San Sebastian in 3 Days: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

With the amount of things to see and do in San Sebastian, three days may seem like a short time, but I have good news for you, if you follow this itinerary you will not leave any essential site without knowing.

In San Sebastian you will find everything from a unique landscape, with the protagonism of the Bay of La Concha, the exquisite architecture of its buildings, its delicious cuisine and renowned cultural activities that take place at certain times of the year. Here is an itinerary of the best things to see and do in San Sebastian in 3 days.

In the Old Part of San Sebastian you will find all the modernity mixed with the tradition and history of the city, that's why it is the ideal place to start your trip. On this first day you will walk around this area, including the mythical Mount Urgull, and you will take the promenade of La Concha until you reach Mount Igueldo.

Getting to know the Old Part of San Sebastian and its main attractions

This is the most beautiful and visited area of San Sebastian. It is the second oldest neighborhood of the city, with a number of sites that you can not miss, such as the emblematic Plaza de la Constitución, the Alameda del Boulevard, the City Hall, the Basilica of Santa Maria del Coro, the San Telmo Museum and the San Vicente Church.

A good way to get to know all this area in depth and without missing anything is to take a tour of San Sebastian. In addition, this neighborhood is the ideal place to try the local cuisine, so I recommend that you stop to rest and eat something in the area, while you visit each of the most important attractions. In this article you will see where to find the best Pintxos in San Sebastian.

• Plaza de la Constitución: this is one of the most characteristic places of the city, which occupies the heart of the Old Part, where big events and festivities take place. Until the 40's, its central building was the seat of the City Hall of San Sebastian.
• Alameda del Boulevard: is a historic street in San Sebastian, surrounded by trees, which is also known as Paseo de la Alameda.
• Casa Consistorial: it is the seat of the City Hall, where the Gran Casino of San Sebastian used to be located.
• Church of San Vicente: built in the 16th century in a marked Gothic style, this church is the oldest temple in the city.
• Basilica of Santa Maria: it could be defined as a work of art of the XVIII century with a marked baroque style that is located in the heart of the Old Part of San Sebastian.
• San Telmo Museum: it is a Museum of Basque Society and Citizenship where you will also find a cloister and the old church on which it was built.

Exploring Mount Urgull

Once you've toured the main sites of the Old Town and had a bite to eat in the area to recharge your batteries, you'll move on to the second destination of this first day, Mount Urgull. A few meters from the San Telmo Museum, you will find one of the entrances and depending on the route you choose and the stops you make, this tour can take up to 2 hours.

On this hill you will find all kinds of viewpoints to appreciate the different views of the city, and also popular sites such as the Cemetery of the English or the Castillo de La Mota. Also, if you want to rest a little before starting the descent, on the same hill you can enjoy Urgulleko Polboriña, a bar with the best view of the city. You'll thank me for the tip!

Walking along La Concha Beach and the promenade of San Sebastian

The next stop takes place at La Concha beach. One kilometer from Mount Urgull, you will find this beach which is located in La Concha Bay. This bay is bordered by an amazing avenue called Paseo de La Concha.

It is one of the most famous and beautiful places in San Sebastian and I dare say in the world. You will find several important sites on your way such as the Miramar Palace, the Hotel Londres and the La Perla building, all this and more while enjoying the best views of the sea.

You will be able to enjoy this iconic beach and also, you will take the walk there to the next destination of the day. In La Concha Beach you will have many activities to do, such as a tour sailing through its waters to know the city from another perspective.

A photo stop at the Miramar Palace

In the tour of the promenade of San Sebastian, I recommend that you make a stop at the Miramar Palace, located between the Playa de la Concha and Ondarreta Beach. It will dazzle you with its marked English style and one of the best views of the Bay of La Concha and the city, but that's not all. This place has a very interesting history, since it was built in 1893 by order of the Spanish Royal House.

It is undoubtedly a must stop to get the best pictures of San Sebastian, although it is not possible to enter and know it inside, you can contemplate the views and its beautiful and neat gardens.

Appreciating the Peine del Viento (Wind Comb)

Continuing the tour along the promenade and a little over a kilometer from the Miramar Palace, after passing completely the Ondarreta Beach, you must continue along the Paseo de Eduardo Chillida to find the next stop of the day: the Wind Comb.

It is a set of sculptures and three pieces of steel, which resemble claws that enclose the air. It is a unique landscape where the purest nature merges with human art in a unique place. This work is one of the most emblematic works of Eduardo Chillida, a Spanish sculptor.

The last stop of the day, you will find it on Mount Igueldo, about two kilometers from the Peine del Viento.

In this classic site you will have many activities to enjoy, from a relaxing walk to contemplate the best views, to the fun of all the attractions of the place. I recommend you to take the Funicular and enjoy the view from the lookout point.

• Price: between 1.5 and 4 euros per person.
• Hours: usually vary depending on the time of year, but range from 10 am to 11:30 pm. I recommend that you consult the official website before planning your visit.
• Parking: free of charge.

The second day of your visit to San Sebastian will feature some typical places of the city center such as the Plaza de Gipuzkoa, the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd of San Sebastian, the Maria Cristina Bridge and the Cristina Enea Park. In addition, you will visit part of the Gros neighborhood, the Zurriola Bridge and Zurriola Beach.

