Season guide · San Sebastián · Spain
San Sebastián in spring
March–May: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Tabakalera, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Green hills, cider-house season and comfortable walking weather, with frequent showers and a sea still too cold for most swimmers. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F), with about 39 rainy days across March–May.
Key facts
- Months
- March–May
- Temperatures
- 6°C (43°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 39
- Sea
- 12°C (54°F) to 15°C (59°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in spring
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 15°C (59°F) | 6°C (43°F) | 12 | 11.8 h | 2/5 |
| April | 16°C (61°F) | 8°C (46°F) | 14 | 13.4 h | 3/5 |
| May | 19°C (66°F) | 11°C (52°F) | 13 | 14.7 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 17°C (63°F) against a yearly 18°C (64°F), and 39 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 spring
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- March: Cider-house season continues (until about April)
- April: Holy Week (March or April)
Good choices for spring
Museum · Parte Vieja
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.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Religious site · Parte Vieja
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
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.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Architecture · Egia
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
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
Day trips in spring
- Hondarribia (About 35–45 minutes by bus) — A walled medieval town on the Bidasoa estuary facing France, with a steep Parte Alta of painted balconies and a castle-turned-parador, and the fishermen's quarter of La Marina lined with pintxo bars.
- Getaria and Zarautz (About 30–45 minutes by bus) — Getaria is a fishing port famous for whole turbot grilled over charcoal outside its asadores, terraced txakoli vineyards and the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is spring a good time to visit San Sebastián?
It is a trade-off: Green hills, cider-house season and comfortable walking weather, with frequent showers and a sea still too cold for most swimmers. The best months overall are June and September.
+What is the weather like in San Sebastián in spring?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F), with about 39 rainy days over the season.