3 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 and Monte Igueldo funicular and viewpoint, then Parte Vieja in the evening.

   1. Morning

      La Concha beach and promenade

      The curved, sheltered beach of the Bay of La Concha runs for about 1.3 km in front of the city, framed by the white railings and lamp posts of the Paseo de la Concha.

   2. Late morning

      Parte Vieja pintxo bars

      Start around 7:30pm before the crowds and order the cooked-to-order pintxos from the board rather than only the ones on the counter.

   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

      A wooden funicular dating from 1912 climbs from the end of Ondarreta beach to the summit of Monte Igueldo, the postcard view over the bay, Santa Clara island and Monte Urgull.

   5. 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: Monte Urgull and Mota Castle and San Telmo Museoa

   Monte Urgull and Mota Castle, San Telmo Museoa and Basilica of Santa María del Coro, then Gros in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Monte Urgull and Mota Castle

      Climb from the Paseo Nuevo or the port side and come down through the Parte Vieja for an evening pintxo.

   2. Late morning

      San Telmo Museoa

      The museum of Basque society and citizenship occupies a 16th-century Dominican convent at the foot of Urgull, joined to a modern wing clad in perforated metal.

   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

      Look back down Calle Mayor from the basilica steps to see the cathedral spire lined up at the far end.

   5. Evening

      Gros

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

3. Day 3: Peine del Viento and Plaza de la Constitución

   Peine del Viento, Plaza de la Constitución and San Sebastián Aquarium, then Calle Reyes Católicos in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Peine del Viento

      Eduardo Chillida's three rusted steel sculptures, installed in 1977, grip the rocks at the far western end of the bay, with a granite plaza by Luis Peña Ganchegui.

   2. Late morning

      Plaza de la Constitución

      Look up at the numbered balconies, then take a terrace seat for a txakoli before dinner.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Txuleta

      Grill restaurants (asadores) in the city and the surrounding villages, and as the main course of a cider-house menu.

   4. Afternoon

      San Sebastián Aquarium

      At the end of the fishing port beneath Urgull, the aquarium combines a maritime museum on the city's whaling and seafaring history with tanks of Bay of Biscay species and a walk-through tunnel under a large oceanarium with sharks and rays.

   5. Evening

      Calle Reyes Católicos

      A pedestrian street beside the Buen Pastor Cathedral in Centro lined with bars that fill with locals at weekends.

Before you go

If it rains

• 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

With 3 nights, Parte Vieja keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Centro ($$$$) suits first-timers, shopping, families and luxury. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–16 hours of visiting over 3 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.

More or fewer days

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

Questions travellers ask