The Ultimate Guide to San Sebastián

Are you heading to San Sebastián and the Basque Country? Do you want all the best tips and advice to make your trip as incredible as possible?

Well, you’re in the right place! Welcome to Basque Bites’ Ultimate Guide to San Sebastián.

San Sebastián is the heart and soul of the Basque Country, the perfect place to stage your exploration of great food, great landscapes, and great people. You’re going to love it here!

We’ve got some good news for you: San Sebastián is a city famous for all the best things in life!

As the name suggests, San Sebastián hosts the annual San Sebastián International Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world and the oldest in Spain.

Established in 1953, the festival screens a wide range of films and attracts renowned filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals. 

Considered to be an “A-List” film festival on the same level as Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, and Sundance, many films use it for world and European debuts. For example, Alfred Hitchcock attended the international premiere of Vertigo and Star Wars had its European debut here as well.

The historic Old Town of San Sebastián is a charming area characterized by narrow streets, lively squares, and gorgeous architecture. For over 800 years this small area was the entire city of San Sebastián. 

It’s a joy to just stroll around while taking in the sights and enjoying the atmosphere. Look up, while you walk around, most of those balconies are attached to the apartments of local families–over 5,000 people still reside in this lively neighborhood.

But the area is also home to the city’s largest market and is a hub for dozens upon dozens of pintxos bars, so it’s the perfect spot for our chef-led market tour and pintxo lunch in San Sebastián.

• San Telmo Museum: Immerse yourself in Basque culture and history at the San Telmo Museum. Wander the wide range of exhibits that explore Basque heritage, art, and traditions — and marvel at the fascinating architecture too. This museum also features the abandoned church of Saint Elmo with gorgeous murals by renowned Catalan artist Josep M. Sert.
• Kursaal Congress Centre: Admire the modern architecture of the Kursaal, which hosts various cultural events and exhibitions throughout the year. A free art museum is located on the East side beyond the shops. And don’t forget to explore the funky terraces on the backend facing the beach. Pop down onto the sand to catch the surf or just go for a stroll along Zurriola Beach for a different coastal experience.
• Miramar Palace: Visit the 19th-century Miramar Palace, a beautiful royal palace located on a hill overlooking La Concha Bay. The palace’s gardens provide a tranquil escape with delightful views.

And no trip to San Sebastián and the Basque Country is complete without a pintxo tour!

Check out our San Sebastián food and drink tours and find out which experience suits you best.

We cover the city’s exceptional gastronomy in more detail below, so keep scrolling down to find out more.

If you’re planning to show off your dazzling Spanish language skills in San Sebastián, don’t be put off if you can’t understand what the locals are saying to each other.

Many people in the city and across the region speak Euskera (Basque) in their daily lives, including our company’s founder, Gregory.

You can get to know him a little better over on the About Us page.

The Basque Country has had a troubled history, especially in the last 30 or 40 years when a struggle for independence was afoot. It was kind of similar to the Northern Irish conflict.

You’ll soon realize that many locals identify as Basque, not Spanish. Occasionally you’ll see graffiti reminding you that “you are not in Spain or France, you are in THE BASQUE COUNTRY”

Put very simply, the Basque Country has a great deal of political, social and cultural autonomy separating it from the rest of Spain.

Naturally, this isn’t the time or place to cover such a polarizing topic but we’d love to break it down for you on one of our tours to help you understand what it’s all about.

If you’re looking to explore the Basque Country outside of San Sebastián, we think you’ll love our Basque Coast Experience.

Food is king in San Sebastián — long live the king!

The culinary scene in this city is exceptional, and if you didn’t already know, pintxos are the star of the show.

Similar to, yet not the same as, tapas, pintxos are the backbone of Basque cuisine.

There are basically two kinds of pintxos, COLD PINTXOS on the bar and HOT PINTXOS off a secret menu. Pintxos were traditionally always served on skewers, indeed the word pintxo means thorn, piercing, stick, or skewer. Many pintxos are also served on toast–a little plate you can eat.

The pintxos on the bar are like Basque fast food or grand-no-go. They’re small bites, meant to be enjoyed with a small pour of beer, wine, or cider. But there’s a whole ‘nother world of pintxos waiting for you on one of our tours.

So, we’ve closed our eyes and stuck some pins in a map to come up with the following delectable tips:

There are many incredible facts about San Sebastián. But one of our favorites is that no place on the planet, except for Kyoto in Japan, has a greater concentration of Michelin stars per square kilometer.

If you stuck a compass in City Hall and drew a 25-km radius around it, that circle would have 16 Michelin stars in it.

So, if it’s Michelin-starred restaurants you’re after, these are the places for you:

And there’s more! Zelai Txiki also holds a prestigious Michelin Green Star for sustainability and Txulotxo holds a Bib Gourmand for rewards ‘value for money’. In addition, there are scores of restaurants in San Sebastián which are Michelin recognized though they do not hold any stars. Being written up and recommended in the guide is an award in and of itself.

It’s not just the food that will tantalize your tastebuds in San Sebastián — the bar program is just as impressive.

Basque cider is an experience in itself. Naturally fermented hard Basque cider is a bit of an acquired taste in that it is not sweet and just barely carbonated. Sagardoa, or sidra, is a bit like kombucha and very good for the tummy, loaded with probiotics. It’s the traditional drink of the Basques and still made within the city limits.

The wine here is also a scene-stealer. Txakoli is a style unique to the Basque Country and mostly produced along the coast. It’s a crisp and minerally white that pairs great with seafood.

Our La Rioja Wine Country Experience is the perfect gateway into this paradise for wine lovers.

Whether you want to take a stroll on soft golden sand, relax with a good book, or cool off with a dip in the ocean, you’ve got a pick of fantastic beaches in San Sebastián.