Donostia-San Sebastian

Film, jazz, and some of the world's best food.

Basque coastal city with golden beaches and renowned cuisine. Home to an annual film festival and the striking Kursaal Congress Centre overlooking the sea.

4.6

out of 5

Map page

Donostia-San Sebastian is a Basque city located between green mountains and the Bay of Biscay. You can walk along the crescent-shaped La Concha beach, taste pintxos in the Old Town bars, or take in the view from Mount Igueldo. The city is known for its excellent cuisine, with many Michelin-starred restaurants and traditional pintxos bars. San Sebastian also hosts annual events like the International Film Festival and Jazzaldia jazz festival.

Beaches of San Sebastian

San Sebastian has several beaches that play a significant role in daily life. La Concha, a shell-shaped bay with light-colored sand, stretches for 1.5 km. You can walk the entire crescent, stopping at beachfront cafes or looking out to Santa Clara Island. For surfing, head to Zurriola Beach in the Gros neighborhood, where waves break year-round. Ondarreta Beach has a calmer atmosphere and many families visit it.

Exploring the Old Town

The Old Town, or Parte Vieja, contains much of San Sebastian's history. Narrow streets are home to pintxos bars, boutiques, and historic buildings. You can visit the Baroque Basilica of Santa María del Coro or the Gothic San Vicente Church. Plaza de la Constitución, formerly a bullring, now has outdoor cafes and hosts city celebrations. In the evening, try the txikiteo tradition - going from bar to bar, tasting pintxos and txakoli wine.

Culinary Capital

San Sebastian has more Michelin stars per capita than any other city globally. However, you don't need to visit expensive restaurants to eat well here. The city's pintxos bars serve creative, bite-sized foods that represent Basque cooking. Try the 'Gilda' (olive, anchovy, and pepper on a skewer) or modern dishes with local seafood and produce. For more insight, take a guided pintxos tour to learn about the culture and customs of this Basque tradition.

Panoramic Views

For views of the city and coastline, climb Mount Urgull or Mount Igueldo. Mount Urgull, reached on foot from the Old Town, has the Castillo de la Mota fortress and a large statue of Christ at its peak. The path up passes through woods with historic sites. Mount Igueldo, accessed by a funicular railway, has an old-fashioned amusement park and clear views of La Concha Bay. Both mountains offer places to watch the sunset over the Cantabrian Sea.

Cultural Attractions

San Sebastian has several museums worth visiting. The San Telmo Museum, in a 16th-century Dominican convent, focuses on Basque society and history. For contemporary art, visit the Tabakalera, a culture center in a former tobacco factory. The city also hosts events throughout the year, including the San Sebastian International Film Festival in September and the Jazzaldia jazz festival in July. These events bring performers from around the world to the city.

Average temperatures during the day in Donostia-San Sebastian.

April

11°

May

14°

Jun

16°

Jul

19°

Aug

19°

Sep

18°

Oct

15°

Nov

11°

Dec

9°

Jan

8°

Feb

9°

Mar

9°

What people say about Donostia-San Sebastian

4.6

People

Food

Spaces

Value

Safety

Janna

Only there for a few days but it was a great experience !

Anders

Before going, I did not know much about San Sebastián except that the food was supposed to be some of the best in the world. That was enough to convince me as I and my girlfriend were staying in nearby Bilbao for a week. We only had time to go to San Sebastián for a day-trip during a weekend, but managed to explore much of the city in that day and have several meals as well.

I was surprised by the city being bigger and much more beautiful than I had expected. It was a proper and pretty lively city surrounded by green hills, with two great beaches plus a nice promenade right in the city center.

Our first meal was at La Viña who invented the world-famous "burnt" Basque cheesecake. I went for a few pintxos and a slice of the cake. The cheesecake was very yummy, even though I actually had a better one in Bilbao (at Charamel Gozotegia) a few days earlier. But the pintxos were great. Every single one of them. I loved the Albondigas (meatballs with tomato sauce), Tortilla de patata (thick potato omelette), and Chorizo (spicy sausage)!

There seemed to be a lot of surfers at one of the beaches, so we watched them for a while and enjoyed the seaside before heading for a more full meal and a few beers at a restaurant nearby. It was almost as good as the lunch for me, and perhaps even better for my girlfriend who has some kind of rice with black ink sauce and octopus.

What not to like about beaches with turquoise water, beautiful nature, great architecture and some of the strongest gastronomical offerings anywhere?

What to do in Donostia-San Sebastian

The 30 best food cities in the world

Article from November 2024 with 30 places

The best food in Spain

San Sebastián, also known as Donostia in Basque, is renowned for its exquisite gastronomy and is considered one of the best culinary destinations in the world. The city is a paradise for food lovers, as it boasts a variety of restaurants and bars that serve traditional Basque cuisine and innovative dishes made with top-quality ingredients.

What to eat in San Sebastián

Pintxos, also known as pinchos, are small dishes typically served on small slices of bread. The word "pintxo" comes from the Basque word "pintxatu," meaning "to spike or pierce." Pintxos are typically made of a combination of ingredients skewered together with a toothpick and placed on the piece of bread. Pintxos are different to tapas in that they are usually served as individual portions, and often more elaborate, with a variety of ingredients and flavors, while tapas tend to be simple and rustic.

Some popular pintxos to try include tortilla de patatas, potato omelette, txistorra, spicy sausage, and bacalao, cod. Another must-try in San Sebastián is the seafood, which is fresh and abundant due to the city's location on the Bay of Biscay. Some seafood dishes to try include percebes, goose barnacles, kokotxas, hake cheeks, andmejillones, mussels. You should also be sure to try some of the region's renowned cheeses and wines. The cheese could also be tried in the form of the trendy and delicious "burnt" basque cheesecake, scorched and caramelized on the top with a smooth and rich interior.

San Sebastián is great to combine with nearby Bilbao which is another terrific food destination.

Bucket list-worthy places in Spain

Article from December 2023 with 8 places

San Sebastián, a seaside city in Spain's Basque Country, holds a unique allure for tourists. San Sebastián is home to some of Spain's finest beaches, namely La Concha and Zurriola, which are both conveniently central and well-maintained.

Culinary aficionados would find themselves at home here, as San Sebastián is known for its food culture, particularly pintxos - small bites served on bread. The city's culinary excellence extends to high-end dining, with several Michelin-starred restaurants to its name.

Basque cheesecake was invented in San Sebastián. We heard that someone came to visit San Sebastián and ate the cheesecake daily.

The hilly surroundings offer walking trails with views over the bay for a break from the cityscape. Mount Urgull, topped by an ancient fort and statue of Christ, is a popular choice.

An interesting lesser-known fact about San Sebastian is that it hosts one of the oldest film festivals in the world, the San Sebastian International Film Festival, which draws film buffs and celebrities alike each September.