9 Best tours of San Sebastian

If you want to discover the best things to do in San Sebastian during your stay, it is best to join a guided tour, or plan your own route aboard a tourist bus.

In any case, there are many options when it comes to tours in San Sebastian. You can walk through its streets to contemplate the architecture of the buildings and monuments. Also, visit the bars and restaurants to taste the local gastronomy and, if you wish, escape from the hustle and bustle in search of the monuments and natural landscapes of the nearby towns.

A private walking tour of the old town of San Sebastian will allow you to familiarize yourself with the streets if you intend to spend several days in the city. Likewise, if you are short of time, you will be able to get to know the main monuments and their history and enjoy the architectural richness of this region. All this, in just a few hours.

You can visit the Bretxa Market, where you will access the ruins of the walls that once protected San Sebastian. You will also see a photographic record of the city, you can buy local products in the market and taste the famous pintxos (traditional cuisine).

Some of the places this tour passes through:

• Konstituzio Square. An important square that since ancient times has served as a stage for local celebrations.
• Basilica of Santa Maria del Coro. You will enjoy an architectural work representative of the Baroque, dating back more than 200 years.
• Church of San Vicente. In this 16th century construction, you will contemplate an antique French organ and be amazed by the exquisite design of its altar.

In addition, this tour usually incorporates a walk through the San Telmo Museum, so you can observe its exhibitions and, finally, a walk to Mount Urgull where you will get a privileged view of the city.

Details of interest

• Price: from 45€ per person.
• Duration: 2 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.

Embarking on an electric bike tour in San Sebastian together with an experienced local guide is undoubtedly a suitable activity to make the most of your visit to San Sebastian in 3 days or less. You will explore the most outstanding areas: beaches, monuments and much more. All this, in a short time and in a fun way.

The activity usually covers approximately 10 destinations, starting from the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, as it is a central point in the city. This is usually the meeting point with the guide.

Some of the places this tour passes through:

• Miramar Palace, known for being the former residence of Queen Maria Cristina. From there, you will have an amazing view of the bay.
• Monte Igueldo, you will walk along the route of the beach until you reach Igueldo.
• Paseo Eduardo Chillida, where you will pass to observe for a few minutes the imposing sculpture Peine del Viento.
• La Concha Beach, Kursaal Beach and Zurriola Beach, you will roll along these paths while watching the crystal clear waters.
• Tabakalera building, towards the Gros neighborhood.

Details of interest

• Price: from 43€ per person.
• Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (Approx.)
• Means of transport: bicycle.

In the city of San Sebastian you will find a wide gastronomic selection, which you can taste as part of a guided tour through the restaurants and bars of the city. You will give your palate a real treat while you learn about the different preparations.

To start the tour in this gastronomic tour in San Sebastian, you will usually meet in the center of the city with the assigned culinary expert. You will then walk through the lively streets of the old part of the city and visit some of the restaurants.

Some of the places this tour passes through:

• Pintxos or the Basque version of tapas.
• Crispy squid.
• Cod tortillas, as an accompaniment to any meal.
• Tender pork fillet.
• Basque cake, filled with pastry cream.
• King prawns
• Marmitako, which is a stew with white tuna.

Certainly, the tastings may vary according to the tour you select. However, all tours incorporate the best places to eat pintxos in San Sebastian, as these tapas are very popular in the region.

Details of interest

• Price: from 128€ per person.
• Duration: 3 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.

If you want to make the most of your 1-day visit to San Sebastian, then a good option is to take part in a sightseeing bus tour with free stops through the streets of the city.

It is a route of approximately one hour, in which you will discover the main monuments of San Sebastian from the second floor of the bus, while enjoying the commentary of an audio guide.

During this bus tour with free stops, you will see the Miramar Palace, the arch of the Maria Cristina Bridge, the Aquarium of Paseo Nuevo, Guipuzcoa Square, the Old Quarter, the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and many beaches of interest such as La Concha beach, Zurriola beach, San Sebastian beach, Ondarreta beach, among others.

The best thing is that you can get on and off the bus as many times as you want at any of the 29 stops indicated, to explore the places of your interest.

Details of interest

• Price: average price of 12€ per person.
• Duration: 1 hour (Approx.)
• Means of transport: tourist bus.

To make the most of your visit of at least 4 days in San Sebastian, you can join a free tour of the city with a professional photographer. You will be able to visit some outstanding places and take amazing pictures for your memories and your social networks.

