San Sebastian & Rioja 5-day Itinerary
Spain
Where to go and what to see in San Sebastian & the Rioja Wine Region – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
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Overview >Best things to do & places to stay:
San Sebastian
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
Last updated: 23 February, 2023
San Sebastian – also known as Donostia – has the charm of an elegant, aristocratic beach resort, mashed up with some of the best fine dining in the world. With 18 Michelin-starred restaurants in total – the most stars per square kilometre of anywhere outside of Kyoto – foodies come flocking from all over the globe to taste its boundary-pushing cuisine. There are hundreds of informal, laid-back bars, too, nearly all serving glorious pintxos (the Basque of tapas, skewered on toothpicks) late into the night.
The setting is pure enchantment: three beautiful beaches (including the enormous city centre La Concha and Zurriola, the Basque country’s top surfing beach) framed by emerald mountains facing the rolling Atlantic. It’s a gateway to the Basque Country, too – home to rolling green countryside, fishing villages, wineries and historic buildings so dramatically set that they were used in Game of Thrones.
San Sebastian is a city of great character, with an active, as well as an indulgent, side: try surfing, paddle a kayak or SUP to the pretty wooded islet of Santa Clara, or cycle the invigorating coastline.
Our writer’s recommended itineraries for this destination
San Sebastian 3-day Itinerary
Spain
Where to go and what to see in San Sebastian to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer Dana Facaros.
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Overview >The bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination
San Sebastian’s best food & drink
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
Our summary of the typical foods, ingredients and flavours, cooking styles, dining scene and best foodie experiences in San Sebastian.
Best for ages: 13+ | Free | Any
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Rioja Wine Region
La Rioja, Spain
World-class wine region offering a heady mix of great bodegas, gorgeous scenery and avant-garde architecture.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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Getaria Wine Region
Getaria, Basque Country, Spain
A delightful fishing village with pretty architecture, food, beaches and superb wine – and it’s largely undiscovered by tourists.
Best for ages: Any | Free
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San Sebastian International Film Festival
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
Enjoy the pictures and pintxos at this accessible, A-list film festival in Spain’s culinary capital.
Best for ages: 18+ | £5 | One week
Other worthwhile experiences in this destination if you have the time or the interest
Experience
Arzak
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
San Sebastian’s world-famous three-Michelin-star restaurant (since 1989!), run by Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena Arzak, who won the prize for the world’s best female chef in 2012. There cellar holds some 100,000 bottles of wine.
Best for ages: 18+ | £40
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Experience
Cristobal Balenciaga Museum
Getaria, Basque Country, Spain
This small museum tucked away in the small village of Balenciaga’s birth (1895), displays of 20th-century haute couture outfits by the famous designer. There are guided tours and even an onsite fashion school for teaching the tips of the trade.
Best for ages: 10+ | £8
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Experience
Monte Igueldo Theme Park [& cable car]
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
Ride the cable car up San Sebastian’s Monte Igueldo for superb panoramic views of the bay from the summit (head to Bar Danontzat). At the top, you’ll also find the historic Monte Igueldo amusement park, a charming, old-fashioned funfair with some inevitably enjoyable rides.
Best for ages: 6+ | £3
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Experience
Petritegi cider house
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
Dine on cod dishes and steaks in this traditional cider house (sagardotegi), just outside San Sebastian. They’ve been making cider here for over 500 years. They offer guided tours of the apple orchards and cider works; their typical set menus are online.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
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Our selection of the best Viator tours of this destination, plus helpful tickets and transfers
PRIVATE San Sebastian and Basque Coast Tour from Bilbao
Bilbao
This PRIVATE San Sebastian city and coastal tour gives you the opportunity to experience the amazing Basque city of San Sebastain. San Sebas...
€265 | Rating 5 / 5 [61 ratings]
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Private San Sebastian City Walking Tour
San Sebastian
Come with us and enjoy a private city tour with a pintxo and a drink in a traditional old town bar. We will visit the most interesting spots...
€50 | Rating 4.56 / 5 [25 ratings]
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San Sebastian Bike Tour
San Sebastian
San Sebastian is the perfect city to move around on a bike. Visiting the city's hot-spots while riding a bike is a must-do that should not b...
€43 | Rating 4.79 / 5 [29 ratings]
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San Sebastian City Tour
San Sebastian
The city’s unique location, rich history – particularly as the royal summer resort of Europe’s elite during the Belle Epoque, its internatio...
€115 | Rating 5 / 5 [10 ratings]
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay in this destination
Hotel Niza
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
One of Spain’s best three-star hotels, and an excellent bargain right on San Sebastian’s fashionable La Concha beach.
Official star rating:
Hotel Zinema7
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
Inspired by San Sebastián’s film festival, an affordable boutique hotel in a former cinema in a residential, riverside neighbourhood.
Official star rating:
Hotel Zenit San Sebastian
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
A smart, modern hotel with a rooftop terrace and pool, in the buzzing centre of San Sebastian.
Official star rating:
Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra
San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain
A Belle Epoque beauty right on San Sebastian’s La Concha beach, a short walk from the lively bar-filled old town.
Official star rating:
When to go
The downside of San Sebastian is its 200 days of rain a year – but June and September are generally dry, warm and not as jam-packed as July and August (when hotels are filled to the brim).
Book well in advance for the third week of September, however, when the city fills up for Spain’s biggest film festival.
The rainiest months are January, April and November.
Getting there and away
There are several flights from the UK to San Sebastian, with some operating seasonal flights between spring and autumn only. City buses E20, E21, E27 and E77 link the city’s small airport with Plaza Gipuzkoa – the drive in takes about half an hour. Taxis and car hire are readily available.
Far more flights land in Bilbao’s airport, just over an hour’s drive away, and linked directly to San Sebastian by Donostiako Autobus Geltokia bus DO50B.
Getting around
The city is compact, so for the most part you won’t need a bus (although No. 33 from the historic centre will take you within a 10-minute walk of the Monte Igueldo funicular). Taxis can usually be found at taxi stands in key spots.
Hire a bike to explore the 12km seafront cycle path, looping around the mountains. Driving here isn’t difficult, but finding parking in the centre can be.
Where to stay
If you can bag a room with a sea view over La Concha beach, snap it up – not only for the mesmerizing views, but to be in easy walking distance of all the beaches, bars and restaurants.
For something more relaxed, look at Gros, the younger, laid-back and less-touristy neighbourhood just to the east, overlooking wave-pummelled Zurriola Beach and its wetsuited surfers.