Top 5 Experiences in the Beach and Foodie Paradise of San Sebastian, Spain
- D. Schmitz
- 1 day ago
- 13 min read
Top 5 Experiences of San Sebastian, A Spanish Paradise
In this article, Bubbly Tourist shares the best experiences of the top 5 things to see and do in San Sebastian in this must-see coastal city with beautiful beaches in the Basque Country of northern Spain. With all the Michelin restaurants in this small town, San Sebastian (Donostia in Basque) is without a doubt a foodie paradise. Oh, and by the way you're literally next door to France where its Belle Epoque influence is seen in San Sebastian's architecture.
In the Basque Country of north central Spain along the Bay of Biscay, you'll find the gorgeous seaside town where Spanish royalty used to come and play in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In many ways, it's like being on a movie set and perhaps this is why the city hosts its annual September International Film Festival. The beauty of this city is a combination of architecture and geography. Its stunning buildings of central town are surrounded by gorgeous beaches with promenades and rolling hills. It's clean and it's safe and everything is conveniently accessible. The Urumea river that flows through the heart of San Sebastian has many beautiful bridges that connects neighborhoods that were historically shaped by the river itself. Its warm summer climate makes it an ideal summer resort vacation destination that attracts wealthy visitors who enjoy its beaches and other amenities including its dining scene. In fact, San Sebastian holds the distinction of number of Michelin star restaurants per square meter making it quite the foodie destination. With everything that it offers, Bubbly Tourist highly recommends it as a destination city. Stay a few days, weeks or months. You'll love it! Read on to discover the top experiences of San Sebastian.
The Top 5 Experiences of San Sebastian
Bubbly Tourist details the must do experiences of San Sebastian below...
1. Relax on the Beach of La Concha and Nearby Antiguo
The sandy Beach of La Concha, located on La Concha Bay, is central to San Sebastian and is our number one experience in the city. With its fine golden sand, it is considered one of the best urban beaches in Europe. Not just because it's a spectacular beach to go swimming, but also because there is so much to see along its perimeter. It's a huge beach (1 mile / 1.3 km long), and a promenade runs its entire length and separates it from the street. The promenade also separates walkers from bicyclists. Whether you swim or not, the beaches are worth exploring and the promenade will take into Antiguo, San Sebastian's oldest neighborhood, for some of its additional sights...
Miramar Palace
Miramar Palace is likely worthy of an experience unto itself, however the Palace was closed while Bubbly Tourist was visiting. The gardens, set up on the hillside, are still open daily and they are immaculately maintained with spectacular views over San Sebastian. It's accessible at Loretopea via the beautiful pedestrian tunnel that connects the two beaches.
Fun Fact: Queen María Christina of Hapsburg married King Alphonso XII of Spain and after he passed away from tuberculosis, she had Miramar built with her own funds and made it her home until her death in 1929.
Ondarreta Beach
Adjacent and to the west of the Beach of La Concha but still in La Concha Bay is Ondarreta Beach. In fact, you may not realize that it is a separate beach as it feels like a natural extension of La Concha, separated only by Miramar Palace. Here you have also crossed into Antiguo, San Sebastian's oldest neighborhood.
Ondarreta Gardens
Located just above Ondarreta Beach are the Ondarreta Gardens. This is a lovely spot to experience some peace in the shade.
Wind Comb (El Peine del Viento) Sculpture
At the far end of Ondarreta Beach where the promenade ends is the Wind Comb sculpture. It's a series of three sculptures (10 tons each) that symbolizes the sea, the wind, the cliffs, the horizon and the light. From here, you've also got a nice view of Santa Clara island in the middle of La Concha Bay.
2. Hike Urgull Park (Parque de Urgull)
Located just north of the Old Town on Mount Urgull, you'll find Urgull Park (free). At 400 feet (123 meters), it's not the highest point in San Sebastian, but it does offer incredible panoramic views back across the city, over La Concha Gulf, and out to sea. It has groomed trails with several access points, so hiking (albeit steep in parts) is not too difficult. In addition to the panoramic views, the park has a fortress with a prominent statue of Jesus Christ overlooking the city and a bar to relax with incredible views of its own. See below...
Baluarte del Mirador
Baluarte de Mirador is a scenic observation point in an old fortress on Park Urgull offering spectacular views of the surrounding city and of Zurriola Beach.
Urgulleko Polboriña Bar
Slightly below the fortress overlooking La Concha Gulf on the west side is an amazing spot to stop for a drink. The Urgulleko Polboriña bar is relaxing, not too crowded (maybe because it's kind of hidden from view), and the views over the gulf, its beaches and Santa Clara island are spectacular.
3. Dine to your stomach's desire
San Sebastián is often referred to as the culinary capital of Spain and even Europe. It has one of the highest concentrations of Michelin stars per square meter and per capita globally. Beyond fine dining, San Sebastian also offers a vibrant pintxo (Basque tapas) scene with a wide range of culinary experiences.
