4 Days in San Sebastián (Where To Eat & What To See)

In addition to an innovative food scene (truly, the pintxos here were some of the best bites I’ve ever had in my life!), San Sebastián is home to some of Spain’s most pristine beaches and has a love for art and culture unlike anything I’ve seen before.

Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes when you visit, because it’s best experienced on foot. Same as in Bilbao (which we visited before arriving here), they speak both Basque (Euskera) and Spanish here. As an English speaker, it was very easy to get around, but you may want to consider a guide for part of your trip as ours were able to secure food quickly at some of the more crowded spots, and I’m certain it’s because they were locals.

Full review of where we stayed and what we ate below!

Where We Stayed

Hotel Zenit Convento San Martin — it’s an old converted convent from the late1800’s that has been converted into a modern and trendy hotel.

Things I liked about the hotel:

• Modern amenities. The hotel must have recently gone through a remodel or renovation, because everything was immaculate and felt very modern.
• The blinds in the room were these fancy electronic blackout shades that made the room pitch black. Loved this.
• The staff were incredibly helpful! Throughout our entire stay, they were nothing but kind and seemed to go over-the-top to help us with whatever we needed.
• Air worked incredibly well! Compared to our stay in Bilbao, the air at Hotel Zenit was easy to use and worked in full force. Much appreciated.

Areas for improvement:

• While the breakfast buffet was vast (truly, it seemed to go on forever), I much preferred the hotel breakfast at our spot in Bilbao. There was no fresh egg station here (though they will make and bring eggs to order to wherever you’re sitting) and it just felt like things had been sitting out for a while.

Would I stay here again? Yes, absolutely! I loved the location (just off of the big shopping district and easily walkable each night to pintxos), plus the rooms were large, very clean, and extremely comfortable.

Must See Attractions

1. La Concha Beach: The crescent-shaped beach of San Sebastián! The water is crystal-clear. Often cited as one of the best city beaches in Europe.
2. Parte Vieja (Old Town): Narrow streets lined with pintxos bars. Obviously, if you come to San Sebastián, it’s for the food. The best pintxos (small skewered or plated Basque tapas) can be found in the historic old town. Be sure to ask for a glass (or 3…) of local txakoli (pronounced “chah-KOH-lee”) wine.
3. Monte Igueldo: Take a funicular railway up this mountain for breathtaking views and to enjoy the Belle Époque amusement park. We never made it up this way, but all of our guides advised us to do so.
4. Walk through Casco Viejo (Old Town): Casco Viejo is its charming Old Town, a maze of narrow streets lined with pintxo bars, traditional shops, and the Santiago Cathedral.
5. Mercado de la Bretxa (La Bretxa Market): This historic market, located near the bustling Parte Vieja, offers a vibrant array of fresh produce, local specialties, and gourmet ingredients. We grabbed fresh seafood and meat from a local butcher here.

This was a really great way to get an insider look at the local market (where we sourced the ingredients for our class), as well as to learn a few classic Basque dishes. Not a must, but enjoyable, particularly with friends who love to cook. Be sure to bring cash to tip the chef!

Haizea

Restaurant: Haizea
Location: Aldamar Kalea, 8, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Accepts reservations: Not typically, no, but we were lucky enough that our guide was able to get us a table right when they opened
Meal: Pintxos (dinner)
Recommended dishes: The brick de bacalao (cod brick) is a must!! Easily one of our favorite bites of the entire trip!
Would I go back? Yes! But I think they get pretty crowded quickly upon opening and when they’re out of something, that’s it for the night.

They truly only serve anchovies, so go with a friend or family and plan to split each one. You just need a bite!

Kapadokia Bar

Restaurant: Kapadokia Bar
Location: Arrandegi Kalea, 10, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Accepts reservations: Yes
Meal: Pintxos (dinner)
Recommended dishes: Squidghetti (bottom left), a genius dish using squid for pasta and topped with a rich, luscious bolognese, prawn ravioli with leek, cream and fennel (top right), orzo risotto with asparagus and crispy ham (bottom right) were all unreal.
Would I go back? Yes! In fact, we did go back a second time. It was that good.

Our second visit to Kapadokia was also fantastic. Be sure to try the oxtail tacos, but you can skip the octopus. Don’t forget to order txakoli to drink!

Bar Borda Berri

Restaurant: Bar Borda Berri
Location: Fermin Calbeton Kalea, 12, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Accepts reservations: Hah, no.
Meal: Pintxos (dinner)
Recommended dishes: I was underwhelmed by all of these, but it may have been the intense crowds we were fighting through to order. And we were so cramped that we all just wanted to eat quickly so we could leave. We tried the white asparagus, fish of the day, and pork rib (this one was actually very good!).
Would I go back? No, probably not.

This was our last savory spot on our first night eating pintxos, so I think we were all stuffed and tired by the time we made it here. But our next guide brought us back the following day and all I can say is go early to order the seared foie gras! Once they sell out, they’re done for the day.

The Best Dessert

Restaurant: La Viña
Location: 31 de Agosto Kalea, 3, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
Accepts reservations: No
Meal: Dessert
Recommended dishes: This is the place to get burnt Basque cheesecake. The exterior has a crisp burnt-looking top, while the center is not fully set (intentionally so!). It gets it’s distinctive appearance from cooking at a high temperature for less time that you’d expect for a cheesecake. The result? Cheesecake perfection.
Would I go back? Hell yes!! In fact, we did!