chocolate chip roll depending if you are craving a sweet or salty treat.
If you are in a pinch to try basque cheesecake the Loaf is the place to go as they are open from 9:00-20:00 and they have two locations depending on which side of town you are on. While it is not the best Basque Cheesecake I have had, it’s good and they sell it by the slice which makes it a perfect (big) snack.
