San Sebastián pairs world-class food with coastal beauty
Basque Country, an area that straddles the border between northern Spain and southwestern France, is known for its unique culture dating back nearly 5,000 years. San Sebastián is the largest city within Basque Country and has long been considered the area’s culinary capital. Thanks to a temperate climate, a coastal location, and a significant livestock and dairy industry, top quality ingredients are at the ready all year round.
The entire region is rife with attributes, but San Sebastián holds a special distinction: it has the second-highest concentration of Michelin stars per capita in the world, surpassed only by Kyoto, Japan—an impressive feat, considering the metro population of San Sebastián is about 400,000 compared to Kyoto’s 3.8 million.
Taste the Culture
San Sebastián is known for its pintxos—small-plate dishes like tapas—served in boisterous bars. These bite-sized culinary masterpieces showcase the Basque Country’s emphasis on preserving culinary heritage while celebrating fresh, local ingredients. Newcomers might be shy, but don’t hold back: it’s customary to help yourself to any of the plates lined up on the counter. A server will take note of your comings and goings. A chalkboard behind the bar displays a list of daily dishes on offer like patatas bravas (fried potatoes with a spicy sauce), albondigas (meatballs), and gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp in olive oil) prepared fresh, served hot, and ordered from the server or bartender.
Cider, beer and wine are the drinks of choice to wash down these delicious dishes. A young white wine called txakoli is the most popular offering of wine. A server will “break” the wine or cider, meaning a robust pour from high above the glass. This adds oxygen to the liquid, breaking it open to release the flavours.
To add to its culinary appeal, the city, in its entirety, boasts natural beauty, festivals galore, and rich cultural heritage making it a destination not just for food-lovers, but anyone interested in history, art, architecture, and nature.
Explore the Districts
Parte Vieja (the Old Town) is the city’s social heart, packed with pintxo bars and restaurants alongside elegant 19th-century architecture in the adjacent Romantic Area. La Concha beach sits mere steps from the Belle Époque City Hall.
Gros, the youthful district across the Urumea River, centres around Playa de Gros, a popular surfing destination. The neighbourhood is home to the Tabakalera International Centre for Contemporary along with numerous art galleries and live music venues.
The Ondarreta-Igeldo area attracts families with its 500-metre beach, century-old funicular to Mount Igeldo’s amusement park, and landmarks like Eduardo Chillida’s Wind Comb sculpture.
San Sebastián features three distinct beaches—Concha, Ondarreta, and Zurriola—surrounded by scenic hilly areas that provide extensive walking trails along coastal paths with spectacular cliffside views.
Surf the morning waves at Playa de Gros, then while away the afternoon wandering from one buzzing pintxo bar to the next. Cap your evening by soaking in the golden-hour light on La Concha Bay. This is the rhythm of San Sebastián—a place where vibrant Basque culture, world-class culinary artistry, and breathtaking natural beauty don’t just coexist; they seamlessly intertwine.
Get to Know the Neighbours
San Sebastián’s strategic location makes it an ideal base for day trips to nearby destinations in Spain like Bilbao, known for the Guggenheim Museum, and Pamplona, famous for their festivals. Located just 20 kms south of France’s border makes for an easy drive to the coastal resort city of Biarritz, and further inland to Bayonne, the historic capital of French Basque Country. Each city offers unique local specialties and distinct settings. All are about a one-hour drive in each direction from San Sebastián.
Places To Be
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