Rainy day · San Sebastián · Spain
5 things to do in San Sebastián when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Gonzalomauleon, CC BY-SA 3.0 es
Quick answer
Start with San Telmo Museoa, Basilica of Santa María del Coro and San Sebastián Aquarium. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 7–8 hours across 3 areas; 1 is free. January is usually the wettest month, with about 14 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 7–8 hours
- Areas
- Parte Vieja, Egia and Miramón
San Sebastián on a rainy day
Museum · Parte Vieja
1.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
2.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.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Rainy day
Aquarium · Parte Vieja
3.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
4.Tabakalera
Go up to the free rooftop viewpoint even if you skip the exhibitions.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Views
- Rainy day
Museum · Miramón
5.Eureka! Zientzia Museoa
Check the planetarium session times when you arrive, as they are scheduled through the day.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Parte Vieja | San Telmo Museoa, Basilica of Santa María del Coro and San Sebastián Aquarium | 1.5–2 hours + 30 minutes + 1.5 hours |
| Egia | Tabakalera | 1 hour |
| Miramón | Eureka! Zientzia Museoa | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 1 free, 2 low cost, 2 mid-priced. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Eureka! Zientzia Museoa; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Parte Vieja): San Telmo Museoa → Basilica of Santa María del Coro → San Sebastián Aquarium, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Egia and Miramón): Tabakalera → Eureka! Zientzia Museoa, at least 3 hours.
The wettest months
- January: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 14 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool and damp, with storms bringing big waves to the Paseo Nuevo; cider houses open their season and the Tamborrada fills the streets.
- April: highs of 16°C (61°F), about 14 rainy days, moderate crowds. Green hills and blossom, but one of the wetter months; Easter week brings Spanish visitors and higher prices.
- November: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 14 rainy days, quiet crowds. Wet and windy with short days, but low prices and uncrowded pintxo bars.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Parte Vieja — Old-town grid of pintxo bars, churches and the Bretxa market under Monte Urgull
- Egia — Former working district around Tabakalera, the train station and Cristina Enea park
More of San Sebastián
All things to do in San Sebastián · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in San Sebastián?
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.
+Which of these are free in San Sebastián?
Tabakalera.