The Ultimate One-Day Itinerary For San Sebastián

Are you wondering how many days you need to explore San Sebastián? Or maybe you are on a short schedule and are curious whether one day is enough for San Sebastián? The short answer is yes – You can absolutely see the essentials and enjoy San Sebastián in one day. Two days will be better, especially if you are attracted to the city because of its culinary reputation. That way you can try more local specialities.

San Sebastián (or Donostia in Basque) is one of the largest cities in the Basque Country and one of the best known tourist destinations in Spain. It is attracting even more international visitors in the last few years, because of its dynamic culture and gastronomic scene.

Honestly, we loved the city when we visited and would definitely stay longer next time around. However, because the city is so walkable, our one-day itinerary is perfect for you, if you are also short on time, but want to make the most of it. Read on!

Morning

I highly recommend starting your day in San Sebastián at Mount Igueldo. Just make sure to grab breakfast beforehand, because there aren’t any good options for that up on the hill.

Mount Igueldo

Mount Igueldo is a small hill at the end of the city, from where you can enjoy one of the most famous views in Spain. You can see the whole city with its beautiful La Concha bay, where the ocean very calmly touches the two beaches. In the distance you will see the gorgeous lush green hilly landscapes, famous for the Basque Country. It truly is a breathtaking view to start your exploring with.

How to get there?

As I mentioned above, the hill isn’t really in the proximity of the city centre, it is about 2,5-3km away. Taking public transport to Plaza del Funicular is best, buses 16 and 47 stop there. You can buy a ticket in cash from the driver when you get on.

There is a funicular, going from Plaza del Funicular up to the top, operating every 15 minutes. A two-way ticket costs 4,25 EUR as of 2023. Operating hours differ. They’re between 10:30-21:30 in peak summer and 11:00-18:00 in winter. Bear in mind, that there are days in winter when it is completely closed. I highly recommend checking their website before your visit for up-to-date information.

An alternative to the funicular is going up by foot, if you feel up to it. Personally, I don’t think this is a good idea, if you only have a day in the city, because you will need that time and energy later in the day.

Driving to the top is also possible, there is a car park up there.

What to do at Mount Igueldo?

There are several viewpoints on the hill, all of them captivating. However, the best one is definitely from the tower at Mount Igueldo. For a small fee, you can go up the stairs in the tower, while having a look at old photographs of the city. From the terrace, you can enjoy 360 degree views. It is easily my top must-do when in San Sebastián.

On top of the hill there is also an amusement park. How cool is that? It has been there since 1925, and it is an emblematic place for the people of San Sebastián. Kids can even celebrate their birthday parties there. With over 20 attractions, you can spend a few hours here, especially if you are travelling with kids. But even if you don’t use any of them, it is at least worth seeing it.

Then, after soaking in the views and capturing them in pictures, hop back in the funicular, because the city has a lot more to offer.

El Peine del Viento

From Plaza del Funicular, it is about a 10-minute walk along the shore to El Peine del Viento. These are contemporary sculptures, made of iron, that contrast the surrounding sea. It is a secluded little spot where you can spend a few minutes enjoying the fresh breeze from the sea and listening to the waves crushing on the rocks.

Walk along La Ondarreta and La Concha beaches

By the time, you have explored this part of the city, it will slowly be time for lunch. Since the main culinary scene is in the old town, I recommend going back there. You can either hop on a bus or walk there. It is a 2.8 km, or about 40 minutes, walk from El Peine del Viento to the Old Town, you’ll pass two of the three city beaches, and it is absolutely lovely. There is a very nice beach promenade and a green park with benches to rest along La Ondarreta, the first beach, you will go through.

The second beach on the way is the famous La Concha beach, same name as the bay itself. It is a kilometer long shell shaped sand beach, getting broader as you are nearing the old town. At this part of the walk, there isn’t really a possibility to hide from the sun. So if you are visiting on a hot summer day, make sure to be prepared with a hat and enough water.

Towards the end of the beach, you will pass De Cervantes Plaza, with two bronze statues of Don Quixote on Rocinante (his horse) and Sancho Panza on a donkey. The promenade ends at the Park Alderdi Eder. It is another beautiful park with lots of palm and tamarind trees, an emblematic old carousel and a playground. At the north end of the Park, there is an exquisite building – the Town hall. It impresses with its architecture and it was originally built as a casino.

