UPDATED 2/27/25

Don’t miss visiting what Travel and Leisure dubbed the second best city beach in the world on your upcoming trip to Spain with this one-stop-shop San Sebastian Travel Guide, compiled from my first-hand, solo travel to San Sebastian and comprising of valuable San Sebastian travel planning and booking information and tips ideal for the first time trip to San Sebastian, Spain.

Like this? Share it with others!

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. For products, the goal is to first provide direct links to eco-friendly, ethical, and sustainable companies, and then to those same type (i.e., Climate Pledge Friendly Certification), of brands that use Amazon, if possible. Therefore, you may see multiple links for one option. Should you make a purchase through any link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. See my Disclaimers & Disclosures and Privacy Policy for more information.

If you need more Spain travel tips to supplement your Madrid travel planning, consult the ultimate Spain Travel Guide full of tips on culture, entry requirements, currency, tipping, using electronics, safety, and a lot more to plan first time travel to Spain.

Also, don’t forget to consult the 2 Days in San Sebastian Itinerary that takes the guess work out of how to plan 2 perfect days in San Sebastian, Spain.

San Sebastian Booking Resources

Cheap Flights to San Sebastian

San Sebastian Train Tickets

San Sebastian Bus Tickets

San Sebastian City Center Hotels

San Sebastian City Center Pensións

My San Sebastian Pensión Pick

What is San Sebastian Known For?

The north eastern region of Spain is known as Spain’s Basque country. The Basque country is comprised of six provinces – three in Spain and three in France. Nestled in the middle of this region on the Atlantic Ocean is the Guipúzcoa provincia (province) with Donastia-San Sebastián as its capital.

More commonly referred to as San Sebastián (“Donastia” a shortened Basque translation of “San Sebastián”), this city is blessed with sprawling beaches on the north and green, mountainous area to the south, making it one of the best beach destinations in Europe.

Thirty miles to the east lies the French border with the Pyrenees Mountains beyond. One hundred miles to the west is the larger city of Bilbao with more golden beaches and the Guggenheim museum.

The epic natural scenery of San Sebastian is La Concha Bay, comprised of a small island and the sweeping, golden La Concha Beach and Ondarreta Beach, giving a Rio de Janeiro nod to this small, posh, historical town where the Spanish monarchy use to summer.

La Concha paseo (promenade) allows you to wander along the length of bay into the heart of Old Town and the “romantic area” for history, shopping, award winning dining and nightlife. Further east lies a mixture of younger, hip culture and surfers.

Overseeing the bay lies two small mountains, one topped with a fort and statue of Jesus, reminding you of the region’s history and culture.

Due to its location, you’ll hear a mix of Basque, Spanish, and French, but English is also spoken. Signs in Basque and Spanish easily direct the pedestrian to all of the top things to do in San Sebastian.

Is San Sebastian Worth Visiting?

San Sebastián is worth visiting for sure. If you don’t add San Sebastian as a leisurely destination to your travel in Spain, you are sorely missing out.

The Best Time of Year to Visit San Sebastian

The best time for traveling to San Sebastian relies on weather, costs, activities and events offered.

San Sebastian Weather & Costs

The weather in San Sebastian averages in the low 40°s F to the low 80°s F, with warmest weather in the summer June through August.

Summer provides for multiple outdoor activities, but also when it can be more crowded and when San Sebastian is expensive to visit. The winter months of December through February are the coldest and rainiest, with lower costs and outdoor opportunities.

Shoulder season months provide good weather, lower tourist costs and good daylight hours. The months of April and May are said to be the best months to visit San Sebastian. However, I suggest visiting San Sebastian after summer.

September has good weather and costs for a San Sebastian visit if you work around the popular San Sebastian Film Festival.

Yet, San Sebastian weather in October is also wonderful with very few tourists. Bring a travel umbrella just in case.

San Sebastian Events

I suggest also checking the San Sebastian events calendar to help determine which month is best for your stay in San Sebastian.

For this San Sebastian Travel Guide, I highly recommend visiting San Sebastian in October, which is when I was there and had a wonderful time, as you can tell from this guide. Go in the beginning of the month for warmer weather.

The closest airport to San Sebastian is San Sebastián Airport (EAS). Flights to San Sebastian are mostly serviced by Vueling Airlines, Iberia Airlines, British Airways, Volotea Airlines and Binter Canarias Airlines. San Sebastian Airport is approximately 16 km from San Sebastian.