Visiting the emblematic Gipuzkoa Square

The Plaza de Gipuzkoa is located in the heart of downtown San Sebastian and a few meters from the beach. It is a large green space that looks like something out of a fairy tale, an English forest full of vegetation, a small lake and a wooden and iron bridge.

It is the first public park in the city and the headquarters of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa. Among its most characteristic corners, you will find: a monument in honor of the musician José María Usandizaga, a meteorological complex, a particular time table of white marble and a large clock built with a variety of flowers.

Visiting the Good Shepherd Cathedral of San Sebastian

A few meters from the Plaza de Gipuzkoa will be your second stop of the day, the Buen Pastor Cathedral, which has particular relevance for being the seat of the dioceses of San Sebastian.

This church was inaugurated in 1897, with a structure inspired by medieval churches in France and Germany, its neoclassical style is worth appreciating and thanks to the spire that crowns its building, it is considered the highest in San Sebastian. It can be seen from almost every point of the city!

This particular attraction of San Sebastian, like many others, is included in the tour bus tour of the city.

Crossing the Maria Cristina Bridge

After these two stops, in addition to the old part of the city, you will get a good first impression of the city center. A few meters from the Cathedral, you will find the Maria Cristina Bridge, which will allow you to cross the Urumea River.

It is one of the most imposing and beautiful bridges in the city and stands out for the four structures that guard its tips. Although in 1893 a temporary wooden footbridge was built to cross from one side to the other, this bridge was built in 1905.

Visiting La Tabakalera

After crossing the bridge, a few meters away you will find this emblematic site that I want you to know: La Tabakalera.

It is an International Center for Contemporary Culture installed in the building that was the headquarters of a state-owned tobacco factory for about 90 years. This tobacco factory was characterized by its female employees, who were the majority, thus becoming a social reference in the city at that time.

Before you go, I recommend that you check their agenda and book your tickets for the activity, exhibition or event you want to attend, on the official website.

Cristina Enea Park

The next stop of the day is just a few meters from the Tabakalera and is the Cristina Enea Park, the ideal place to take a walk and relax a little surrounded by gardens full of varieties of trees, zigzagging paths and a beautiful pond.

This park with a strong English style is considered one of the most interesting urban historical parks in Spain. It is also home to the headquarters of the Cristina Enea Fundazioa Foundation, a reference in San Sebastian's environmental policies.

Stroll through the streets of Barrio Gros and visit Zurriola Beach.

A little more than a kilometer from the Cristina Enea Park, you will discover the most modern and dynamic neighborhood of San Sebastian, the Gros neighborhood. Here you will find all kinds of bars, stores, restaurants and the best atmosphere to stroll, enjoy and get lost in its streets, but the undisputed star of this area is the Zurriola Beach, the most chosen place by surf fans.

There is no specific place I can recommend in Gros, just walk through its streets and discover its magical corners or just spend the afternoon on the beach or walking along the promenade until you reach the sculpture of the Dove of Peace.

Cross the Zurriola Bridge and visit some emblematic buildings in the center of San Sebastian

After a stroll along the Gros, you will return to the center of San Sebastian by the Zurriola Bridge, which was built in 1915 and will catch your attention for its picturesque lampposts that stand out in green and white.

When you finish crossing this mythical bridge from one side of the city to the other, you will find on your left two emblematic buildings of San Sebastian: the Hotel Maria Cristina, a luxurious 5-star hotel inaugurated in 1912 that has hosted great stars of cinema, music and world culture, and the Victoria Eugenia Theater, one of the most important in Spain and the center of the cultural life of the city, which served as the venue for the San Sebastian International Film Festival on several occasions.

For your last day in San Sebastian, I recommend you to take a guided day trip from San Sebastian to get to know its surroundings and end your visit in the best way. Therefore, I want to share with you 2 options so you can choose the one you prefer.

Excursion to Hondarribia and Pasaia

In this excursion you will be able to visit two unique destinations in a single trip that lasts approximately 6 hours. They are fishing villages and are perhaps the most beautiful and picturesque of the Basque coast. Strolling through them, you will feel how time stands still and you will be transported to past decades.

The first destination will be Hondarribia, a small town located about 30 kilometers from the center of San Sebastian, heading northeast, where you can discover typical sites of the place and its fabulous beaches. Pasaia includes Pasajes de San Juan and Pasajes de San Pedro and is located about 10 kilometers from the center of San Sebastian.

Excursion to Zarautz, Getaria and Zumaia

If you prefer to know more about the northwest area, I recommend this excursion to Zarautz, Getaria and Zumaia. These 3 towns are about 5 minutes by car from each other and are the perfect plan to do in one day. An excursion to these three places covers the main attractions of each of them, the good thing is that being small places, everything is close to each other.

In Zumaia you can walk around and visit the Church of San Pedro, the Hermitage of San Telmo and the charming beaches of Itzurun and Santiago that are just a few meters from the town center.

In Getaria, you will find the Church of San Salvador, the Port, an ideal place to take a break and eat some fresh fish typical of the area, the Mount of San Anton, the three monuments to San Sebastian Elcano that are distributed throughout the town.

Finally, in Zarautz you will discover the Zarautz Beach, known for having been the summer resort chosen by Queen Elizabeth II of Spain in the nineteenth century, the Mount Talaimendi in the eastern part of the beach and the Mirador de Santa Barbara.