San Sebastián travel guide

San Sebastian bay in Spain
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Introduction to San Sebastián

Welcome to San Sebastián! This city in Basque Country, Spain is a bucket list destination, home to many famous attractions, including Beach of La Concha, Alderdi Eder parkea, and Haizearen orrazia. In this ultimate travel guide to San Sebastián, you will learn everything you need to know before booking your ticket to Spain. Discover the day-to-day life of the over 187.8 thousand people who call San Sebastián home and explore the city’s fascinating history, rich culture, and distinct architecture.

Easily accessible from San Sebastián airport, San Sebastián is the perfect base for a memorable and unique vacation in Spain any time of the year.

Travelers curious about San Sebastián might find it interesting that the city was named after Saint Sebastian. You'll learn more fascinating facts about San Sebastián as you explore this spectacular city.

Traveling to San Sebastián is especially rewarding for anyone eager to connect with locals and learn more about their unique culture and traditions.

Get ready to explore and learn more about the city of San Sebastián below!

Top services in San Sebastián

Here on this page, you'll find all the top travel services in San Sebastián, Spain. Check out the cheapest and most popular flights offered by 207 airlines that fly to Spain. Browse the 193 top-rated tours available to you in San Sebastián. Compare the rates and services of the 4 types of places to stay in San Sebastián and the 1 car rental companies offering CDW insurance coverage. We make it easy for you to find and book the top services in San Sebastián.

Enjoy the convenience of planning and booking every detail of your trip to San Sebastián, including flights, accommodations, activities, and more, in one place. Book with Guide to Europe to get an expertly-curated and fully-customizable itinerary and experience the best of San Sebastián on your vacation in Spain.

Get answers to questions about the routes and services offered in San Sebastián from our free 24/7 customer support. Continue reading to learn how you can enjoy a stress-free and memorable vacation in the city of San Sebastián!

Learn more about Spain

There are many reasons to visit the city of San Sebastián, but a trip to Spain needs no explanation.

Exploring Spain, which spans 505,990 square kilometers, is an adventure of a lifetime. Spain offers an abundance of truly magical places to discover, including cultural, historic, and scenic sites of significant value to both locals and travelers.

As the home country of many world-famous attractions like the spectacular Beach of La Concha, Alderdi Eder parkea, and the Haizearen orrazia, you’re all set for a unique and memorable travel experience in Spain.

Click or tap the link below to discover more about Spain.

What to see in San Sebastián

Photo of panoramic aerial view of San Sebastian (Donostia) in a beautiful summer day, Spain.

San Sebastián has something for everyone. Regardless of age and interest, travelers have the best time exploring every corner of the city.

Read on to discover the best places to visit and find out what to expect from the city of San Sebastián.

Top attractions in San Sebastián

Home to plenty of top attractions, San Sebastián is more than just a wonderful city in Spain. San Sebastián is a travel hotspot and a great place to experience a mix of the traditional and modern culture of Spain.

One fascinating sight in San Sebastián is the unforgettable Beach of La Concha. Considered one of the most well-known attractions in the city, a visit to this spectacular travel destination is something you shouldn’t miss on your trip to San Sebastián.

For more information about what you can expect during a vacation in Spain, check out our list of top attractions in San Sebastián below. Discover the best places to visit in San Sebastián, including the fascinating Beach of La Concha, Alderdi Eder parkea, Haizearen orrazia, Funicular Monte Igueldo, and Gipuzkoa Plaza.

Map of attractions

Use this map to find the location of all top attractions in San Sebastián.

Things to do in San Sebastián

Photo of Santa Clara Island and San Sebastian Donostia city aerial panoramic view, Basque country in Spain.

Enrich your travel experience in San Sebastián by joining tours and activities. San Sebastián offers an exciting selection of top-rated tours and it's easy for every traveler to find something to their liking. Take the opportunity to catch the top attractions on a tour, stay active with an adventurous excursion, or learn something new about the local history or culture of the city.

Discover the most popular experiences in San Sebastián below.

Most popular experiences in San Sebastián

Traveling is all about gaining new experiences. You can have that and more in the city of San Sebastián.

San Sebastián offers numerous tours and activities for travelers to choose from. Historical Tours, Bus Tours, and Private Day Trips are only a few of the many experiences you can book for your holiday in Spain.

Explore the most popular experiences you can join in San Sebastián by clicking on one of the top-rated tour categories below.

Top tours & tickets starting in San Sebastián

Travelers in San Sebastián can choose from 17 categories of top-rated tours and tickets. If you're curious about what the most frequently recommended experiences in the city are, Tours by vehicle is the answer.

