One day 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

      Walk the promenade at sunset towards Ondarreta, then return along the beach at low tide. Allow Half a day.

   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. Allow 2–3 hours.

   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

      Go up in the late afternoon for the light on the bay, and walk back down the road if you want to save the return fare. Allow 1.5–2 hours.

   5. Late afternoon

      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. Allow 1.5 hours.

   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.

Before you go

If it rains

• Swap in San Telmo Museoa (Parte Vieja): Leave time for the Renaissance cloister and the Sert murals in the church, which many visitors miss.
• Swap in Basilica of Santa María del Coro (Parte Vieja): Look back down Calle Mayor from the basilica steps to see the cathedral spire lined up at the far end.
• 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.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 8–11 hours of visiting over one day, 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

• 2 days in San Sebastián
• 3 days in San Sebastián
• 5 days in San Sebastián

Questions travellers ask