Season guide · San Sebastián · Spain
San Sebastián in autumn
September–November: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Gonzalomauleon, CC BY-SA 3.0 es
Quick answer
September is warm with regattas and the film festival; October is quieter with good surf, and November turns wet and windy. Expect highs up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 36 rainy days across September–November. September is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- September–November
- Temperatures
- 8°C (46°F) to 23°C (73°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 36
- Sea
- 16°C (61°F) to 21°C (70°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in autumn
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 23°C (73°F) | 15°C (59°F) | 10 | 12.4 h | 4/5 |
| October | 20°C (68°F) | 12°C (54°F) | 12 | 10.9 h | 3/5 |
| November | 15°C (59°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 14 | 9.6 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 19°C (66°F) against a yearly 18°C (64°F), and 36 of the year's roughly 142 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in autumn
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- September: La Concha regattas — traditional trainera rowing races in the bay (usually the first two Sundays of September)
- September: San Sebastián International Film Festival (usually late September)
Good choices for autumn
Museum · Miramón
Eureka! Zientzia Museoa
The city's science museum in the Miramón technology park has hands-on exhibits on physics, the human body and nature, a planetarium and simulators.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Parte Vieja
San Telmo Museoa
Leave time for the Renaissance cloister and the Sert murals in the church, which many visitors miss.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Religious site · Parte Vieja
Basilica of Santa María del Coro
This 18th-century baroque basilica closes the end of Calle Mayor, its ornate portal framed by the street and aligned with the Buen Pastor Cathedral at the other end of the city.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Aquarium · Parte Vieja
San Sebastián Aquarium
Pair it with a walk round the Paseo Nuevo, which starts at the aquarium's door and circles Urgull to the river mouth.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Architecture · Egia
Tabakalera
The huge former tobacco factory beside the train station is now an international centre for contemporary culture, with exhibitions, a film programme, a library of creative arts and cafés.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Views
- Rainy day
Day trips in autumn
- Zumaia flysch cliffs (About 45 minutes–1 hour by bus or train) — Around Itzurun beach and the chapel of San Telmo, the cliffs of the Basque Coast Geopark expose millions of years of tilted rock layers known as flysch.
- Bilbao and the Guggenheim (About 1 hour 15 minutes by coach) — Frank Gehry's titanium-clad Guggenheim Museum transformed Bilbao's riverfront and anchors a day of contemporary art, the Casco Viejo's Siete Calles pintxo bars and the large covered Ribera market.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is autumn a good time to visit San Sebastián?
Yes: September is among the best months. September is warm with regattas and the film festival; October is quieter with good surf, and November turns wet and windy.
+What is the weather like in San Sebastián in autumn?
Highs of up to 23°C (73°F) and lows around 8°C (46°F), with about 36 rainy days over the season.