The most popular tour in San Sebastián is the fantastic Rioja Full Experience Tour from San Sebastian with Lunch. By joining this highly recommended tour, travelers get to learn more about what makes San Sebastián one of the best travel destinations in Spain.

San Sebastián also offers plenty of budget-friendly tours and activities that promise travelers a unique experience in the city. The affordable San Sebastian Scavenger Hunt and Walking Tour is the cheapest tour in the city. This experience costs around 6 EUR and allows travelers a great time in San Sebastián. Around 2 travelers have given this activity an average rating of 4 stars out of 5.

Secure an unforgettable experience for your upcoming trip to San Sebastián and book a top-rated tour in the city. Discover the best tours, activities, and tickets in San Sebastián below.

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Search for things to do in San Sebastián

Discover the best things to do in San Sebastián. Choose from 193 fantastic tours and activities available in the city.

Select your dates and number of travelers in the search bar below to receive the best recommendations for your vacation in San Sebastián. Click the green button to view your options.

Vacation packages in San Sebastián

Photo of tourist enjoying in the park watching La Concha beach, San Sebastian city.

The best and easiest way to visit San Sebastián is by booking a vacation package. A vacation package includes everything you need for a worry-free and perfectly planned holiday in Spain.

Booking a vacation package to San Sebastián means spending less time planning and more time enjoying your vacation. A vacation package includes everything from flight tickets, accomodation, and a rental car, to 24/7 personal travel support and a carefully planned travel itinerary. You can also take your vacation in San Sebastián to the next level by adding tours, tickets, and activities to each day of your trip.

Apart from providing you with everything you need to travel comfortably, your vacation package to San Sebastián is also fully customizable. In other words, you can add or remove services at your own convenience, to create the perfect vacation for you and your travel companions.

On our website, you will find 165 unique vacation packages to San Sebastián, including flight tickets, hotel reservations, and recommendations for the best sightseeing spots, restaurants, bars, and activities.

Continue to the next section to learn more about what types of vacations you can book in the city of San Sebastián.

Popular types of vacations in San Sebastián

The most popular way to experience San Sebastián is by visiting the city as part of a road trip across multiple destinations in Spain. However, it is also common for travelers to go to San Sebastián on both shorter and longer getaways, to get a break from everyday life, relax, and experience something new.

With Guide to Europe you can find road trips, city breaks, and weekend getaways in Spain, ranging from budget to luxury. Whether you’re planning a multi-day road trip across Spain, or you just want to enjoy a few days exploring San Sebastián, there is a vacation package for you.

Discover the most popular vacation packages in San Sebastián below.

Top vacation packages in San Sebastián

Travelers have a great selection of vacation packages to choose from in Spain. In fact, you can choose from as many as 165 different top-rated vacation packages to take you to San Sebastián, and even more if you expand your search to include a bigger area of Spain.

To help narrow your choices down, here are some of the best vacation packages for exploring the city of San Sebastián.

For an epic vacation, discover San Sebastián and other top destinations in Spain on a top-rated holiday like the Cheap 10-Day Spain Road Trip Vacation from Donostia / San Sebastián traveling south to Zaragoza, Valencia, Madrid, and Valladolid. This vacation package provides travelers with tons of opportunities to experience not only the most popular attractions in San Sebastián, but also in other top places to visit in Spain. If Alderdi Eder parkea, Good Shepherd of San Sebastián Cathedral, Funicular Monte Igueldo, Miramar Jauregia, and Haizearen orrazia are on your bucket list, this is the perfect vacation package for you.

If you would like to go on a budget vacation in San Sebastián, book the popular Cheap 3-Day Spain City Break in Donostia / San Sebastián and spend as little as 446 EUR. This vacation will take you on a journey to experience some of the most incredible attractions and sights in San Sebastián, including the fantastic Alderdi Eder parkea, Aquarium, Funicular Monte Igueldo, Miramar Jauregia, and Haizearen orrazia.

Get more San Sebastián vacation ideas on this site and discover the greatest selection of vacation packages in Europe. Scroll down to find the best vacation packages in Spain that match your needs and budget.

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Find vacation packages in San Sebastián

Discover and compare 165 vacation packages that take you to the wonderful city of San Sebastián.

The best flights, hotels, and activities in San Sebastián get fully booked quickly. Use the search tool below to find the best vacation packages in Spain. Your customized holiday package to San Sebastián is only a few clicks away!

How to get to San Sebastián

To get to the city of San Sebastián the fastest way possible, travelers from outside Spain can travel by plane. International travelers can fly to San Sebastián by booking flights with any of the 16 airlines that offer direct flights to San Sebastián airport. Some airlines that operate flights to San Sebastián airport are LATAM Airlines, Avianca, Air China, Azul, and Ethiopian Airlines. Go to this page to compare all flights to San Sebastián.

