Spain
San Sebastián
Give it two to three days: walk the bay by day, crawl the Parte Vieja by night, and add a cider house or txakoli winery. This guide pulls together 2 sights, 2 outdoor spots and 4 places to eat from our curated routes.
- Places
- 10
- Curated routes
- 1
- Best season
- May – Oct
- Warmest month
- August
- Coolest month
- January
- Wettest month
- November
2 See · 2 Outdoors · 4 Eat · 2 Drink
Basque Coast Food Trail
from our route notes
24°C / 75°F avg high
12°C / 53°F avg high
about 149 mm rain
Climate: NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages.
Things to do in San Sebastián
10 places from our curated routes, grouped by what you will do there. Each one has its own page with the address and full notes.
See
2 sights worth building a day around across Igueldo and Ondarreta.
Photo: gigi gigi · Google
Photo: FERRET. KOMPAS · Google
Outdoors
2 outdoor spots for fresh air across Centro and Parte Vieja. All 2 are free to visit.
Photo: Kent Wang · CC BY-SA 4.0OutdoorsLa Concha Beach
Shell-shaped city beach with a long promenade and calm water.
Tip Walk the whole promenade to Ondarreta between meals.
Photo: Flo Clbl · Google
Eat
Where we would book a table in San Sebastián in Parte Vieja.
Photo: Jannis Roi · GoogleEatBar Nestor
Tiny bar known for its tortilla, made only twice a day, and steaks.
Tip Put your name on the tortilla list at the bar before 1pm or 8pm.
Photo: Sergio Zamudio · Google
Photo: えこだねこ · Google
Photo: Thuy Vu · Google
Drink
Our picks for a drink in San Sebastián across Astigarraga and Getaria.
Photo: Petritegi Sagardotegia-Bodega · GoogleDrinkPetritegi Sagardotegia
Traditional cider house with cider straight from the barrel and a set steak menu.
Tip Txotx season is Jan–Apr; book ahead.
Photo: MONDOROSO Import Export VINI FATTI A MANO · Google
How to fit San Sebastián into a trip
San Sebastián is stop 2 of 3 on our Basque Coast Food Trail route. Follow it as-is or lift San Sebastián into your own plan.
Stop 2 of 3
Basque Coast Food Trail
Pintxos, green hills & Atlantic villages
- Trip length
- 5 days
- Best season
- May – Oct
- Pace
- easy
Getting here and onward
- Bilbao to San SebastiánBilbao is about 77 km / 48 mi away in a straight line
- San Sebastián to LaguardiaLaguardia is about 98 km / 61 mi away in a straight line
Distances are straight-line estimates between destination centers, not road distances.
San Sebastián month by month
Average daily highs run from 12°C / 53°F in January to 24°C / 75°F in August. November is the wettest month, with about 149 mm of rain. Outlined months fall in the best season on our routes.
- Jan12° / 53°F average high
- Feb12° / 53°F average high
- Mar14° / 57°F average high
- Apr16° / 60°F average high
- May18° / 64°F average high, in our recommended season
- Jun22° / 71°F average high, in our recommended season
- Jul23° / 74°F average high, in our recommended season
- Aug24° / 75°F average high, in our recommended season
- Sep22° / 72°F average high, in our recommended season
- Oct20° / 67°F average high, in our recommended season
- Nov15° / 59°F average high
- Dec12° / 54°F average high
Average daily highs, NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages. San Sebastián weather and the best time to visit →
Near San Sebastián
2 other destinations from our guides within about 100 km (62 mi), measured in a straight line.
San Sebastián questions, answered
How many days do you need in San Sebastián?
Our route notes suggest 2–3 days in San Sebastián. On our Basque Coast Food Trail route it is stop 2 of 3 in a 5-day trip. The listed visit times for our 10 places add up to roughly 12 hours, before travel between them, so you will need to choose.
What is San Sebastián best known for?
Give it two to three days: walk the bay by day, crawl the Parte Vieja by night, and add a cider house or txakoli winery. Standouts on our list: Monte Igueldo (Funicular since 1912 up to a viewpoint and old-fashioned amusement park); Peine del Viento (Chillida's steel sculptures anchored into rocks at the end of Ondarreta); La Concha Beach (Shell-shaped city beach with a long promenade and calm water).
When is the best time to visit San Sebastián?
Our Basque Coast Food Trail route is best May – Oct. NASA POWER 2001–2025 averages put the warmest highs in August (24°C / 75°F), the coolest in January (12°C / 53°F) and the most rain in November (about 149 mm).
What are the best things to do in San Sebastián?
Start with La Concha Beach, Monte Urgull, Monte Igueldo and Peine del Viento. Our guide lists 10 places in all, from 2 sights, 2 outdoor spots, 4 places to eat and 2 bars & cafés.
Where should a group eat in San Sebastián?
Our picks: Bar Nestor (Parte Vieja); La Cuchara de San Telmo (Parte Vieja); Ganbara (Parte Vieja); Borda Berri (Parte Vieja). Put your name on the tortilla list at the bar before 1pm or 8pm (Bar Nestor).
What is near San Sebastián?
The closest destinations in our guides are Bilbao (about 77 km / 48 mi) and Laguardia (about 98 km / 61 mi). Distances are straight-line estimates, not road distances.
Plan San Sebastián with your crew
Open the Basque Coast Food Trail route in TripsCircle, invite friends with a link, settle which of these 10 places make the cut with a quick poll, then split costs and share one packing list.
Plan around San Sebastián
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- San Sebastián weather by month