Season guide · San Sebastián · Spain
San Sebastián in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nicola at German Wikipedia, Public domain
Quick answer
Beach season, Jazzaldia and Semana Grande; July and August are crowded and expensive, and rooms sell out early. Expect highs up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F), with about 27 rainy days across June–August. June is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 14°C (57°F) to 25°C (77°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 27
- Sea
- 18°C (64°F) to 22°C (72°F)
- Crowds
- Very busy
- Hotel prices
- Highest
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 22°C (72°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 10 | 15.4 h | 4/5 |
| July | 24°C (75°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 8 | 15.1 h | 5/5 |
| August | 25°C (77°F) | 17°C (63°F) | 9 | 13.9 h | 5/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 24°C (75°F) against a yearly 18°C (64°F), and 27 of the year's roughly 142 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 5/5 and hotel prices 5/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: San Juan bonfires on the eve of 24 June
- July: Jazzaldia — international jazz festival with free open-air concerts (usually late July)
- August: Semana Grande (Aste Nagusia) — city festival with an international fireworks contest (usually mid-August)
- August: Quincena Musical — classical music festival (August)
Good choices for summer
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
Museum · Miramón
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
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
Day trips in summer
- 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.
- 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.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit San Sebastián?
Yes: June is among the best months. Beach season, Jazzaldia and Semana Grande; July and August are crowded and expensive, and rooms sell out early.
+What is the weather like in San Sebastián in summer?
Highs of up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F), with about 27 rainy days over the season.