Our “Best Of” series kicks off with The Best of San Sebastián, Spain! For as much as I love Southern Spain, I couldn’t wait to share with you the best of San Sebastián, Spain! While this northern Spanish city may be a bit colder than Andalusia, it has all of the makings of an amazing travel destination.
Background
San Sebastián is located in northern Spain in an area known as the Basque region. Surrounded by mountains and beaches alike, San Sebastián has long been a favorite location for those on holiday.
From the beautiful golden sand beaches to the delicious pintxos, similar to tapas found in other parts of Spain. This city is not only beautiful but has a bit for everyone. San Sebastián is a city for beach lovers, foodies, hikers, and boaters all the same.
Often while traveling I ponder that no matter where we are in the world, someone has always been there before us. This is a sentiment I felt while in San Sebastián. The old city feels mixed with the hip city vibe makes it one of my favorite cities in Spain.
Similar to some other large European cities, San Sebastián is home to festivals such as the San Sebastián International Film Festival. The area also plays host to typical Basque festivals which celebrate the rich history. Due to the location on Spain’s northern coastline, La Concha Beach is a local and visitor’s dream!
Staying Active
If your goal is to stay active during your trip to San Sebastián, we’ve got you covered! It is an extremely walkable city for starters. Between walks on the beach, heading to dinner, and trekking uphill for gorgeous views, we averaged 25,000 steps per day while visiting the city. There are also great hiking trails with rewarding ocean views along the way.
While it was cooler during our visit, people were swimming and jogging on the beach. I’m not that brave but if you are, more power to you!
For those looking for other activities, there are plenty of other options. Whether you are into playing tennis on courts overlooking the beach or renting a bike to get around, staying active in this city will not be a problem.
Where to Eat
Pintxos
San Sebastián has a vast food scene, to say the least. From old world, rustic pintxos bars to the 3-star Michelin gastronomic powerhouse, Arzak. In the north of Spain, it is common to see pintxos which in some ways are similar to their southern Spain counterpart, tapas. If you are unfamiliar with tapas, they are typically small savory bites or snacks served when ordering an alcoholic beverage.
The Old Town is known as La Parte Vieja where you will find the majority of the popular pintxos bars. When you are hopping around for pintxos, you’ll find the bar filled with options. From stuffed piquillo peppers to small pieces of bread filled with Jamon and mushrooms, you really can’t go wrong.
The most popular pintxo you’ll find in San Sebastián is the Gilda. It consists of a guindilla pepper, an anchovy fillet, and one manzanilla olive. The Gilda is usually served on a skewer or toothpick. I was instructed to eat all 3 components in one bite to truly experience the flavors. I love it and it is super simple to prepare at home!
As in most popular destinations, there are several food tour companies you can book. They will take you on a journey throughout the old town or you can explore and experience the pintxos bars for yourself.
A popular wine found in much of the Basque Country is called Txakoli which is a sparkling white wine. Right up my alley but you can also choose from Sidra, red wine, or beer if those are more your style. We curated a list of our favorite stops below:
- Bar Nestor – famous for their tortilla Espanola
- Atari Gastroleku
- Gandarias
- Casa Urola
Fine Dining
If you are looking for a sit-down meal rather than bellying up to a busy pintxos bar, San Sebastián has that as well! Our favorite meal of this trip and our top 5 favorite restaurant to date was at the famous Arzak. Run by Juan Mari Arzak and his daughter Elena, Arzak features top-notch local ingredients in an amazingly creative way. The genius plating and endless flavor combinations on the tasting menu we experienced were exceptional. If you are looking for another fun foodie town, be sure to check out my post on the best foods in Paris.
Finally, when it comes to food, be sure to save room for cheese! Elkano 1 – Gaztagune is a cheese shop with a huge selection of super special and unique options!
Where to Stay
We stayed at Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra which is located right on La Concha bay which means you are just steps from the sand. In my opinion, this is the absolute best location and makes for not only a beautiful view but also a central location. Finally, while this luxury hotel does come at a price, the location simply can’t be beaten.
I did conduct a quick search on Airbnb and there are affordable options available in desirable locations as long as you are flexible with your dates.
Finally, please note, I have not been paid for the opinions throughout this post. Everything that has been recommended, I simply loved and wanted to share!
I hope you enjoyed this guide to the best of San Sebastián, Spain! If you are looking for more Spain content, stay tuned to astonishedabroad.com. We publish new posts regularly and can’t wait to continue sharing our destination guides with you.