The other airports near San Sebastian are the Biarritz Airport (BIQ), 48 km from San Sebastian, and Bilbao Airport (BIO), 100 km away.

If you do not have access to an airport shuttle by your hotel, the cheapest transportation from any airport is by bus or train.

San Sebastian Airport Bus

The bus stand is in front of the front doors. Catch the E21 bus to Donestia. Tickets are purchased on the bus with cash and cost less than €3.

On weekdays, the bus leaves about every 45 minutes and arrives in the city center south of Alameda del Boulevard (aka, “the Boulevard”)in about 40 minutes.

On weekends and holidays the bus leaves every hour and takes about 30 minutes to arrive the city center.

From the airport in Bilbao to San Sebastian, you can catch the PESA bus line to the center of San Sebastián (San Sebastián is c / F. Garcia Lorca 2 station). Tickets are purchased on the bus. Check last departure lines online.

The Biarritz bus to San Sebastian is approximately €3 and can take over an hour.

San Sebastian Airport Train

From San Sebastian Airport, you first have to catch a 5-minute taxi to the FICOBA-IRUN station from which you catch the E2 train towards LASARTE-ORIA, which arrives at the AMARA-DONOSTIA station near Old Town in approximately 35 min (€2 – 3).

There are several trains departing Biarritz Airport which involves transfers, and total trip time is over an hour. There is no train from Bilbao Airport to San Sebastian available.

San Sebastian Airport Taxi or Rideshare

A taxi from any airport serving San Sebastian can range from €50 to €160, depending on the airport.

Spain has Bolt and Uber, but they are not available in San Sebastian at time of writing.

Carpoolworld is the closest to ‘rideshare’ you can use in San Sebastian.

You do have the option to rent a car at any of the airports but then you’ll have to deal with parking within the city, which is a waste of money, honestly, when practically everything is accessible on foot.

Check with your hotel or pension first to see if they have parking available.

Bus or Train to San Sebastian

San Sebastian receives many regional trains and buses, which are usually a quicker and less expensive. They depart and arrive from the Donestia-San Sebastian station on the east side of River Urumea, which is only a 10-15 minute walk to the city center.

Getting Around San Sebastian

The majority of the city is very walkable making the best things to do in San Sebastian quite easy.

It makes arriving and departing by public transportation easy as well. All bus lines will drop you off in the Historic Center with more stops located just south of Alameda del Boulevard (aka, “the Boulevard”). Once there, it’s doubtful you’d need car transportation.

The city is mostly flat, with extensive sidewalks, promenades and bike paths, making it also optimal for walking and easy bike rides or electric scooters.

Want to ride around San Sebastian, but not alone? San Sebastian has bike, e-bike and e-scooter tours, too. I always say group excursions are a great way to learn more about a city while meeting new people at any age.

If you want to learn more about San Sebastian or its incredible food and wine, consider a historic or food walking tour of San Sebastian. There are private and group tours available. Of course, group tours do provide that additional chance to meet others traveling in San Sebastian.

Last, but not least, La Concha Bay and the Spanish coastline also provide for scenic boat rides that can be done inexpensively and within a short period of time so as not to consume your San Sebastian itinerary.

Is San Sebastian Spain Safe to Visit?

San Sebastian’s crime rate is considered very low. I never felt unsafe in San Sebastian as a solo female traveler, even when walking around at night.

If you normally feel uncomfortable being out alone at night, you may want to consider going when the daylight hours are longest so you have more time to explore San Sebastian.

I’m not one to tell someone else how to pack, but here are travel essentials I would recommend taking on your trip to San Sebastian to make your trip easier while being friendlier to the environment.

Where to Stay in San Sebastian for First Timers

Whether you’re staying a week or a weekend in San Sebastian, I recommend staying within the city center within the marked section of the map below.

The San Sebastian city center is walking distance to all of the best things to do in San Sebastian, including shopping, dining and nightlife, as well as the transportation points. I believe it’s the best area to stay in San Sebastian as you’re minutes from everything.

Of course, you can stay outside the city center, but then you may be adding transportation costs and time to your travel itinerary.

San Sebastian Hotels and More

San Sebastian has multiple hotel, pension, and hostel options within the city center across all budget types. Going in the off season, or booking well in advance, will get you the best San Sebastian prices on any type of accommodation.

Consider booking at a property that either is eco-friendly or sustainably rated, or at least employs these methods into their business.

For location, price, amenities (including free-cancellation), eco-friendly and sustainable operations, and customer reviews and ratings, here are my San Sebastian accommodation recommendations (i.e., where I would stay).

