San Sebastian in 2 Days: everything you need to know

San Sebastian is the best known city in the Bay of Biscay and also one of the main cities in the Basque Country. With its mountains, its beaches on the Bay of Biscay and the beauty of its streets that combine a historic quarter with more modern areas, Donostia has many attractions to offer, so if you want to see its main sites in just two days you'll have to hurry.

Some of the best things to see and do in San Sebastian include visiting Mount Igueldo and its funicular railway, walking through the Gros neighbourhood , visiting the Old Town and enjoying Basque cuisine and some of the city's best gastronomic tours.

San Sebastian is a city built on the shores of the Cantabrian Sea, so the Old Part is in a coastal area, close to the Bay of La Concha.

On the first day I suggest a tour of the historic quarter of Donostia and also of Gros and Monte Ulía, from where you will be able to see one of the best sunsets in the Basque Country.

Visit the Old Part of San Sebastian

The Old Quarter is the most emblematic area of San Sebastian and the best option is to walk around it in the morning. There you can see the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Coro, whose beautiful façade combines Baroque and Gothic styles, the Donostia City Hall, the Bretxa Market and the Plaza de la Constitución, which is one of the most famous squares in San Sebastian.

If you want to get to know the green lung of the Old Town you can lose yourself in the Alderdi Eder Park, which is located very close to the Concha Beach, and then return to the Calle Mayor to visit the Church of San Vicente and the San Telmo Museum, where if you are interested you can enter and learn about Basque history and culture.

In the Parte Vieja you will also find some of the best pintxo stalls in Donostia.

In the Old Town I recommend you to visit the port of San Sebastian, which is one of the best known on the Basque coast, and from where you will be able to contemplate an open view of the Bay of La Concha, especially if you are visiting the city in summer and the day is clear.

In the port you can also opt to take a boat trip around San Sebastian, although I wouldn't recommend this option on a 2-day visit as you'll miss out on other options.

Walk through the Gros neighbourhood

Opposite the Old Town, separated by the Kursaal Bridge, the Gros neighbourhood is one of the most picturesque in San Sebastian. It contrasts with the old town with its youthful atmosphere, which makes it one of the favourite areas among surfers, as it is home to Zurriola Beach, which is ideal for surfing.

In Gros you can walk along the Alameda del Boulevard and the promenade, which is one of the most attractive places in San Sebastian and where you will find most of the restaurants and shops in the neighbourhood. You can also take a break in Plaza Cataluña, which is surrounded by bars and pintxo stalls.

The Dove of Peace is another of the main attractions in Gros, as it is a sculpture that represents understanding within the Basque Country. It is located on the Sagüés esplanade, at the end of the Zurriola promenade.

You can also choose to cycle around Gros, either on a guided tour or on your own, or use the hop-on-hop-off tourist bus, which makes a stop in the neighbourhood.

Lunch at a pintxo bar

Basque gastronomy is one of the most exquisite in Spain and also one of the reasons why tourists flock to the Basque Country. This is no exception in San Sebastian and, on the way back to the Parte Vieja, on the other side of the Kursaal Bridge, you can have lunch on your first day in some of the city's best bars.

Baby squid, prawns, tempura, chops, sirloin steak, smoked eel and cod in all its forms are some of the options for tapas in San Sebastian.

You can discover these dishes in La Cuchara de San Telmo, in Bar Txepetxa, in Gandarias, one of the classic bars in Donostia, in Borda Berri or in La Viña, which are the most traditional bars, but the whole city has excellent places to discover its flavours.

In La Viña, you can also try the dessert options, including the cheesecake, which is one of the best in the world and which some countries, such as Japan and Turkey, try to imitate following the original recipe.

You can also discover the best pintxo bars in San Sebastian on a gastronomic tour and then continue your tour of the city by visiting bars on your own to manage your own time.

Walk around Monte Ulía

After lunch I suggest you take a walking tour of Monte Ulía, which is the site from which whales were sighted in the Middle Ages and is now one of the city's main viewpoints.

From the Old Quarter you can get there on bus lines 13, 14 and 29 and once there you can follow a 6.5 kilometre hiking route to the top.

At the highest point of Ulía you can access the viewpoint to contemplate the beaches and cliffs of the Bay of Biscay from the 235-metre high mountain. At the eastern end you can see how Ulía merges with the mountain, creating one of the most spectacular optical illusions in San Sebastian.

If you wish, you can stay at the top of Ulía until sunset to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets on the Basque coast.

Another option for watching the sunset on the first day is to spend less time on Ulía and opt for a sailing trip to watch the sunset from the Cantabrian Sea, although you should bear in mind that the trips include a walk along the coast, so it could take up some of your time.

Close your first day in a bar in San Sebastian

You can celebrate the intense journey of your first day in San Sebastian by eating and drinking in some of the city's bars. You can visit La Gintonería Donostiarra, the Whisky Museum or La Cepa, where you can try some of the best Rioja wines.

