San Sebastián is a small city with a large reputation, and two days is enough to see why. Everything that matters sits around one bay: the old town at one end, the funicular hill at the other and a curving promenade in between. Because the walks are short and the weather is changeable, the trick is to keep the plan loose, put the viewpoints on the clearest hours and let the evenings take care of themselves in the bars.
Know the shape of the city
The Parte Vieja, the rebuilt old quarter, lies between Monte Urgull and the mouth of the Urumea river. The bay of La Concha curls west from it, with the island of Santa Clara in the mouth, and ends beneath Monte Igueldo. Across the river is Gros, the surfers’ district with Zurriola beach and a younger bar scene. The whole of the centre is flat and walkable, and most days you will not need a bus. The currency is the euro, many bars take cards but a few coins help at the smaller counters, and Basque names appear beside Spanish ones on every sign, so Donostia and San Sebastián mean the same place.
Day one morning: the old town at its calmest
Start early in the Parte Vieja, when the streets are quiet and the market stalls and bakeries are setting up. Walk to the Plaza de la Constitución, look into the baroque basilica of Santa María and follow the fishing-port end of the quarter to see the working harbour. This is the best time for photographs, and it lets you scout the bars you will visit later.
Day one afternoon: Monte Urgull
Climb the wooded hill behind the old town, which is free, and follow the paved paths up to the Castillo de la Mota and the Sacred Heart statue. The views over the bay are the classic ones, and the slopes are shady on a warm day. Wear shoes with grip, because the paths are slippery after rain. Come down by the harbour side and rest before the evening.
Day one evening: pintxos
The streets of 31 de Agosto and Fermín Calbetón are the heart of the old-town bar crawl. Order one or two bites and a small drink at each place, pay as you leave and move on. If you would like a guide to the specialities, the tourism office’s small-group tour, with eight pintxos and five wines over three hours, is the easiest way in, and it runs in the early evening.
Day two morning: La Concha and the water
Walk the promenade along the beach to the western end, looking back at the old town and the island. In the warmer months you can swim, and in any season it is one of Europe’s great free city strolls. If the sea is calm, take the short boat across the bay to Santa Clara Island for a lighthouse and a view of the skyline from the water.
Day two afternoon: Monte Igueldo
At the far end of the promenade, ride the 1912 funicular to the summit for the postcard view of the whole bay. The funicular and the small amusement park follow a seasonal calendar, with reduced opening in winter, so check the dates for your visit and aim for a clear day and the hours around sunset. Some of the park’s rides close in rain.
Swap in Chillida Leku
If you have spent a morning on the beach already or the weather is grey, Chillida Leku is the best rainy-morning alternative. It is the sculptor Eduardo Chillida’s own museum, with huge iron and stone works across meadows and woodland around a restored farmhouse, a short taxi ride from the centre in Hernani. It is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so it suits a weekend or the start of the week.
Other good additions
A cooking class that starts with a market visit is the best use of a wet afternoon. The electric bike tour covers the bay, the river and the neighbourhoods beyond the old town without the climbs. The hop-on hop-off bus gives a quick overview, but in November it runs only from Friday to Sunday. The Camino de Santiago hike over Monte Ulia suits anyone with half a day and good shoes.
Where to stay
For a splurge, the belle époque María Cristina on the Urumea. For the bay at your window, the Londres y de Inglaterra on the promenade. For something calmer and a little cheaper, look at the hotels in Gros and Amara, which are a short walk or a bus ride from the beach.
Weather
San Sebastián can be wet in any season, and a clear morning can turn grey by lunch. Keep the two viewpoints and the boat flexible, and move the museum or the cooking class to the rain.
