2 days in San Sebastián

Day by day

1. Day 1: La Concha beach and promenade and Parte Vieja pintxo bars

   La Concha beach and promenade, Parte Vieja pintxo bars, Monte Igueldo funicular and viewpoint and Monte Urgull and Mota Castle, then Parte Vieja in the evening.

   1. Morning

      La Concha beach and promenade

      The water is calm compared with the open Atlantic, Santa Clara island blocks the swell, and at low tide the sand is wide enough for long walks from the town hall to Ondarreta.

   2. Late morning

      Parte Vieja pintxo bars

      Calle 31 de Agosto, Calle Fermín Calbetón, Calle Portu and Calle San Jerónimo are the core streets, with long-established names such as La Viña, famous for its baked cheesecake, along the way. The custom is one or two pintxos and a drink per bar, then move on.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Gilda

      On the counter of almost every Parte Vieja bar; old-school bars on Calle 31 de Agosto and Calle Fermín Calbetón keep the classic version.

   4. Afternoon

      Monte Igueldo funicular and viewpoint

      At the top an old-fashioned amusement park has a small 1920s roller coaster that runs along the cliff edge, boat rides and a lighthouse-like tower.

   5. Late afternoon

      Monte Urgull and Mota Castle

      The views over La Concha, Zurriola and the port are free.

   6. Evening

      Parte Vieja

      The densest cluster of bars, from pintxo counters to late-opening pubs on Calle Fermín Calbetón and Calle 31 de Agosto.

2. Day 2: Peine del Viento and San Telmo Museoa

   Peine del Viento, San Telmo Museoa, Basilica of Santa María del Coro and Plaza de la Constitución, then Gros in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Peine del Viento

      In rough seas, holes in the plaza blow spray and air up from the waves below. It is the end point of the classic walk along La Concha and Ondarreta.

   2. Late morning

      San Telmo Museoa

      Collections run from Basque funerary stones and fishing history to 19th- and 20th-century painting, and the former church is lined with Josep Maria Sert's large gold-and-sepia murals of Basque life.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Hot pintxos cooked to order

      Ask for the board (la pizarra) in bars across the Parte Vieja and Gros; order at the counter and they bring it out.

   4. Afternoon

      Basilica of Santa María del Coro

      Inside, the statue of the Virgen del Coro is the patron of the city, and a statue of Saint Sebastian stands over the entrance.

   5. Late afternoon

      Plaza de la Constitución

      Bars fill the arcades, and the square is the focus of the Tamborrada drumming on 20 January.

   6. Evening

      Gros

      A younger, more local crowd in the bars behind Zurriola beach, with surfers out after sunset in summer.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in San Sebastián Aquarium (Parte Vieja): Pair it with a walk round the Paseo Nuevo, which starts at the aquarium's door and circles Urgull to the river mouth.
• Swap in Tabakalera (Egia): Go up to the free rooftop viewpoint even if you skip the exhibitions.
• Swap in Eureka! Zientzia Museoa (Miramón): Check the planetarium session times when you arrive, as they are scheduled through the day.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 11–14 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9 hours in December to 15.4 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. The walk from Zurriola in Gros through the Parte Vieja and along La Concha to the Peine del Viento is about 4 km and links almost every sight.

More or fewer days

• One day in San Sebastián
• 3 days in San Sebastián
• 5 days in San Sebastián

Questions travellers ask