San Sebastian Hostels

Hostels are an option for budget-friendly travel. I would recommend A Room in the City. They appear to offer private rooms but you may need to share a bathroom.

San Sebastian Pensións

Pensións (guest houses) run from budget-friendly to expensive. In fact, you could find a private room pensión for less than a hostel on your stay in San Sebastian.

Note, not all pensións will offer breakfast, and some pensións may close their front desk by a certain time in the evening. Check on their front-desk hours and if they may leave a key for you.

My pensión recommends are:

• Pensión Easo
• Ur-Alde
• Boulevart Donostia

I stayed at Pensión Easo, a reasonably priced, high-rated pension in a great location. It was a small room, but it had all of the amenities I needed. Plus, they employ some eco-friendly practices (like recycling, efficient water-use methods, and no single-use plastics), and I had the most comfortable bed I slept on in all of the seven weeks I was in Europe. No kidding.  

Ask for Pilar. She was fabulous and very helpful on correspondence before and during my stay with recommendations on what to do.

San Sebastian Hotels

Hotels in San Sebastian will range from budget to posh. My following recommendations are:

• Sercotel Hotel Europa
• Room Mate Gorka
• Lasala Plaza Hotel

If you’d like to stay in the crown jewel hotel in San Sebastian, check out the Hotel María Cristina that overlooks the Urumea River.

What would a San Sebastian Travel Guide be without listing the best things to do in San Sebastian?

San Sebastian is compact and very walkable, so it makes it a breeze to capture a lot of San Sebastian in a short period of time, just don’t miss the San Sebastian must see and do items.

MORE Things to Do in San Sebastian

Here are quite a few more must see and things to do beyond those San Sebastian must do’s, all in close proximity, to add into your San Sebastian travel itinerary. If you want to know how to see most of them on your first time travel, use the Best 2 Days in San Sebastian Itinerary.

Let’s start with the biggest attractions (literally) in Donostia-San Sebastián.

San Sebastian Beaches

Tucked in the southeast corner of the Bay of Biscay is La Concha Bay, the epic, natural centerpiece of San Sebastian, which spans across two districts, and holds two amazing beaches full of sporting types and sunbathers, and a sprawling promenade with overlooks.

• Kontxa Hondartza (Playa de la Concha / La Concha Beach)
• Playa de la Ondarreta (Ondarreta Beach)
• Paseo Marítimo San Sebastián (Paseo de la Concha / La Concha Promenade) with Loretopea tunnel that connects both beaches.

On the northern end of the Gros district is Playa de la Zurriola (Zurriola Beach), the third, but not less in stature, of the San Sebastian beaches. This beach is very expansive and popular with the surfers.

San Sebastian Neighborhoods

Located on the northeastern side of La Concha Bay is the popular San Sebastian Zentroa (Centro / City Center), which is divided into two parts, Old Town and the Romantic Area.

Alde Zaharra (Parte Vieja / Old Town)

Literally “old part” in English, Alde Zaharra (Parte Vieja) is the Old Town historic quarter, located at the base of Monte Urgull and north of the Boulevard, and between the Urumea River and the Port of Donostia.

Parte Vieja is full of monuments, historical elements, beach and hiking, shopping, and restaurants and nightlife.

City Center “Romantic Area”

Starting at Alameda del Boulevard, south of Old Town, this area of the city center is full of large pedestrian streets leading you to the town’s best shopping, mix of modern, Baroque and Belle Époque buildings, parks, and more history.

Within and beyond these two areas lies multiple things to do in San Sebastian. Look out for the following when you go to San Sebastian.

Landmarks and Points of Interest

You can spend much time on the outdoor San Sebastian attractions so time of year can really make or break your visit.

• Isla de Santa Clara (Santa Clara Island)
• Monte Urgull and Motako Gaztelua (Castillo de la Mota / Mota Castle)
• Pasealeku Berria (Paseo Nuevo) – Monte Urgull looping path
• Eraikuntza Hutsa Eskultura (Escultura Construccion Vacia) sculpture
• Port of Donostia (Puerto de San Sebastián)
• Kiosko del Boulevard – cast iron and stained glass pavilion built in 1903

• Monte Igueldo
• Igeldoko Funikularra (Funicular Monte Igueldo / Monte Igueldo Funicular)
• Haizearen orrazia sculptures by Eduardo Chillida

• Monte Ulía
• Maria Kristina Zubia (Puente Maria Cristina / Maria Cristina Bridge)
• Santa Catalina Bridge
• Kursaal Zubia (Puente del Kusaal / Zurriola Bridge)

Cathedrals and Castles

• Santa Maria Basilika (Basilica de Santa Maria del Coro / Church of Saint Mary)
• San Bizente Eliza(Iglesia de San Vicente / Church of Saint Vincent)
• Miramar Jauregia (Mirimar Palacio  / Miramar Palace)
• Artzain Onaren Katedrala (Catedral del Buen Pastor de San Sebastián / The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd) – classic Gothic church.

