How to Spend 3 Days in San Sebastian
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How to Spend 3 Days in San Sebastian

How to Spend 3 Days in San Sebastian

Three days in San Sebastian give you chance to sample flavors of the Basque country, hit the beach, and visit historic landmarks in the city center. San Sebastian also serves as a gateway to the Basque country and France, and is a jumping off point for hiking the iconic Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail. Here’s how to make the most of your time.


Day 1: Discover the Historic Center

Home to highlights such as San Sebastian Cathedral to La Concha Beach, San Sebastian’s compact historic center is the perfect place to start exploring. A hop-on hop-off bus tour offers a flexible mix of handpicked stops and time to explore on your own, while other sightseeing options include walking tours, electric bike excursions, and tours by private vehicle. Before you break for lunch, pick a must-see San Sebastian museum to visit. Highlights include San Telmo Museum, Museo Naval, and Casa de la Historia; save time waiting at each by booking your admission ticket in advance.

Now that you’ve taken in a day’s worth of culture and history, trade your walking shoes for bare feet at La Concha Beach. San Sebastian’s most popular swimming and surfing spot is just steps away from the historic center and has changing rooms onsite, so you can linger here until the sun sets on the water.

Day 2: Hike the Camino de Santiago

The famous Camino de Santiago, a hiking trail and pilgrimage route that stretches hundreds of miles across France and Spain, passes close to San Sebastian. However, you don’t need to spend weeks on the trail to experience the famous route. Hiking tours of the Camino de Santiago, which is sometimes called the Way of St. James, take care of transport and get you equipped for a day on the trail.

If you’re not a hiker, consider a day trip across the border to southwest France, where you’ll encounter French-accented Basque culture in Saint Jean de Luz, Biarritz, and Guethary. Even the wine-making powerhouses of Bordeaux and St. Emilion are within reach; compare and contrast their flavors with Spanish wines on a food tour that reveals local favorites.

Day 3: Flavors of Basque Country

Today, take a deep dive into the flavors that make San Sebastian distinctive and sample local wine and food. Wine tours of San Sebastian typically feature the region’s unique Txakoli, a dry and acidic white wine, and leave you free to indulge without having to worry about driving.

Next, go gourmet. San Sebastian’s most beloved snacks are pintxos, small plates similar to Spanish tapas. To learn which are the must-try pintxos —as well as the do’s and don’ts of visiting pintxos bars—join a guide for a tasting tour of the city. Options for San Sebastian tapas tours range from private excursions to group outings that are a great way to meet fellow food-loving travelers.

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12 Tours and Activities

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Bilbao, Guggenheim Museum & Gaztelugatxe from San Sebastian
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Bilbao, Guggenheim Museum & Gaztelugatxe from San Sebastian

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59
Explore the Basque Country beyond San Sebastian on this full-day tour. Get picked up at your hotel and set out to see the 10th-century hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Stroll through the old town of Bilbao and along the riverbank to see the striking Guggenheim Museum. Lunch in a traditional restaurant is included.
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  • 9 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$255.30
Price varies by group size
From
$255.30
Price varies by group size

Small-Group Electric Bike Tour in San Sebastián

Small-Group Electric Bike Tour in San Sebastián

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308
Experience San Sebastian’s highlights and lesser-known delights on this small-group electric bike tour. Hop on an easy-to-ride bike and see more than you ever could on a walking tour as you travel along the city's large network of bike lanes. Discover La Concha, the Boulevard, and Monte Igueldo for bird’s-eye views, and explore often-overlooked districts such as the university and sports quarter. Ideal for first-time and short-on-time visitors, with a choice of departures.
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  • 3 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$59.75
From
$59.75

Getaria Txakoli Wine Tour with Hotel Pick-up from San Sebastian
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Getaria Txakoli Wine Tour with Hotel Pick-up from San Sebastian

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'Txakoli' is a lightly sparkling white wine predominantly from the Basque region: its green bottles dominate San Sebastian’s bars. This half-day tour lifts the lid on its secrets at two 'txakoli'-producing coastal towns: Getaria and Zarautz. Tour both towns, and visit a Getaria 'txakolindegi' (winery) to see and learn about its vineyards and taste its wines alongside local delicacies.
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  • 4 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$146.66
Price varies by group size
From
$146.66
Price varies by group size

