San Sebastian is an amazing city for a long weekend, to a whole week, if the weather’s good. There’s so much to do, see and eat! A lot of the stuff that is worth doing is featured in the below video, which I was in – see if you can spot me!
Then check out my list of 15 enjoyable activities in the culinary capital of the world.
Pintxo hop
The culinary delights of San Sebastian are one of the city’s biggest selling points.
Check out my A weekend in San Sebastian: pintxo-hop like a local post for more on this.
Go to La Perla spa
La Perla spa does look a bit crummy in place from the outside, but it’s glorious inside! You can easily spend 2-3 hours there (the maximum duration for their standard ticket, costing between 21,00€ – 45,00€).
You can even get onto the beach from the spa, and re-enter; this is perfect for a quick shock dip in the sea before heading back to warmth and healing in the spa.
Climb Monte Urgull and visit Jesus
Walking up to Jesus is a very easy stroll, and there are multiple routes you can take. You can get right up close to Jesus on most days of the week, through a free little museum, which is shut on Tuesdays.
Take the cable car up to Monte Igeldo
Follow the signs to the funicular to the west of La Concha beach. I highly recommend going early in the morning; there is a rather crummy theme park at the top of Monte Igeldo, meaning that you’ll end up in a long queue of excited children if you leave it too late.
You can get a single or return ticket for the funicular; we decided to walk back down due to huge queues, which made for a lovely stroll! You can simply follow the road or cut through a few wooded areas for a more remote walk (check out the area in satellite mode on Google maps to make sure you take the right turns, as signage is minimal).
Rent bikes
Download Dbizi app and sign up for their minimum subscription of 30 days for 5.30€. Bikes are dotted all over the city, which you pick up using the app.
The city is really bike friendly; a really simple cycle ride is from the centre to Monte Igeldo, or to the Peine de los Vientos structure at the very end of La Concha beach.
Go surfing
Zurriola beach is the surf beach.
You can simply rent a surfboard or book a surf lesson with Hawaii Donostia, Pukas or Zurriola Surf Eskola, which are all located close to the beach.
The slo-mo gif is me during a surf lesson as part of the filming of the video I put at the start of this post, back when I lived in Donostia!
Hike in the mountains
There are lots of amazing hiking routes around the city, some of which require a car, whereas others can be reached on foot from the centre. For example, the SL-GI 33 Uliari bira is east of Zurriola beach; it’s a 5km loop that can be completed in under two hours.
Visit the Aquarium
San Sebastian’s aquarium is really spectacular! I didn’t go on my recent trip, but have been many times before, and I highly recommend it.
An adult ticket costs 14€.
Visit San Telmo museum
San Telmo is a museum of Basque Society and Citizenship. The building is exquisite; the museum stands inside an old Dominican convent from the mid 16th century.
Tickets cost 6€; the museum is closed on Mondays and the opening hours vary between the warmer and cooler months.
Visit La Bretxa market
I was so surprised to find that, on my most recent visit to San Sebastian – nearly ten years since I lived in the city – they’re STILL doing works on the original market building.
This means that it remains housed below Bretxa plaza, rather than in the spectacular Pescadería building.
Stop by Plaza de la Constitución
Plaza de la Constitución was traditionally used for bullfighting; the numbers that remain above each flat denoted the seat numbers for spectators at the events.
These days it’s a beautiful spot for a drink; note that as a result, the prices are significantly higher than in a lot of other bars in the Old Part.
Paddleboard to Isla de Santa Clara
There are a number of places that rent out paddle boards along La Concha beach. Just drop down to the beach and then walk along the lower promenade to find one.
Go all in with a guide and picnic with Ikusnahi tours, or go it alone and simply rent a board for 13€. Bring some form of payment (coins if you don’t own a dry bag!) so that you can buy a drink at the bar on the island. You can also visit the lighthouse for free (though you must make a reservation in advance).
Note that you can only do this between June 1st and September 15th.
Visit the Peine de los Vientos
This sculpture was created by artist Eduardo Chillida; it translates as “the wind comb.”
Find it at the very end point of La Concha beach, where on a windy day, you will see some dramatic sights!
Eat out
Don’t burn yourself out on pintxo tours! Sometimes it’s nice to sit down for a long, late, Basque supper. Check out my Where to eat sensationally in San Sebastian for every budget post.
Visit other towns
There are so many great places near to San Sebastian. To the east, visit beautiful Hondarribia or cross the border into France and stop off in Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz. To the west, get the train to Zarautz, then walk along the coastline to Getaria. Further west, visit Bilbao, Guernica or Gaztelugatxe, one of the filming locations in Game of Thrones. Go south and visit Burgos, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Pamplona (where they do the running of the bulls) for more adventure.
Final thoughts
Timing is everything in San Sebastian. If you like festivals, there are plenty to choose from. There’s also the regatta that takes place on the first two Sundays of September every year.
Avoid visiting the city during August, as it gets incredibly full of tourists, to the point that I never even tried to enter the Old Part of the city during the whole month, as you end up shoulder to shoulder with others in the streets and bars.
As for the weather, it’s completely unpredictable. Pack for rain and shine; it’s common to have a bit of both even in the same day. I have memories – even during the summer months – of cycling to work in full waterproofs, only to head out at the end of the day to blistering sunshine, and a dip in the sea. You just never know.
I have long felt that San Sebastian is the most beautiful city I’ve ever lived in, and whenever I return I’m reminded of how fabulous it was to live there.
If you’ve visited the city, is there anything you did that I’ve missed off the list? And if you’d like to study Spanish in San Sebastian, check out my Why you should study Spanish at Lacunza International House San Sebastian post!
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