To reach the city of San Sebastián, travelers can choose from various airport transfer options available at San Sebastián airport.

If you're looking for the best flight ticket deals to San Sebastián, knowing the cheapest travel time and which airlines offer the most affordable flights is helpful. Luckily, we have this information for you. Discover more about the cheapest and most popular flights to San Sebastián airport and San Sebastián below.

Find cheap flights to San Sebastián

Photo of Maria Cristina Bridge over the Urumea river in San Sebastian, Spain.

Over the years, more airlines have started offering flexible and direct flights to San Sebastián, making it one of the most accessible travel destinations in Spain. However, it is usually cheaper to fly to San Sebastián, Spain, in October.

The cheapest one-way flight to San Sebastián costs around 57 EUR and is offered by the airline Vueling.

The cheapest round-trip flights to San Sebastián cost approximately 55 EUR in total. The departure flight leaves on November 15 and the return flight is scheduled on November 22. The flight time is around 2 hours per way.

The return flight is operated by Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas.

Use the search tool below to find the cheapest flights to Spain and the city of San Sebastián from your city of departure.

Popular flights to San Sebastián

Travelers visiting San Sebastián in Spain can fly to San Sebastián airport directly from 699 destinations worldwide.

The airline that operates most flights to Spain is Thai Vietjet. Thai Vietjet offers 2 scheduled flight routes to Spain.

Discover the most popular flights to San Sebastián below. Click to view flights to San Sebastián, Spain from destinations all across the globe.

Where to stay in San Sebastián

Photo of San Sebastian city beach in the Donostia San Sebastian city, Basque Country in northern Spain.

An essential factor to consider when traveling to a new place or country is accommodation. While visiting a city as fantastic as San Sebastián is always exciting, any avid traveler knows that accommodations often make or break the vacation experience.

The best place to stay in San Sebastián usually depends on travelers' needs and preferences. However, booking accommodation in downtown San Sebastián offers a ton of benefits.

Staying at the heart of the city allows you to easily walk to many of the top sights and dining areas in San Sebastián and cut down on your travel expenses. Centrally-located accommodations are also an excellent choice for travelers in San Sebastián planning to go on a quick tour or drive to the neighboring regions.

In San Sebastián, you'll find 4 different types of places to stay catering to every taste, budget, and reason for travel. For example, honeymooners or travelers on a romantic getaway in Spain can experience the ultimate relaxation at one of the 5-star or 4-star hotels in San Sebastián. Travelers whose purpose is sightseeing can also find plenty of mid-range hotels to budget-friendly accommodations in the city, allowing access to many of the top attractions in San Sebastián.

Learn more about the most popular places to stay and the top-rated hotels in San Sebastián in the next sections.

Popular types of accommodation in San Sebastián

A trip to the fascinating San Sebastián, Spain, means opportunities to relax at any of the 4 different types of places to stay in the city. Overall, travelers can choose from the following: 340 vacation rental apartments, 196 hotels, 9 guesthouses and 6 cottages. While each type offers varying amenities and rates, there is no denying that San Sebastián provides a great selection of lodging options ready to cater to every kind of guest.

Among all these choices available in the city, Hotel Distrito Oeste is one of the top picks of travelers in San Sebastián.

The hotel is located at Zarautz Kalea 82 and boasts many great utilities, including Air conditioning, Airport shuttle, and Gym.

Budget accommodations are also incredibly popular among travelers in San Sebastián. Cheaper alternatives allow travelers to save on accommodation costs and have more to spend on other experiences.

In San Sebastián, travelers looking for an economical yet top-rated place to stay usually choose Avenida. For approximately 50 EUR, guests can book a comfortable Unknown at this popular hotel.

Below is a list of all 4 different types of places to stay in San Sebastián. Select the type you prefer to compare options under each category and find the best accommodation.

Top hotels in San Sebastián

Hotels are travelers' go-to accommodations in San Sebastián for the unique experience they provide. So if you're the kind of traveler who prefers staying at hotels, you'll be glad to know that the city is home to around 551 hotels.

Besides offering basic amenities, many hotels in San Sebastián provide meals and extras, such as shuttle services, spa facilities, tour desks, and other services. But because not all hotels in San Sebastián are created equal, finding the best in the city often requires careful research. For your convenience, we've done all the research to make it easier for you to check out all the top hotels in San Sebastián.