If you are one of those who, as well as enjoying a good drink, want to continue the night, you can go clubbing in the discos on Calle Reyes Católicos, in the Old Part in the area near the port, or visit the Casino Kursaal, near San Sebastian City Hall, and try your luck.

Another plan to round off your first night is to walk along the beach, watch the city lights from some of San Sebastian's high points and stroll along the promenade of La Concha Bay.

For the second and last day I suggest a tour of two of San Sebastian's main spots: La Concha Bay and La Concha Beach.

You can also visit the San Martín Market, which has been open since the 19th century, and visit Mount Igueldo, which has a funicular railway and even an amusement park at the top.

Visit the Bay of La Concha

La Concha Bay is one of the most famous spots on the Basque coast and is home to Ondarreta Beach and La Concha Beach, which is considered one of the most beautiful urban beaches in the world for its white sand and crystal-clear waters. There you can walk along the shore or stroll along the promenade, where you will find beach bars and other commercial establishments.

La Concha Bay is also known for the island of Santa Clara in the middle, famous for its almost 800-year-old chapel and the lighthouse that distinguishes it. Santa Clara is virtually linked by a stone breakwater that was never finished from the island's port to the Peine del Viento sculpture in Ondarreta. You can also take some of San Sebastian's best boat tours around the bay San Sebastian Boat Tours

On the separation between Ondarreta and Playa de la Concha you can also visit the Miramar Palace, which was one of the summer resorts of the Spanish Royal Family and is now part of the City Council and has rooms for rent. The palace and its gardens are open to the public.

You can explore the Bay of La Concha, the beaches and the promenade by bicycle or on a walk of approximately 2 kilometres and the island of Santa Clara can be visited on a boat trip, although from the Miramar Palace you will have one of the best views of the island territory.

Visit the San Martín Market

Donostia has two food markets, La Bretxa and San Martín, but the latter is the more representative of the two. Located in the Old Town, the San Martín market has a wide variety of vegetables, fish, butchers and sausages and is a reference point for locals.

In the San Martín Market you can lose yourself among the fresh food stalls and also have lunch in some of the gastronomic establishments. Among them, I recommend you visit Maribel, which specialises in sausages and stands out for its chistorra sausage, which is considered one of the best in Spain.

The San Martín Market is located in the Old Quarter, two streets away from the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in San Sebastian, so you can walk there from La Concha Beach. The market has free admission.

Maybe 2 days is not enough time to visit the other markets in the city, but if you are planning a longer stay in Donostia, you can also visit the La Bretxa Market. If you are planning to stay several days in the city, here is a list that you may find useful to discover San Sebastian in 4 days.

Interesting details

• Price... Entrance to the market is free.
• Location... Urbieta Kalea 9, San Sebastian.
• Opening hours... Every day from 7.30am to 11pm.
• How to get there... Buses 13, 14, 29 and C1.

Visit Mount Igueldo

Mount Igueldo is another of San Sebastian' s famous viewpoints and is located to the west of the Bay of La Concha. From the market you can get there by bus on lines 5, 16, 25, 33 and 45 and it is ideal to visit after lunch as there is a funicular that will take you to the top, but it does not open until 11.00 am.

At the top of Mount Igueldo you can see some of the best panoramic views of the city, take the most outstanding photographs of San Sebastian, have a drink at the bar and also visit the amusement park, which is mainly characterised by children's games, so it is a good place to consider if you are planning to visit Donostia with children.

The best alternative is to walk down from Monte Igueldo. This way you can visit the Peine del Viento sculpture , the central lighthouse on the mountain, and to continue taking in the open views of the city.

If you prefer, you can also wait for the sunset from the top to watch the sunset over the Cantabrian Sea again, but from another place.

Interesting details

• Price of the funicular... The cost of a return trip on the funicular is approximately 4 euros.
• Funikularlocation... Funikular Plaza 4, San Sebastian.
• Funicular opening hours... Every day from 11.00 am to 7.00 pm.
• How to get to the funicular... By bus on lines 5, 16, 25, 33 and 45.

Say goodbye to San Sebastian and enjoy Basque gastronomy...

The best way to round off your intensive trip to San Sebastian is to enjoy Basque gastronomy. After visiting La Concha Bay, the Old Town, Gros and the mountains, you can relax and dine on sea bream, hake, paella or baked txangurro, Donostia's specialities, which are mainly known for their fresh fish.

You can opt for the restaurants in the historic quarter or in the Gros district, but also for the tascas in other parts of the city, as the gastronomic offer in San Sebastian is very wide and of good quality in all places.

I recommend accompanying your dishes with Rioja wine, which is one of the most famous wines in Spain and stands out for its freshness, aromatic flavour and the variety of grape varieties it offers. The Rioja wine route excursion is also one of the best tours to do from San Sebastian.