10 Things to Do in San Sebastian in Winter

San Sebastian, also called Donostia, is a city located in the Spanish Basque Country. This tourist city on the Bay of Biscay is a popular destination thanks to its beautiful beaches, coastline and world-famous restaurants. Visiting during the winter is one of the best things to do in San Sebastian, because it is the best time to get a taste of San Sebastian's culture.

From December to early March, this city is full of traditional events and celebrations that are well worth experiencing. From the saints' fairs to the carnival, the cobbled streets of San Sebastian are filled with music, dancing and joy. What are you waiting for to experience an unforgettable holiday in this coastal city?

The 21st of December every year marks the beginning of the winter solstice, but San Sebastián also celebrates the Santo Tomás Fair. This festival has been celebrated since the 19th century and turns almost the entire city into a rural market where the chistorra steals the show. If you come at this time of year you can visit the different stalls selling products, food, handicrafts and much more.

The Santo Tomás festival commemorates the time when the landlords used to go down to the village to pay their annual tribute. The payment was not made with money, but with what they produced in the fields. That is why nowadays there is a tournament of farm animals, vegetables and vegetables produced in San Sebastián.

The meeting point of this fair is the Plaza de la Constitución. In addition to the tournament, there you will find many food stalls with fire pits and people cooking. You will see how the corn dough is prepared to make the buns and cakes that accompany the chistorra.

To liven up the whole scene, you will hear a musical background of instruments such as the tambourine, the dulzaina, the txistu, among others. You'll see that everyone dances to the rhythm of this music and some people are even dressed in old-fashioned clothes, wearing openwork berets or headscarves. You'll have an amazing day at this fair!

Among the traditions that San Sebastian has to say goodbye to the old year is its San Silvestre race of approximately eight kilometres. This event is international and is held in different cities around the world. Around 4,000 athletes take part in San Sebastian every year and it is held on the 31st of December every year.

If you want to participate in the San Silvestre race you can register online. Registration costs an average of 15 €. At the end of the race the first five participants to reach the finish line can win a prize.

The race usually starts in the afternoon, at approximately four o'clock in the afternoon at Plaza Easo. Competitors run through the streets passing through San Martín, Miraconcha, Satrustegi Street, Eduardo Chillida, Paseo de Ondarreta and La Concha, Parte Vieja until they return to Plaza Easo.

If you are not interested in participating as an athlete, you can meet in the streets where the competitors will be running. As it is a very popular race, the people of San Sebastian often gather to cheer the runners on.

During December you can visit the Gabonetako Azoka Christmas Market in San Sebastian. It is held on the Paseo de Urumea and extends as far as the Plaza Santa Catalina. The whole atmosphere is decorated with beautiful Christmas lights and decorations. Throughout the market you will see up to 40 stalls where you can buy food, handicrafts, toys and much more!

This market is open until the 6th of January, so you have plenty of time during the winter to visit it. As well as the occasional shopping spree, you can also enjoy theatre performances, workshops and competitions. You can also enjoy attractions such as the Big Wheel and the toboggan run.

This is a family-friendly environment where children can take part in activities such as magic shows, clowns and storytelling. In terms of music, the market has a musical background with local groups and micro-concerts are offered throughout the weeks. This type of market is a tradition in Europe, so if you come to San Sebastian you can make the most of it and see one of the best of its kind.

The Tamborrada is perhaps the loudest festival not only in San Sebastian, but in the whole country. It takes place every 20th of January at midnight with a crowd of people gathered in the Plaza de la Constitución. Here the mayor raises the flag of San Sebastian to start the 24 hours of celebration to the beat of drums.

The music is played by the members of the Gaztelubide society and other tamborradas to start the March of San Sebastian. The tamborradas are divided into two groups. The first is called the tamborreros, who play the drums and dress in the uniform of the army of the Napoleonic years. The second group, the cooks and water carriers, play the barrel and the horseshoe. Other groups are the gastadores, cantineras and abanderados.

During the day, children's bands also take part in the children's tamborrada and make a short route. During the celebration, the mayor also participates and awards such as the Tambor de Oro and the Medallas al Mérito Ciudadano de San Sebastián (Medals for Citizen Merit of San Sebastián) are presented. The whole celebration is held in honour of San Sebastián, the patron saint of the city. In fact, for some it is the most eagerly awaited celebration of the year.

If you are in San Sebastian on 20 January you can get into the festive spirit and see all the traditions of this day. Be prepared with a camera or your smart phone to make beautiful memories of the dolphins you'll see. No matter what neighbourhood you're staying in, the tamborradas are all over the city!

Traveller Tip
If you want to be there from midnight, be prepared with warm clothes and join the locals to kick off the festivities. Book a taxi to your hotel room to ensure your safe return to your accommodation.

The 5th of January is another of the most eagerly awaited days in San Sebastian. Not only children get excited with this celebration, but also adults. On this day the Three Wise Men parade takes place at six o'clock in the evening. In this event the kings Gaspar, Melchor and Baltasar parade through the streets of San Sebastián.

Three people dressed as the Three Wise Men go through the city centre accompanied by firemen, a tourist train and a herd of animals. Some of the places they pass through are Urbieta Street, Hernani, Prim, Bergara and Plaza Gipuzkoa until they reach the boulevard of San Sebastian.

Along the way they hand out sweets to everyone they meet. Children can hand in their letters to the kings before the parade. If you go to San Sebastian on this date, make sure you go to one of the streets to receive your sweets and take beautiful photographs of this event.