Eat at a Gourmet Restaurant
Up in the San Sebastian hills of its Antiguo neighborhood, you'll find the gourmet restaurant Rekondo. Though not a Michelin star, the experience here is beautiful. It is a romantic restaurant offering upscale Basque cuisine, plus it has a terrace with bay views where you can choose to have an aperitif. We chose champagne. The restaurant also allowed us to tour its massive wine cellar and it has some stunning older vintages. If you have the chance, the foie gras dish (pictured below) is one of the most divine Bubbly Tourist has ever had!
Bubbly Tip: If you don't have a car, Rekondo is accessible via city bus that will take you from to a stop (Igeldo Pasealekua 72) just below it where you can walk the last 2 minutes uphill.
Eat Pintxos (Basque tapas) in the Old Town
San Sebastian is known for its pintxos (Basque tapas), so when in Rome, right? There are numerous websites dedicated to where to eat pintxos, so our only recommendation is that firstly, you indulge in some, and secondly, you do it in the Old Town if you can so that you can experience them like a local.
Eat at a Beachside Restaurant
If you're looking for good food close to the water, you'll find the restaurant, Zmare, right along the Zurriola Beach boardwalk, about as close as you can get to the water. It has an indoor restaurant and an "outdoor" restaurant with slidable glass doors which opens right to the sea. The Paella was good (not great), the wine selection was good, and the views of the beach and the surfing were terrific. Note: this is the surfing beach of San Sebastian.
Bubbly Tip: We didn't make reservations in advance, instead we showed up right when the restaurant opened so Bubbly Tourist could get an unobstructed beachside table outside.
4. Feel the Elegance of San Sebastian's Old Character
Centro, that extends from the river to the end of La Concha Beach and is inclusive of the Old Town, and Egia, on the other side of the Urumea river, are two neighborhoods which showcase the 19th and early 20th century French-style architecture that is so prevalent about San Sebastian. What Bubbly Tourist loves about these areas is that the buildings are limited in height - similar to other European cities like Paris and Madrid - and preserve the architectural character and view corridors of the city. What you see are charming narrow streets, especially in the Old Town, with historic architecture and not modern high-rise buildings which interrupt its character. The Belle Epoque architecture of Centro is especially romantic. Read further to discover some of these area's highlights of this area...
The Ancient San Vicente Church
The Church of San Vicente is located in San Sebastian's Old Town. It is the oldest church in the city. Built in the Gothic style during the first half of the 16th century, its interior houses one of the best Romanesque altarpieces.
Plaza de la Constitución
In the heart of the Old Town lies the Plaza de la Constitución. The main building in the square served as San Sebastian’s City Hall until the 40's. The balconies on the colorful buildings that line the square display numbers dating back to the time when it was used as a bullring. Come here for major local festivities like San Sebastián Day (January 20th) and Saint Thomas’s Day (December 21st).
The Enchanting Boulevard Zumardia
The wide Boulevard Zumardia, known for its shopping, is the dividing line within Centro of the Old Town. Bubbly Tourist visited during Spring (early April) when the spring flowers showcased their colors and the weather was beginning to warm.
Magnificent City Center at Alderdi Eder Park
The Alderdi Eder Park is a beautiful park right in Centro San Sebastian along La Concha Bay which bumps right up against the Old Town. This beautiful area has lots of palm and other trees, benches for relaxing, a carousel and City Hall.
Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
In an area once occupied by sandbanks and marshes, the city of San Sebastián wanted to extend outside its old town beyond where its ancient walls had already been destroyed and build a new cathedral. In 1899, the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd was completed in a neo-gothic style with the construction of its 75 meter-high bell tower.
Romantic Belle Époque Architecture
Walking through the streets of Centro near the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Bubbly Tourist noticed all the homes and buildings in the Belle Époque era architecture. Perhaps this is why we love San Sebastian so much... its charming and romantic nature that emanates from the city itself.
5. Take a Relaxing Stroll along the Urumea River
For a beautiful romantic walk, explore the Urumea River between the Centro and Amara neighborhoods on the west side of the river and the Egia and Gros neighborhoods on the east side. The peaceful trees and beautiful architecture makes this experience so relaxing and almost feels like you're strolling back in time to the late 1800's. Take in the two bridges discussed below... FYI, there are clearly marked pedestrian paths which are separate from the bike paths that follows both sides of the river.
María Cristina Bridge
The María Cristina bridge is known for its four impressive obelisks, one in each corner, measuring 18 meters in height and crowned by groups of sculptures. This bridge which opened in 1905 was built here to connect the city center to the Estación del Norte train station, the bullring and the velodrome.
Santa Catalina Bridge
The Santa Catalina Bridge was the first bridge to be built in San Sebastián. Its long history and strategic location have seen it destroyed and rebuilt on several occasions. The lamp posts date from 1926.