If comfort, convenience, and affordability are your non-negotiables, check out Hotel Hesperia Donosti, the top 4-star hotel in the city. When all you need is a pleasant place to rest and sleep in between your activities in San Sebastián, the highest-rated 3-star hotel, Hotel Distrito Oeste, is for you.

Below is our hand-picked list of the best hotels in the San Sebastián. Travelers are encouraged to book early as these hotels quickly reach capacity.

Click the arrows or swipe the list to see each hotel's ratings, reviews, locations, rates, and more. You can read detailed descriptions of each hotel by clicking the cards.

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Search for accommodation in San Sebastián

Use the Accommodation Search tool below to find available stays in the city of San Sebastián on specific dates. This handy feature also allows you to compare prices and amenities.

Enter the preferred check-in and check-out dates. Then, select the number of guests and rooms. Click the Search button to find all the available hotels and places to stay in the city of San Sebastián that match the information provided.

Car rental in San Sebastián

Photo of San Sebastian, Spain.

Experience the freedom and convenience of a self-drive vacation by renting a car for your adventures in San Sebastián. San Sebastián has 1 car rental companies ready to provide you with the perfect vehicle for your travels.

Automatic cars for rent in San Sebastián start from 34.28 EUR per day or 239.96 EUR per week. The cheapest automatic rental car is a Peugeot 308 Aut.

If you prefer driving a manual car, you’ll find multiple options for rent in San Sebastián, starting from 25.56 EUR per day or 178.92 EUR per week. The cheapest manual rental car is a Fiat 500.

Learn more about the different types of cars you can rent in San Sebastián, Spain, below.

Popular types of car rental in San Sebastián

Discover and choose from our broad range of popular car rental options in the city of San Sebastián to find the best car for your travel plans. Travelers in San Sebastián can choose from small cars, medium cars, large cars, estate cars, mini vans, SUVs, convertibles, premium cars, camper vans, mini campers, vans, cars. All car rentals come with CDW insurance for added protection throughout your trip.

Renting a car is a popular choice among travelers who want to explore Spain at their own pace. The most popular type of car rental among small groups of travelers in San Sebastián is a TopLevel.

Another very popular type of car to rent in San Sebastián is a TopLevel. This car is particularly popular among couples and solo travelers touring the city of San Sebastián.

Check out all options available in San Sebastián and book the car rental for your upcoming adventures in Spain below.

Search for car rental in San Sebastián

Get ready to hit the road and explore the beautiful city of San Sebastián. Find the best deals on a variety of popular car rentals in San Sebastián, Spain, or any other destination in Europe by using the search tool below.

Enter your pick-up and drop-off location, driver's age, and dates. Click the green button to view your options.

Popular destinations to visit after San Sebastián

Photo of nice beach with the old town of San Sebastian, Spain in the morning.

The city of San Sebastián is just one of the many unique and scenic destinations you can visit in Spain. So if you're itching for another cultural adventure, a relaxing road trip, an action-filled city break, or a memorable weekend getaway, know that Spain has it all.

Spain is calling, and the country is asking you to experience its culture and diversity to the fullest! Take the opportunity to visit other captivating places in Spain that are as magical as the city of San Sebastián. The most popular travel destinations in Spain are listed below. Click on the name of the place you want to explore next to learn more about it.

All the best destinations in Spain

When unsure of where to go next, use the map below. This map shows the locations of all the best destinations in Spain. Use the map to plan your trip and find the best routes.

Domestic flights from San Sebastián

Photo of tourist enjoying the panoramic view from the ferry on the port of San Sebastian.

A taste of Spain through a visit to San Sebastián can often reignite a traveler's passion for adventure. When this happens, the best way to satisfy this wanderlust is to book a domestic flight from San Sebastián to another remarkable destination in Spain.

To begin your search for the best or cheapest flights from the city of San Sebastián to other spectacular locations in Spain, jump to the last section of this travel guide.

Search domestic flights from San Sebastián

Traveling to another city or region in Spain? Use the flight search tool below to quickly find the cheapest one-way or round-trip flights from San Sebastián to different local destinations.

Enter all the necessary information and click or tap on the Search button to see a list of the available domestic flights in Spain on the selected dates.

Popular domestic flights from San Sebastián

Travelers in Spain can catch flights to domestic airports in Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Madrid, Menorca, and Seville. Domestic flights in Spain are operated by 3 airlines: Volotea, Vueling, and Iberia Airlines. There are around 7 scheduled flight routes operating to San Sebastián on a weekly basis.

From San Sebastián, travelers can book scheduled flights to 7 domestic destinations. The most popular flights from San Sebastián depart to many top-rated destinations in Spain and are offered by Volotea, Vueling, and Iberia Airlines.

Most popular countries in Europe

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