San Sebastián event weekends: what to do between sessions

Donostia: La Concha bay, surf at Zurriola and the world's densest cluster of pintxo bars and Michelin stars.

Events we cover in San Sebastián

Arriving

San Sebastián airport (EAS) is small; most visitors use Bilbao (BIO, 1 hour 15 minutes by bus) or Biarritz (BIQ, 45 minutes).

Where to stay

Three hotels we would book

• Budget: Hotel Codina
• Mid-range: Hotel Arrizul Congress
• Splurge: Hotel Maria Cristina

Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Tours

Where to eat

• La Cuchara de San Telmo Cooked-to-order pintxos
• Gandarias Steak and pintxos
• Bar Nestor Tortilla served twice a day; queue for it
• Borda Berri Hot pintxos, small and loud
• La Viña The original Basque burnt cheesecake

With kids

• San Sebastián Aquarium.
• Monte Igueldo funicular and old amusement park.

Rainy-day backups

• San Telmo Museum.
• Eureka science museum.

Free things to do

• Walk La Concha promenade to the Peine del Viento sculptures.
• Climb Monte Urgull for the bay view.

Getting around

• Everything is walkable; Dbus city buses and bikes cover the rest.
• Reale Arena (Anoeta) is a 25-minute walk from the old town.
• Uber, Cabify and Free Now work in Spanish cities. Taxis are metered and reasonable.
• Renfe high-speed AVE and Ouigo/Iryo trains link Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Málaga, Valencia and Zaragoza. Book early for event weekends.