San Sebastián City Break from the UK — Weekend Guide & Itinerary

Overview

Why San Sebastián for a city break?

San Sebastián is the finest food city in Europe by almost any measure — more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere else on earth, a pintxos bar culture in the Parte Vieja that sets the standard for all bar food everywhere, and a location on a perfect bay in the Basque Country that gives it one of the finest urban beaches in the world. La Concha beach, with the island of Santa Clara in its middle and the hills of Monte Igueldo and Monte Urgull on either side, is the most beautiful bay in Europe. The combination of exceptional food, extraordinary scenery and a genuinely proud Basque identity makes it unlike anywhere else in Spain.

From London and several UK airports it's under two hours — Ryanair and easyJet fly to Biarritz (45 minutes from San Sebastián by bus) and to Bilbao (70 minutes by bus). The city is best from May to October: the beach is at its finest, the outdoor pintxos culture is in full swing and the Semana Grande festival in August is the most vibrant week in the Basque calendar. The weeks around the San Sebastián Film Festival (September) and the Jazz Festival (July) are worth planning around. November to April is quieter, wetter and significantly cheaper.

Where to stay & explore

San Sebastián's best neighbourhoods

Parte Vieja (Old Town)

The medieval quarter and the heart of the pintxos culture — the streets of 31 de Agosto, Fermín Calbetón and San Jerónimo are the densest concentration of exceptional bar food in the world.

La Concha & the Waterfront

The famous bay beach, the Belle Époque waterfront promenade, the Miramar Palace and the most beautiful urban seaside walk in Spain.

Gros & Zurriola

The surfer neighbourhood east of the Urumea river — younger, more local, with its own pintxos bars and the Zurriola surf beach.

Things to do

What to see in San Sebastián

1

La Concha Beach and Bay

Consistently voted Europe's finest urban beach — the perfect arc of golden sand, the island of Santa Clara in the middle of the bay, Monte Igueldo on the western headland and Monte Urgull on the eastern one. Swim in summer; walk the promenade year-round. The Palacio de Miramar on the hillside above the western end of the beach was the summer residence of the Spanish royal family. The view from the waterfront promenade at any hour — particularly golden hour — is the defining image of the Basque Country.

2

Pintxos crawl, Parte Vieja

The Parte Vieja's pintxos bars are the reason most people come to San Sebastián — and nothing disappoints. The traditional format: walk from bar to bar, order the house pintxo or point at what looks best on the bar top, drink a small glass of txakoli (the local sparkling white wine), pay, move on. The essential bars: Bar Nestor (famous for its tomato salad, serve 12-1pm only), Zeruko (creative high-end pintxos), La Viña (the best burnt cheesecake in the world). Go Thursday to Saturday evenings for the most electric atmosphere.

3

Monte Urgull and the Old Castle

The 123-metre hill above the Parte Vieja — accessed by a network of paths through pine forest and fortification walls, topped by the Castillo de la Mota (12th century) and a 12-metre statue of Christ. The views from the summit over the bay, the city and the Cantabrian coast are the finest available of San Sebastián. Free; open all hours. The walk up from the Parte Vieja takes 25 minutes. The Gun Battery Museoa inside the castle has an excellent display on the city's history.

4

Aquarium and the Miramar Palace

San Sebastián's Aquarium at the harbour mouth is one of the finest in Spain — the tunnel beneath a 360-degree tank of local Atlantic species (rays, sharks, sea bream) is genuinely spectacular. The Miramar Palace gardens above La Concha beach are public and free, giving the finest elevated view of the bay. The Belle Époque casino building on the promenade is now a congress centre but the exterior — perfectly positioned at the centre of the bay — is the finest building in the city.

Food & drink

Where to eat in San Sebastián

Arzak

Pintxos / Parte Vieja

The founding restaurant of Basque nouvelle cuisine — Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena have held three stars since 1989, making it one of the longest-running three-star restaurants in Spain. The tasting menu uses Basque ingredients with extraordinary creative intelligence. Book six months ahead minimum.

Bar Nestor

Pintxos / Parte Vieja

The most famous single pintxo in San Sebastián — the tomato salad, served only between 12 and 1pm daily, is a single perfectly ripe tomato dressed with olive oil and salt, sliced at the bar. The txuleta (Basque bone-in rib steak) at lunch is equally legendary. No reservations; arrive at opening.

La Viña

Pintxos / Parte Vieja

The birthplace of the burnt Basque cheesecake — the tarta de queso that has been copied in every food capital in the world. Order a slice, eat it at the bar with a glass of txakoli. Nothing else is needed. Also excellent: the anchovy pintxos and the house red wine. Always busy; arrive early.

Itinerary

3 days in San Sebastián — a suggested itinerary

Day 1

La Concha, the old town, first pintxos evening

Bus from Biarritz airport to San Sebastián (Alsa, 45 minutes, €8, book online). Walk straight to La Concha beach — the promenade, the bay, the island. Swim if it's summer. Walk up Monte Urgull from the old harbour for the bay panorama. Back down to the Parte Vieja for the pintxos crawl: start at 7pm when the bars put out the fresh pintxos. Bar Nestor (if not lunchtime) or Zeruko, then La Viña for cheesecake, then Bar Astelena for the best anchovy pintxos. Walk the promenade at midnight — the bay lit up is extraordinary.

Day 2

Monte Igueldo, Gros surf beach, high-end lunch

Funicular to Monte Igueldo (€4.50 return, runs from the western end of La Concha) for the finest panorama of the bay and the Cantabrian coast. Walk down through the wooded hillside. La Concha beach for a morning swim. Walk east across the Urumea river bridge to Gros and the Zurriola surf beach — watch the surfers from the promenade. Lunch at one of the Gros neighbourhood restaurants: the pintxos culture is equally good here but less crowded. Afternoon free — the Aquarium, the city market, the shops of the Parte Vieja. Arzak for dinner (booked months ahead) or any of the Parte Vieja bars for a second crawl.

Day 3

Getaria or Biarritz day trip, farewell txakoli

Getaria — 24km west, bus from Alameda del Boulevard (30 minutes, €2) — is the finest village on the Basque coast: a medieval fishing village on a promontory, home to the finest txakoli wine in Spain (the Txomin Extaniz winery gives tastings) and the Balenciaga Museum (the greatest fashion museum in Spain, in the birthplace of Cristóbal Balenciaga). The grilled fish at any of the village restaurants is the best on the coast. Alternatively: Biarritz (45 minutes by bus) for the French Basque beach town, the Grande Plage and the Villa Belza. Return to San Sebastián for a final txakoli and a cheesecake before the airport bus.

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