History and Architecture

• Caserio Katxola (Katxola Homestead)
• Tabakalera – former tobacco factory
• Kursaal – designed by Spanish architect Rafael Moneo
• Donostiako Udala (Ayuntamiento de San Sebastian / San Sebastian City Hall)
• Victoria Eugenia Antzokia (El Teatro de Victoria Eugenia / Victoria Eugenia Theatre) – classic Belle Époque style building.

Museums and Aquariums

Although Old Town holds multiple top San Sebastian attractions to absorb San Sebastian’s culture and learn about its history, don’t be afraid to go further for more.

• Donostiako Aquariuma Euskadin (El Aquarium de San Sebastian / San Sebastian Aquarium) – one of the best things to do in San Sebastian when raining.
• Euskal Itsas Museoa (Untzi Museoa /Naval Museum) – mid 18^th century consulate tower house.
• San Telmo Museoa (Museo San Telmo / San Telmo Museum)– 16th-century convent with historical and fine arts collection.
• Eureka! Zientzia Museoa (Eureka! Science Museum)
• Hondalea – art museum in a former lighthouse on Santa Clara Island.

Parks, Plazas and Promenades

Sprawling parks, promenades and historical plazas abound in this waterfront town providing time to rest, picnic, nature or people watch.

• Alderdi Eder parkea (Alderdi Eder gardens) with an old-fashioned carousel in front of San Sebastian City Hall
• Plaza de la Konsti (Plaza de la Constitucion / Constitution Square)
• Gipuzkoa Plaza (Plaze de Gipuzkoa / Gipuzkoa Square) – with an amazing astronomical clock and pond with resident swans.
• Aiete Palace and Park and Miramon Park – two of the largest parks in San Sebastian.
• Cristina Enea Park
• Urumea promenade – picturesque pedestrian and bike path on the River Urumea
• Plaza de Easo

San Sebastian Restaurants & Nightlife

Also within San Sebastian Old Town are opportunities to partake in some of the best food in Spain.

Nestled between the water and rich landscape, San Sebastian has an abundance of fresh food to try at Mercado de la Brexta (Brexta Market). Shop with the locals and do a grab and go while you wander Old Town or the waterfront.

Also, San Sebastian’s 11 Michelin-star restaurants puts it on the map as the culinary capital of Spain, so you have multiple opportunities for fine dining.

San Sebastian is also famous for its pintxos, those delectable small plates of food (think tapas), typically served on top of bread or with a toothpick, that make budget-friendly, foodie travelers smile.

Zig zag from Calle Fermin Calbeton Kalea to La Calle 31 de Agosto to hit the multitude of pintxos bars and dine on your favorite seafood or veggie bites and a glass of Txakoli, the crispy, local Basque white wine. It’s all truly yummy.

Need a suggested pinxtos sampling and bar route? Here you go:

• Borda Berri – Risotto, pork rib (kebab), and beef cheek (carillera)
• Goiz Argi – Prawns (gambas) and salmon (mari juli)
• Txepetxa – Anchovies (anchoas)
• Astelena 148 – Pineapple duck (pato piña) and seasonal rice (arroz de la temporada)
• Gandarias – Sirloin steak (solomillo)
• La Cuchara de San Telmo – Roasted pork (cochinillo) and octopus (pulpo)
• La Viña – Cheesecake (tarta de queso)

Take the opportunity to visit the San Sebastian restaurants in Old Town, or take a San Sebastian food tour.

If you have time or want to explore more of the Basque region on your travel in Spain, try a day trip from San Sebastian. There are multiple, top travel destinations all within an hour or two from San Sebastian.

Let Me Hear From You

I would love to hear if my San Sebastian Travel Guide was helpful in planning your first time in San Sebastian. Post me your thoughts or questions in the Comments section below. Thank you!

More Travel Guides You’ll Like

Like this? Share it with others!