San Sebastian (Donostia) has the highest concentration of Michelin stars per square meter in Europe, a golden city beach, and a Basque old town of pintxos bars. Summer is lively; shoulder months are calmer and cooler.
Good to know
- Pintxos are best eaten standing at the bar; pay at the end by telling what you had.
- Rain is common; carry a light jacket and an umbrella.
- Book the best restaurants weeks ahead.
Eat this
Places the planner can use
Mark places as a must or something to skip. The itinerary is built only from this list; ★ marks the destination’s highlights.
Bars like Gandarias and La Cuchara de San Telmo serve small plates on the counter; try a few at each.
Forested hill with a fort and a Christ statue, with views over the old town.
Covered market stalls of fish, produce and cheese.
Museum of Basque history and culture in a Renaissance convent, with art and archaeology on a rainy afternoon.
Shell-shaped city beach with a promenade, calm water and a view of Santa Clara island.
Old funicular to a viewpoint and amusement park with a panorama over the bay.
Basque cider house menu of tortilla, cod and steak with cider poured from barrels.
Fishing village known for grilled turbot and txakoli wineries, with a surfing beach nearby.
Chillida's iron sculptures planted in the rocks at the bay's end, great in stormy weather.
Learn to cook pintxos and Basque classics like cod pil-pil with a local chef, ending with a shared meal.
Day trip to Bilbao by bus or train to see Frank Gehry's titanium Guggenheim Museum and the old town.