San Sebastian Evening Pintxo Tour with Wine

San Sebastian Evening Pintxo Tour with Wine

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210
Tantalize your taste buds with traditional Basque cuisine on a ‘pintxos’ (Basque tapas) tour of San Sebastiàn. Explore the winding streets of the atmospheric Old Town with a gastronomic guide and discover local haunts that serve the best pintxos in town. Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere of six exquisite eateries and sample styles ranging from classic to contemporary. Sip cider and fine wines designed to compliment each dish and enjoy the intimate atmosphere of this small-group tour, on which numbers are limited to 10 people.
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  • 3 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$152.09
From
$152.09

San Sebastian Walking Tour With Pintxo And Drink

San Sebastian Walking Tour With Pintxo And Drink

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54
Stroll through the historic Old Town of San Sebastian with a guide on this walking tour. Through a guide's commentary, learn about the city's people, culture, architecture, and history. With a small group of just 15 people or fewer, travelers will enjoy personalized attention and the chance to ask questions on the tour, which will stop at a local bar for a round of pintxos (tapas) and a drink.
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  • 2 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$42.37
Price varies by group size
From
$42.37
Price varies by group size

San Sebastian Lunch Time Pintxo Tour with Wine

San Sebastian Lunch Time Pintxo Tour with Wine

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Get a lesson in the art of pintxo eating with this mouthwatering food and wine walking tour in San Sebastian. Follow a foodie guide to several of the city’s best pintxo bars, where you’ll savor a hand-picked selection of Basque tapas paired with local wines and ciders. Featuring enough bite-size delicacies to make a hearty lunch and an intimate small-group atmosphere, it’s the perfect way to get a taste of San Sebastian's famous dining scene.
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  • 3 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$152.09
From
$152.09

San Sebastian Bike Tour
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San Sebastian Bike Tour

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Visit the highlights of San Sebastian in a short amount of time on this guided bike tour. Cruise around the easy-to-bike city with a guide, stopping at more than 10 hotspots, including three beaches. This tour departs from a centrally located location at two convenient times, making it an easy to incorporate it into your day.
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  • 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Free Cancellation
From
$46.71
Price varies by group size
From
$46.71
Price varies by group size

San Sebastian Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Tour

San Sebastian Hop On Hop Off Sightseeing Tour

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Enhance your sightseeing in San Sebastián with a hop-on hop-off bus tour. Travel with ease between Playa de la Concha beach, Miramar Palace and other top attractions, and hop on and off at any of the city-wide stops. Alternatively, choose to stay on for the full loop and listen to the audio commentary to find out more about the Basque city.
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  • 1 hour
  • Free Cancellation
From
$14.12
From
$14.12

Biarritz and French Basque Coast Day Tour from San Sebastian

Biarritz and French Basque Coast Day Tour from San Sebastian

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23
Take in the scenery on the French Basque Coast on this private tour from San Sebastian. With round-trip transportation taken care of, you can focus on the landscape of Biarritz, Guethary, and Saint-Jean-De-Luz. Commentary from your driver/guide sheds light on the history, culture, and architecture of the stops as you travel. This private tour ensures personalized attention and a flexible itinerary for you and your private party.
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  • 8 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$543.19
per group
From
$543.19
per group

Private 3-hour Walking Tour of San Sebastian with official tour guide

Private 3-hour Walking Tour of San Sebastian with official tour guide

Discover San Sebastian, the 2016 European Capital of Culture, on a private 4-hour walking tour tailor-made for you. Stroll along Concha Beach; visit landmarks such as San Sebastian Cathedral and María Cristina Bridge; and enjoy views along Spain’s Basque Coast.
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  • 3 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$227.05
Price varies by group size
From
$227.05
Price varies by group size

Full-Day Private Cultural and Gastronomic Adventure in Rioja

Full-Day Private Cultural and Gastronomic Adventure in Rioja

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The Rioja wine region produces some of the finest wines in the Basque Country and a private tour offers a more personalized tasting experience. On this full-day tour from San Sebastián, take part in guided wine tastings at two different wineries, learn more about the winemaking process as you tour the vineyards, then indulge in a delicious 5-course lunch paired with regional wines.
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  • 9 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$407.39
Price varies by group size
From
$407.39
Price varies by group size

BORDEAUX region UNCORKED - Private Premium Enological Adventure

BORDEAUX region UNCORKED - Private Premium Enological Adventure

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8
Cross the border to discover one of France’s most famous wine regions on this private full-day tour of Bordeaux from San Sebastián. Visit two wine chateaux in the Saint Emilion and Pessac Leognan areas, learn more about Bordeaux wine during guided winery tours and wine tastings, then feast on a delicious 5-course lunch.
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  • 10 hours
  • Free Cancellation
From
$706.14
Price varies by group size
From
$706.14
Price varies by group size