Destination Information – San Sebastian, Spain

This was my first time visiting the Basque Country, the name of the region in which San Sebastian sits. The official name of the region is Donostia-San Sebastian.

Donostia-San Sebastian is a seaside gem that promises an unforgettable experience. Known for its stunning beaches, vibrant culture, and world-renowned cuisine, this charming city offers a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure. Whether you’re a foodie eager to taste its famous pintxos, a history buff exploring its old town, or a beach lover soaking up the sun on La Concha, Donostia-San Sebastian has something for everyone. Join me as we dive into the beauty and allure of this captivating destination.

 

 

Where Is Donostia-San Sebastian Located?

Donostia-San Sebastian is located in the north part of Spain, just east of Bilbao and south of the southern border city of Hendaye, France. It is a North Atlantic coastal town, which is also nestled in the Pyrenees mountains.

 

 

How To Get Here

Donostia – San Sebastian, Spain is served by air, bus and train services.

I came from the U.S. via American Airlines to Miami and then Iberia to Madrid, then Iberia once more to Bilbao. Then I took a car service from Bilbao airport to San Sebastian.

I’m a oneworld member via American Airlines at the moment, hence the oneworld connections. You can just as well go to any city in Europe and then connect as there are no nonstop flights from the U.S. to Bilbao or San Sebastian.

Airports Serving The Area

Donostia – San Sebastian, Spain has it’s own airport, San Sebastian Airport (EAS) is the nearest airport to San Sebastian, Spain. The airport is to the north of the city, across from the French border. The airlines serving this airport are:

• Binter Canarias (NT)
• British Airways (BA)
• Iberia Airlines (IB)
• Volotea (V7)
• Vueling (VY)

As this is a small regional airport, there are not many flights.

The closest larger airport is Bilbao, Spain  (BIO) which is just about an hour or so away from San Sebastian.

Aegean Airlines (A3) – Star Alliance, Aer Lingus (EI), Air Arabia Maroc (3O), Air Cairo (SM), Air Europa (UX) – SkyTeam, Air France (AF) – SkyTeam, Brussels Airlines (SN) – Star Alliance, EasyJet Airlines (U2), Edelweiss Air (WK), Eurowings (EW), Iberia Airlines (IB) – oneworld, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL) – SkyTeam, Lufthansa German Airlines (LH) – Star Alliamnce, Norwegian Air International (D8), Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY), SATA International (S4), TAP Portugal (TP), Transavia (HV), Turkish Airlines (TK) – Star Alliance, Volotea (V7), Vueling (VY), Wizz Air (W6) and Wizz Air UK (W4).

Bus Services

The city has.a bus depot at one end of the city. There are buses from all over Europe. I actually took a FlixBus service from Paris after a day trip to see the Paris Tennis Open.

Train Services

There is local train service as well as the national rail service of Spain called Renfe. I was able to take the local trains to the French border to catch another train, the TGV to Paris, France.

Airport Tip

There are more flight opportunities into Bilbao and as such the fares are cheaper. You can then take a bus or a slow train to San Sebastian.  Check your schedules on passrider.com.

Airport Lounges

The airport lounge in the Bilbao airport accepts Priority Pass and also due to my oneworld Sapphire status, I was able to use the Lounge. You may also buy a pass to enter the Lounge.

You can find more details here.

Currency

Euros (EUR).

Language

Basque, also called Euskera, Spanish. English is also spoken.

Visa and Health Requirements

If you are a U.S. citizen, a visa is not required at this time. Here is some additional information from the U.S. State Department including visa and health requirements.

However, a visa may be required for citizens from select other countries though. Use this link to check visa requirements for other citizenship.

Accommodations

Donostia – San Sebastian, Spain has has many  hotels, so you’ll have no issues finding a place to stay. They are also in different categories and cost too.

Here’s a map to help you get started. The town is pretty small so it’s a matter of do you want beachfront or not.

 

I stayed at two hotels in the city; the first is called Zaragoza Plaza hotel. It’s really nice low priced hotel. Clean rooms, excellent staff and a great location. It’s literally a block from the beach (La Concha). A clean room is sometimes all you need.

The next four days, I stayed at the Hotel Catalonia Donosti. You can see some photos below.

This hotel was actually a convent back in the day and then it was a school I believe. The arches of the convent are preserved and can be seen from far away.

 

Where To Eat In Donostia-San Sebastian

There are tons of restaurants here. As a matter of fact there are even Michelin Star ones too. You can find a list of them here. I’m not really an eating out fan, but this town has so many places to do so.

I actually visited a number of supermarkets as well as teahouses and had ice cream. I did have come local food at the parties I attended while there. I’ll tell you, despite the fact that most Americans hate anchovies including me, I had anchovies here and they were delicious!

The foods here are served in small bites called Pintxos.

 

The Tourism Board has done an amazing job with an extensive section on what to eat and where; it’s quite impressive. Go here for details.

Things To Do In Donostia-San Sebastian

The region is quite beautiful and has a lot to do. If you surf, this is the place to do so as well. It’s also a walking city and the people are very friendly, so say hello when you interact with them.

The Tourism Board has an extensive section on Things to do here.

In addition, you can use my site here called 10in24.c0m. Here you can enter San Sebastian and the country of Spain and it will give you 10 things to do in 24 hours.

Start here.

 

 

Additional Information

Tourism Board

• Donostia-San Sebastian Tourism – https://www.sansebastianturismoa.eus/en/.
  • Alameda del Blvd., 8, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa 
  • Telephone: +34 943 481 166
• Donostia-San Sebastian Tourism twitter – https://twitter.com/DSSTourism
• Donostia-San Sebastian Tourism Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/sansebastiantourism
• Donostia-San Sebastian YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/sansebastianturismo
• Hashtag – #sansebastiantourism

 

Please leave a comment below about your own experiences and tips.