Afternoon

Have quick lunch in the Old Town

If one of the reasons why you choose to come to San Sebastián was its famous culinary scene, you will love the Old Town. It is a relatively small part of the town with many narrow streets, few shops and around 500 bars and restaurants. Most of the bars are Pintxo bars. Pintxos are basically the tapas of the Basque Country, with a few differences of course, but I won’t go into too much detail here.

If you are interested to learn more about the Pintxos culture and would like some recommendations for bars – check our article:

Savor San Sebastián: The Ultimate Pintxo and Food Guide

My best tip for the bars is – try as many as you can! Bars usually offer the most typical pintxos from the Basque Country, but they all have their special pintxos that you can only get in that specific bar.

After lunch, there are a few possibilities, depending on how you feel and what you want to do more.

Option 1: Do more exploring on foot

If you enjoy exploring on foot all day like we do, don’t worry, there are a few more places to go. Otherwise, if you’re too tired by this point, you can jump down to option 2.

Walk to La Zurriola beach

The third beach in San Sebastián is just across the river. This one isn’t protected in the bay, but is rather open to the sea. It is mostly suited for surfing because of the big waves and not for swimming. Nevertheless, it is worth the short walk to see it.

Mount Urgull and Passeo Nuevo

Monte Urgull is the hill behind the Old Town. On top of it there is a 12th century castle, small museum, giant statue of Jesus and a few viewpoints. It is a pedestrian area, so you can only get up there on foot. It takes about 30 minutes and there are lots of stairs. In my opinion, the views from Mount Igueldo are better, so hiking to the top isn’t a must if you are only in San Sebastián for a day. However, if you are staying for longer, I can recommend it.

Another thing you can do here, is going for a walk around the hill, along the sea promenade called Passeo Nuevo. Starting from the bridge Puente Del Kursaalt and finishing at the Town Hall, it is 2.2 km route, and it takes about 30 minutes. If the sea is rough, which is often the case in the Gulf of Biscay, watching the extremely high waves crush on the rocks is quite captivating. Even with smaller waves, you still will be rewarded with beautiful views of La Concha bay from this side of town. Towards the end of the walk you will pass the city’s Aquarium, the Maritime museum and the marina. The museum is free and there is a small exhibition on maritime explorations.

Option 2: Explore the city centre

If you are done with walking after the eventful morning and want a more relaxed afternoon, you can stay in this part of the city and explore a few things that are really close by.

Visit Buen Pastor Cathedral

The San Sebastián cathedral impresses with its neo-Gothic style and its height. The interior is just as remarkable, with its beautifully painted windows. Unlike most cathedrals I’ve been into, there is no entry fee at the Buen Pastor. It is free for everybody to enter, so give it a go.

Visit Gipuzkoa Plaza

This little city park is just a stone throw away from the Old Town, and it is a beautiful green oasis. It boasts a pond with ducks and swans, a few sculptures and astronomical artworks. With its diversity of plants and trees, it feels like a mini botanical garden. It is a lovely place to relax with an ice cream, for example.

Go to the beach at La Concha

On a sunny day, it is almost a must to go to the beach and go for a dip in the Cantabrian Sea. I must admit, that La Concha is quite nice, I didn’t expect that from a city beach. The sand is fine, soft and golden, the water is clean and usually calm, so it’s ideal even for bad swimmers. Luckily, there aren’t any expensive sun beds and beach umbrellas, and you can put your beach towel wherever you want.

Apart from the alluring beach, itself, the facilities are excellent. There are many changing rooms with lockers, showers and toilets along the beach. Overall, it is a great way to spend an hour or so, just soaking in the view – the many boats in the bay, surrounded by the two hills Igueldo, Urgull and the little island Santa Clara in the middle.

Evening

After enjoying the sunset, it is time to get back to the Old Town and find yourself a bar, sit down, enjoy a few more Pintxos and round off the day you spent in one of the most beautiful Spanish cities – San Sebastián.

I would recommend, that your last stop is La Viña. This is the Basque restaurant in the Old Town, where the infamous Basque Cheesecake was invented in the 1990s. It has become so popular in recent years, that recipe videos on social media are going viral in 2023.