Where to Stay in San Sebastian
Regardless of destination, Bubbly Tourist always recommend staying closest to the locations you'll be visiting most. For older cities like San Sebastian, this means staying in or near the "Old Town". Bubbly Tourist recommends staying in the neighborhoods of Centro, Antiguo, Agia, or Gros as all of the above recommended experiences will be within 10 minutes walk of your lodging.
As always, we recognize there are many factors by which you use to determine where to stay. Use the Bubbly Tourist process in finding a hotel to help find and narrow down the list of lodgings that best fits your needs.
Centro
Bubbly Tourist chose a Bed & Breakfast in Centro literally a stone's throw from the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd. We were able to split the cost with two other couples which made it really affordable in a beautiful area not far from city center, just off the river, and convenient to other amenities.
Bubbly Tip: Spain in 2025 has moved towards stricter regulation of short-term rentals (like Airbnb or VRBO) by empowering local communities and building associations to control the impact of rentals in their residential areas.
In Search of Bubbles, Bars and Bites in Toledo
In an ongoing segment by Bubbly Tourist, we always search for a location - if not the best location - to have some champagne wherever we go.
Rekondo
Up in the San Sebastian hills of its Antiguo neighborhood, you'll find the gourmet restaurant Rekondo. The experience here is quite beautiful and is the perfect place for some champagne. The wine list (and cellar) is huge and therefore the selection of not only champagne but other bubbly is quite extensive. It is a romantic restaurant offering upscale Basque cuisine, plus it has a terrace with bay views where you can choose to have an aperitif and where we had our first bottle of champagne. The restaurant also allowed us to tour its massive wine cellar and it has some stunning older vintages. As a reminder, Bubbly Tourist is not compensated by any recommendations we make.
Bubbly Tip: If you don't have a car, Rekondo is accessible via city bus that will take you from to a stop (Igeldo Pasealekua 72) just below it where you can walk the last 2 minutes uphill.
Geralds Bar
If you're looking for an intimate and nice wood-lined bar with good food and wine with local beer, then check out Geralds Bar in the neighborhood of Gros. Known for their steak tartare from Australia to Spain, we had to make a stop, especially since Bubbly Tourist was traveling with some Aussies. We're glad that it measured up to the OG in Melbourne.
Zmare
If you're looking for good food with a decent wine selection close to the water, you'll find the restaurant, Zmare, about as close as you can get to the water, right along the Zurriola Beach boardwalk in the neighborhood of Gros. It has an indoor restaurant and an outdoor restaurant with slidable glass doors which opens right to the sea. The Paella was good (not great), the wine selection was good, and the views of the beach and the surfers were terrific.
Bubbly Tip: We didn't make reservations in advance, instead we showed up right when the restaurant opened so Bubbly Tourist could get an unobstructed beachside table outside.
Things to Know about San Sebastian
Spanish and Basque are the Official Languages of San Sebastian
The two official languages of San Sebastián are Castilian Spanish (also known as Spanish) and Basque (Euskara). While Basque is regularly used in many aspects of life, it is not imposed on non-Basque speakers, and Spanish is widely spoken. English is also spoken but knowing Spanish (or Basque) can definitely be helpful.
Be Aware of the Fog
One minute it's sunny, the next minute it's fogged in. At times, it's like being in San Francisco. With the maritime climate, it can happen any time of year so be aware. Bubbly Tourist was hiking Park Urgull with stunning bay views when all of a sudden, we couldn't see the bay any longer. Just like that, it rolled in from the sea. It's not like we couldn't see in front of our eyes, it's just that the sun was gone and distances were blocked. See photo.
San Sebastian is an Easy Plane Ride from Madrid
There are multiple daily inexpensive flights from Madrid which is only about an hour flight. The San Sebastian Donostia airport is small and also serviced by other cities, so flying is definitely a convenient option.
Bubbly Tip: From city center, the airport is 30 minutes away (22 km/13 miles) by car or taxi and a little longer by bus. By train it is not as convenient.
Bus Transportation
By bus is definitely an easy method by which you can travel in San Sebastian. Use google maps to help you map bus routes between destinations. You can pay directly to the driver with cash, but be aware that notes larger than €20 are not accepted. San Sebastian uses contactless payment methods, so you can pay with your credit card directly on the bus.
San Sebastian Train Station
San Sebastian is conveniently accessible by train from other major cities, particularly Barcelona and Madrid. The San Sebastian Train Station (Estación del Norte), located in city center in the neighborhood of Egia, serves as the main hub for national and international train travel. You can find direct high-speed trains (Alvia) from both Barcelona and Madrid.
Bubbly Tip: The train is not a convenient option for travel to the San Sebastian airport.
Aralar National Park
Just south of San Sebastian, only about 20km (12 miles) from the city center lies the Aralar Mountain range and within it the Aralar National Park. Aralar has huge meadows even at high altitudes and is a unique, open space ideal for hikers. The mountain range certainly adds to the beauty of San Sebastian and can make for a great day trip.
Travel More, Travel Bubbly!
