Pintxos, green hills & Atlantic villages
This is leg 2 of 2, the final leg.
Travel leg · Basque Coast Food Trail
San Sebastián to Laguardia
San Sebastián and Laguardia sit about 98 km (61 mi) apart in a straight line, with Laguardia to the south-west. It is leg 2 of 2 on our Basque Coast Food Trail itinerary, a 5-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 98 km · 61 mi
- Est. road distance
- 118–137 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min
- Direction
- Heading south-west
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Basque Coast Food Trail itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 118–137 km (73–85 mi) of road and 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
By train
Our Basque Coast Food Trail guide also mentions trains for parts of the trip. Whether a direct train links San Sebastián and Laguardia depends on the line — check timetables.
Buses and trains link Bilbao and San Sebastián, and both cities are very walkable. Laguardia is smaller and set inland among vineyards, so most travelers reach it by car, organized tour or a combination of bus and taxi.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Laguardia
Spend a day and night: wander the walled old town, then visit two or three Rioja Alavesa wineries.
Laguardia Old Town
Car-free walled hill town above the vineyards, with wine cellars carved below the streets.
Bodegas El Fabulista
Wine cave dug under the old town, with tours and tastings.
Restaurante Amelibia
Contemporary Basque-Riojan cooking with views over the vineyards.
Iglesia de Santa María de los Reyes
Church with a painted Gothic portico; tours by appointment through the tourist office.
Bodegas Ysios
Calatrava winery with a wave-shaped roof against the Sierra de Cantabria.
Marqués de Riscal
Historic winery with a Gehry-designed hotel in wavy titanium.
Before you leave 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.
On this curated route
Where San Sebastián → Laguardia sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Laguardia to San Sebastián is the same 98 km in a straight line, heading north-east. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in July, when Laguardia averages highs 4°C warmer than San Sebastián. Over a year, San Sebastián gets about 430 mm more rain.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Sebastián high | 12° | 12° | 14° | 16° | 18° | 22° | 23° | 24° | 22° | 20° | 15° | 12° |
| Laguardia high | 9° | 10° | 13° | 16° | 20° | 25° | 28° | 28° | 24° | 19° | 12° | 9° |
| San Sebastián rain | 126 | 95 | 90 | 86 | 82 | 68 | 48 | 51 | 64 | 94 | 149 | 117 |
| Laguardia rain | 65 | 56 | 62 | 61 | 59 | 52 | 30 | 26 | 39 | 58 | 75 | 56 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Laguardia month guides.
San Sebastián to Laguardia: questions travelers ask
How far is San Sebastián from Laguardia?
San Sebastián is about 98 km (61 mi) from Laguardia in a straight line, with Laguardia to the south-west. By road, we estimate 118–137 km (73–85 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from San Sebastián to Laguardia?
An estimated 1 h 30 min – 2 h 45 min, assuming 118–137 km of road at average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from San Sebastián to Laguardia?
Our Basque Coast Food Trail itinerary includes this leg. Basque Coast Food Trail runs about 5 days across 3 stops, best in May – Oct.
Getting to San Sebastián
- Bilbao to San Sebastián 77 km
Guides for both ends
- San Sebastián travel guide
- San Sebastián weather best time to visit
- Laguardia travel guide
- Laguardia weather best time to visit
Laguardia by month
Plan San Sebastián → Laguardia with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.