San Sebastián Pintxos Tour

In San Sebastián, the Old Town is the dining room. Its narrow streets between the harbour, Monte Urgull and the Alameda del Boulevard are lined with bars whose counters are covered in pintxos, the Basque answer to tapas: small, often elaborate bites on bread or skewers, alongside hot dishes cooked to order from a chalkboard. Locals move from bar to bar, eating one or two specialities in each with a small glass of wine, a zurito of beer or txakoli, the slightly sparkling white wine of the coast. It is a joyous ritual, and a bewildering one for first-timers, who do not know which bar is famous for which bite, how to order or how to pay. This guided tour, sold by Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa, the city’s official tourism body, solves all of that. A local guide leads a small group through traditional bars and restaurants of the Old Town, introducing eight pintxos paired with five wines, each from a different Spanish Denomination of Origin, and explains the etiquette as you go. Groups are capped at ten, and the tour runs in English and Spanish. Non-alcoholic drinks can be arranged. It is not the cheapest way to eat pintxos, but it is the fastest way to learn to do it well, and many travellers take it on their first evening and then spend the rest of their stay returning to their favourite bars.

How it works: the tour lasts about three hours and meets at the San Sebastián tourism office, at the side entrance of the Town Hall facing the Boulevard, at Ijentea Kalea 1. From Monday to Friday there are departures at 11:30, 17:00 and 18:15, and at weekends at 12:00, 17:00 and 18:15. It runs daily except on 1, 6 and 20 January and 24, 25 and 31 December, and departure is guaranteed with two adults. Under-18s can join without eating or drinking, or pay the adult price to take part. Cancellations are not accepted within 48 hours of the tour, and holders of the San Sebastián Card get a discount on the adult rate. Book on the official shop page linked here; confirmation arrives by email to show on your phone.

What you will eat: menus change with the bars and the season, so expect a mix of classic cold pintxos, such as the Gilda of anchovy, olive and pickled pepper, and hot dishes made to order. The guide chooses bars that do their speciality well and explains how to spot them yourself.

Making the most of it: the evening slots catch the Old Town at its liveliest, when bars fill with locals after work, while the late-morning departure is calmer and easier for photographs. Come hungry but not starving, since eight pintxos make a full meal. Afterwards, ask your guide for a couple of bars to try alone, and remember the local rule: one or two bites per bar, then move on.