ES · Basque Country · 43.32°N 1.99°W

san sebastián

Pintxos counters, a curved city beach and green hills above the Bay of Biscay.

Best time
June–September is the warmest and best for the beach, though rain can come in any month. July–August is busiest; winter is wet and grey, but the pintxos bars stay full.
How long
2–3 days
Getting there
Fly with one stop to Bilbao, usually via Istanbul (about 18–20 hours all in), then it's about 1 hour 15 minutes by bus. Spain is 6 hours behind KL in summer and 7 in winter.
Save postcard
ES · Basque Countrysan sebastián43.32°N 1.99°Wgowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Pintxos counters, a curved city beach and green hills above the Bay of Biscay.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingSan SebastiánES, Basque Country
KLsan sebastián
≈ 10,865 km from KL, as the crow flies
Panorama from Monte Igueldo

Photo: Tom Page from London, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0

1 / 5

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

San Sebastián curls around La Concha, a shell-shaped bay with a city beach and green hills at each end. The old town is built for eating: a few pintxos at one bar, then on to the next.

Makan

  1. PintxosSmall bites on bread or on a stick, cold on the counter or hot from the kitchen.Map ↗
  2. GildaAnchovy, olive and pickled green chilli on a cocktail stick, the original pintxo.Map ↗
  3. Basque burnt cheesecakeDark and caramelised on top, soft in the middle; it was invented here, at La Viña in the old town.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. La ConchaA long promenade with white railings above one of Europe's best-known city beaches.Map ↗
  2. Parte ViejaThe old town's grid of pintxos bars, with counters piled high from early evening.Map ↗
  3. Monte UrgullWooded paths from the old town up to an old fort and a big statue of Christ, with views over the bay.Map ↗
  4. Monte IgueldoAn old wooden funicular climbs to the classic view of La Concha, with a small vintage funfair on top.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Order hot pintxos from the board as well as the ones on the counter; they're cooked fresh and often the best thing in the bar.
  • Halal meat is hard to find, and many pintxos hide ham, but seafood is everywhere: anchovies, squid, prawns and grilled hake.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.