This tour usually starts near La Cocha Bay, where you will meet the photographer to start the tour. In this way, you will visit the Clocks of La Concha Beach, La Perla Shopping Mall, the Bicentennial Balcony, the Parrot's Peak, the Wind Comb, Ondarreta Beach, Miramar Palace, Eduardo Chillida's Walk, among other places.

In each of the mentioned places you will stop and the guide will tell you which are the best angles for your photographs. This way, you will be able to take advantage of the light, the shadows and, of course, the unique landscapes of this city.

Details of interest

• Price: from 10€ per person.
• Duration: 3 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.

Whether you have 2 days in San Sebastian or decide to extend your visit for a longer period of time, you should incorporate a boat tour along the coast of this city into your itinerary .

The adventure usually starts at the fishing port of San Sebastian, in La Concha Bay. You will board a boat and immediately the captain will start sailing along the coast of the city.

Some of the places this tour passes through:

• The mouth of the Urumea River.
• The Peine del Viento sculpture
• The Kursaal Auditorium.
• Mount Ulia.
• Mount Igeldo.
• Zurriola Beach.
• Parrot's Peak.

Details of interest

• Price: from 240€ per person.
• Duration: 2 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: boat.
• Advantages of this option: by traveling by boat along the coast of San Sebastian, you can enjoy a different perspective of the city.
• Disadvantages of this option: the activity does not include food, but you can buy it on board the boat.

If you are an enthusiast of the film world, then you should take advantage of your stay in San Sebastian to get to know the places where some famous films have been shot and several festivals have been held.

This type of tour usually starts outside the Donosti Bookstore. There, you will connect with a local guide, who will take you to see some of the filming locations.

Some of the places this tour passes through:

• Cristina Enea Park, where scenes from Negociador (2014), which is a comedy by Borja Cobeaga, were filmed.
• The pedestrian Loiola Street, where part of the film Embarazados (2015), directed by Juana Macias, was shot.
• The Miramar Palace, used for some scenes of Handia (2017). This is a film based on real events and winner of several Goya awards.

Similarly, you will visit some places where the San Sebastian Film Festival is usually held. Such is the case of the Hotel María Cristina and the Kursaal Auditorium.

Details of interest

• Price: the average price of the experience is 15€ per person.
• Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.

The guided tour of the San Martin Market turns out to be another must-do activity in San Sebastian during your stay. There, you will be able to observe and purchase a range of local products. All this in the company of a professional chef with whom, afterwards, you will prepare delicious recipes.

Once you connect with the chef outside the market, he will start the tour of the building, whose history dates back to 1884. Inside you will find seafood retail stores , butcher shops and fresh vegetable sales. You will also see some cafes and restaurants.

In addition to learning about the market and the products sold there, you will have the opportunity to learn how to cook some of the city's traditional recipes. To do so, the chef-guide will take you to his home kitchen to prepare pintxos, bacalao al pil pil, txangurro (crab meat), among others.

Interesting details

• Price: from 200€ per person.
• Duration: 8 hours (Approx.)
• Means of transport: on foot.

If you don't know what to do in San Sebastian in winter, then you can incorporate a 40-minute tour aboard a tourist train into your itinerary. You will stroll through the main streets of the city without fear of an unexpected precipitation ruining the tour.

Some of the sites this tour passes through:

• La Concha Bay.
• Miramar Palace.
• Mount Urgull.
• The Victoria Eugenia Theater.
• The Buen Pastor Cathedral.

The train has a couple of cars, panoramic windows and glass roof, so you will enjoy the scenery from different perspectives. Likewise, you will have a screen where you will get information about each monument.

Interesting details

• Price: average price of 5€.
• Duration: 40 minutes (Approx.)
• Means of transport: tourist train.
• Advantages of this option: you will visit the historic center and other areas of interest in a comfortable way and in a short time.
• Disadvantages of this option: The tour does not include an audio guide.

When taking one of the tours of San Sebastian you should take into consideration some basic tips to enhance your experience.

For example, you should wear comfortable shoes that allow you to walk long stretches without getting tired and wear clothes according to the weather season (light clothing in summer and warm in winter).

It is also important that you arrive at least 10 minutes before the meeting with the guide and that you find out about the bus stops near where you are staying. The latter, in case the tour does not end at the door of your hotel.

Taking a tour of San Sebastian is a way to save time during your stay, thanks to the help of the assigned guide or the audio guide provided.

You will be able to discover the most important destinations and contemplate the best views, without fear of getting lost in the streets of the city. In addition, you will learn about the history of each place and get to know some anecdotes.