From January until April you can enjoy the cider season in the Basque Country. After the apples have gone through a process of selection, washing, pressing and must extraction, they are placed in wooden barrels for maceration. In January this liquid is ready to be tasted.

If you want to experience the tradition, I invite you to visit a cider house in San Sebastian and drink this drink directly from one of its barrels. I recommend a visit to the Txirrita Sagardotegia Sidreria, located in the city centre. In restaurants like these you can accompany your cider with a cod omelette, Idiazabal cheese with walnuts, among other dishes.

I also recommend you take a gastronomic tour of San Sebastian and visit as many cider bars as possible. If on one of your visits you hear someone shouting "txotx", don't panic, it's the signal to tell all the diners that a new barrel of cider has been opened.

Carnival in San Sebastian is one of the celebrations you shouldn't miss. In San Sebastian there are parades full of costumes, dances and music that go around the city. The celebrations take place at the end of February, but the dates always vary from year to year. The parades are organised in several circuits so that they can go around the city during the weekend.

The comparsas that parade each year are organised groups that prepare for this event. They all compete to be the best comparsa of the year or for the Gran Premio del Humor. There are also competitions to choose the king momo. All these events are organised by the public business entity Donostia Kultura.

The carnival celebration ends with the burial of the sardine. This event usually takes place in the centre of San Sebastian. During the burial, a mourning procession mourns the herring. Finally it is enlivened by the music played by the charangas.

You can visit San Sebastian at the end of February to see all this spectacle. Join in the celebrations with the locals by dressing up in costume. You can also simply go out on the days of the comparsas to party and dance to the music. Take as many photos as you can! This is the most colourful event of the year.

The Fiesta de los Caldereros is a much-loved tradition in San Sebastian and other cities in the Basque Country. This event usually takes place in mid-February and consists of various parades. Many people dress up and act like the Hungarian gypsies who used to sell their products during the carnival.

This tradition announces the arrival of the carnival and at the same time is a tribute to the gypsies. When the gypsies visited the city, they did so with gypsy girls who entertained the crowds in the streets. Their parade was accompanied by music and dances.

If you visit San Sebastian during this period, you will have the opportunity to listen to the famous compositions of Raimundo Sarriegui. The instruments used are most curious. You will see people playing cauldrons, hammers, kettles and much more. You will also see the queen and two men dressed as women representing their ladies and other people in exotic costumes.

If you want to try the best pintxos in San Sebastian, winter can be a good time to do so. You can visit several restaurants to try this typical dish that you should not miss when you visit this city. Accompany your dish with a good wine and enjoy all the incredible flavours of Donostia.

To try pintxos you should visit the emblematic restaurant Goiz-Argi, Casa Urola or the restaurant La Cuchara de San Telmo. If you also want to learn how to cook this recipe, you can take an excursion that includes a tasting and a class with a local chef.

In January, as I mentioned before, the cider season starts, so on your food tour you can try this typical drink along with some pintxos. However, wine is the traditional drink with this dish. You can also try typical desserts such as pantxineta.

An activity that suits San Sebastian's winter is a tour of the city's museums. These are closed places where you can spend a nice time even if it is a cold or rainy day. In Donostia you can find many museums with different themes, so I am sure you will find one that captures your attention.

One of these is the Eureka! Zientzia Museoa, an ideal museum if you want to learn something new, especially if you are travelling with children. You can see exhibits on science and animal life. If you are interested in learning about the construction of historical ships, you should visit the Albaola La Factoría Marítima Vasca.

If you would like an outdoor activity but still want to see works of art, I recommend a visit to the Chillida Leku Museum. There you can see how the museum's works blend in with nature. Even the sculptures blend in with the landscape. The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao of contemporary art is another very good option, but to visit it you must make an excursion from San Sebastian to Bilbao, which can take you half a day.

Plan your visits to the museums in one day or at least visit one every day. Entrance fees are cheap and some are even free. You'll have no excuse for having a great time in San Sebastian.

Winter in San Sebastian offers a pleasant but colder climate than the rest of the year. Temperatures are always between 8 and 12 °C, although it will depend on the time of year, as it can sometimes get colder. This allows its inhabitants and tourists to stroll peacefully through its streets and enjoy all the cultural events that take place in winter.

Rains are also present during the winter, but not very often. Keep in mind that humidity during December, January and February tends to be higher. In early March it starts to decrease. Days are shorter, so nights are a bit longer.

The number of tourists in San Sebastian tends to decrease during the winter, especially at the end of December and during the month of January. Therefore, during this season the prices of accommodation, tourist attractions and even food tend to go down a little. If you want to experience San Sebastian without the crowds and at a good price, then this is the best season for you.

The average price for a hotel room in San Sebastian during the winter is around €50. However, there are possibilities to find cheaper prices, especially if you choose to visit San Sebastian in January or February, the months with the least amount of tourists. Are you going to give up all those comforts for just a bit of cold weather?

Winter in San Sebastian is not too harsh, but it is always advisable to pack warm clothes. I recommend taking a jumper to keep you warm, especially if you plan to go out at night. An overcoat will also be important, although you won't wear it all the time. Take whatever is easiest to store in your suitcase.

On the other hand, as you may have noticed, many of the winter activities take place outdoors. There are many parades, so if you want to follow them and enjoy all the joy of the celebrations, I recommend you to wear comfortable shoes. This will allow you to move around without getting too tired.