Best Things To Do in San Sebastian

If you go on a trip to San Sebastian, you will find a long and extensive list of things to do in the city. Donostia is a paradise, welcoming a multitude of tourists every year. The city, once the summer resort par excellence of the European aristocracy, hides true architectural treasures.

In addition, its privileged location overlooking the sea and its gastronomic richness, complete the circle, making Donostia an incredible city to visit. Here are 10 must-do activities to do in San Sebastian

La Concha beach is one of the most beautiful beaches you will see. It is the jewel of Donosti and one of the emblems of the city. It is located in front of the island of Santa Clara and great personalities have passed through its sand, such as Isabel II herself. Beyond its spectacular views, it has shallow waters, so it is perfect if you go with children.

In case you go to San Sebastian in winter, I recommend that you take a walk along the promenade of the beach of La Concha. You can sit on the railing and enjoy the views with something warm to drink. Also, you can order a coffee in one of the beach bars that are in this urban beach, as it is a very well equipped beach with all kinds of services.

Take advantage of your visit to La Concha beach to visit the spa La Perla, a thalassotherapy center overlooking the sea that was built in 1912, in an attempt to meet the needs of the European aristocracy who spent their summers in San Sebastian.

One of the best plans you can do in La Concha beach is to enjoy an incredible sunset. If you are a sunset lover, you can also take a sailing excursion to watch the sunset, one of the best boat trips in San Sebastian.

The Wind Comb is a sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, a native artist who left many traces in San Sebastian. The work was built in 1976 and is located at the western end of the Bay of La Concha. It receives this name because the sculpture tries to show the characteristic wind that brings the Bay of Biscay to Donosti.

It is one of the most iconic elements of the city and a must-see if you go on a trip to San Sebastian. To get there, you will have to walk along the promenade of Ondarreta beach. It will be difficult to get lost, as there are many people who visit the Peine del Viento every day.

The walk is a bit long, as this sculpture is located at the other end of the city, away from the center. However, some of the best tours of San Sebastian include this place as a stop, so you can go in a group as part of an itinerary and not necessarily on foot, but by bike or bus.

On the slope of the famous Mount Urgull, in the Old Part of the city, is the Basilica of Santa Maria del Coro. This temple is one of the most visited places in Donostia and a recurring stop on tourist bus tours of San Sebastian.

The monument was built in 1750, however it was made on the remains of an old Romanesque church, which gives it the position of the oldest church in Donostia. In the Basilica of Santa Maria del Coro converge several architectural styles, such as baroque, neoclassical or gothic.

In its main altar, you will find an image of the Virgin of the Choir, which is the patron saint of San Sebastian. If you go to San Sebastian in summer, I recommend that you go to the act of the Salve, which is celebrated on August 14.

It doesn't matter if you are visiting San Sebastian in 1 day or if you are planning a 3-day trip to San Sebastian: the Miramar Palace should always be part of your itinerary.

The Miramar Palace is located between the beaches of La Concha and Ondarreta and was built in 1893 at the request of Queen Maria Christina of Austria. The queen spent her summers in Donostia and needed a palace as a summer residence.

Thus, she chose this meadow overlooking the sea, where there was a chapel that was moved to the Old Quarter of the city. Since then, many members of Spanish and European royalty have lived in its rooms, for example, the palace was the school of Juan Carlos de Borbón.

However, since 1973 it has belonged to the City Council of San Sebastián and is used for all kinds of events. The palace, designed by the English architect Selden Womun, is reminiscent of the homes of the English nobility. It also offers unique views of the bay of La Concha and has a beautiful and extensive garden where you can sit and relax. Without a doubt, this is one of the best things to do in San Sebastian.

Of course, if you go to San Sebastian, you cannot miss the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, the largest religious building in the city. This temple was built in 1897 under the command of architect Manuel Echave. With a tower of more than 75 meters high, the cathedral stands out in the panoramic views of the city offered by the viewpoints.

In the same square where the cathedral is located, you can see the Koldo Mitxelena Kulturunea cultural center, which was built in honor of one of the greatest linguists of the Basque language. The cathedral and the cultural center also share space with the Post Office building, which was formerly the School of Arts and Crafts.

At theopposite end of La Concha Bayfrom the Wind Comb is Mount Urgull. At its summit is one of the best viewpoints of the city and is one of the most visited places in the city. In its time, back in the twelfth century, Mount Urgull was a military fortress, thanks to its strategic location.

Today, on your walk to the top, you will find the remains of the old wall, as well as many other monuments. At the top of the hill is the statue of the Sacred Heart, a monument with a height of more than 24 meters.

Next to it stands the Castillo de la Mota, inside which is the museum of the Casa de la Historia de Urgull. If you go with time to spare, as a 4-day trip to San Sebastian, I invite you to enter and discover the history of the city.

In addition, on Mount Urgull you can also see the Cemetery of the English, a dreamlike place full of legends. It is said that here rest the Englishmen who gave their lives during the First World War, although it is also said that the place is a mass grave of French soldiers.

At the other end of the city is Mount Igeldo, the other green lung of the city. Its summit offers one of the best views of San Sebastian, as well as housing an old amusement park that will take you back to your childhood.

To climb to the highest point of Mount Igeldo, you can make use of the funicular, a wooden rack railway over 100 years old. This way, you won't have to walk and you can just slowly climb up and enjoy the wonderful views.

Once you reach the top, you will find a 20th century amusement park. You can get lost in the labyrinths, ride on Swiss mountains, enter haunted houses or have fun on the Paseo de la Risa.

One of the best ways to get to know the culture of a city is to try its local gastronomy. If you go to San Sebastian, you are in luck, since the city has one of the best gastronomies of the Spanish territory. Within its borders you can find delicacies such as the best potato omelette in the world or the delicious cheesecake whose recipe they have tried to imitate even in Japan.

Thus, you cannot leave Donostia without trying the best pintxos of San Sebastian, the name given to tapas in the Basque Country. In this sense, you have two options. On the one hand, you can do the route on your own and on the other hand, you can take one of the best gastronomic tours of San Sebastian.

My advice is that, if you do not have recommendations from locals in the city, you should go for the second option. Just as San Sebastian has a multitude of typical taverns with a high quality, it also hides bars and restaurants made for tourists. So, if you don't want to make a mistake and be disappointed, I recommend you to take a guided tour.

Another of the best things to do with children in San Sebastian, as well as in summer, is to take a walk around the port of the city. This area is located next to the Casco Viejo and is home to the Aquarium of San Sebastian. It also gives space to the Real Club Naútico de San Sebastián, which has a sailing school where you can do different water activities.

The port has many of the best restaurants in Donostia. One of them is the restaurant La Rampa, specialized in traditional Basque cuisine. This establishment has been delighting the palates of locals since 1954. If you go from La Concha beach, all you have to do is walk along the promenade, which leads to the port itself.

If you are going to the city for several days, you can spend the first 2 days in San Sebastian getting to know the city. Then, when you have done everything you have to do, you can take the opportunity to make an excursion to nearby cities or towns.

When traveling to Donostia, you have the opportunity to visit the other cities of great importance in the Basque Country, such as Bilbao or Vitoria. As with everything, you can travel to these locations on your own, in which case you will have to see how to get to Vitoria or Bilbao from San Sebastian.

However, it would be great if you do one of the best excursions from San Sebastian. You will find excursions of all kinds, both to the main cities of the community and to some of the most beautiful municipalities of Donostia, such as Zarautz, Getaria and Zumaia.