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- Playa de la Concha — That perfect shell-shaped bay you’ve seen in pictures: an easy swim, long promenade for people-watching, and unbeatable sunsets that tell you why locals hang here year-round.
- Parte Vieja (Old Town) — A compact maze of narrow streets packed with pintxo bars, centuries-old taverns and buzzing street life; the place to eat cheaply and loudly like a local.
- Plaza de la Constitución — A historic 19th-century square in the Old Town with numbered balcony boxes (once used for bullfights); great for a coffee and imagining city life in another era.
- Monte Urgull & Castillo de la Mota — A leafy hill rising from the Old Town with wartime fortifications, a chapel, and panoramic views over the bay; climb up for history, statues, and excellent photo angles.
- Monte Igueldo and the … read more 👉
- Playa de la Concha — That perfect shell-shaped bay you’ve seen in pictures: an easy swim, long promenade for people-watching, and unbeatable sunsets that tell you why locals hang here year-round.
- Parte Vieja (Old Town) — A compact maze of narrow streets packed with pintxo bars, centuries-old taverns and buzzing street life; the place to eat cheaply and loudly like a local.
- Plaza de la Constitución — A historic 19th-century square in the Old Town with numbered balcony boxes (once used for bullfights); great for a coffee and imagining city life in another era.
- Monte Urgull & Castillo de la Mota — A leafy hill rising from the Old Town with wartime fortifications, a chapel, and panoramic views over the bay; climb up for history, statues, and excellent photo angles.
- Monte Igueldo and the Funicular — The vintage funicular ride is half the charm; at the top there’s a small retro amusement park and one of the best sweeping views of La Concha and the city.
- Peine del Viento (Comb of the Wind) — Eduardo Chillida’s dramatic steel sculptures set into the rocks where the sea slams in — stark, elemental and quietly theatrical, especially on a windy day.
- San Telmo Museoa — A former convent turned Basque culture museum that mixes local history, contemporary exhibitions and a rooftop view — surprisingly intimate and very rooted in place.
- Mercado de la Bretxa — A working food market where you can buy fresh local produce, sample anchovies, or grab cheap pintxos; it’s a real window into Basque food culture beyond the tourist bars.
- Catedral del Buen Pastor — The city’s neo-Gothic cathedral with stained glass and a commanding presence near the river — worth popping in for the architecture and quiet contrast to the busy beaches.
- Aquarium de San Sebastián — An old-school aquarium with a cool underwater tunnel, local Bay of Biscay exhibits and a good intro to the marine life that shapes Basque coastal life.
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Best Backpacking
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.