San Sebastian is a small town in the North of Spain, close to the French border. It is in Spain’s Basque country and if you’ve heard much about San Sebastian, you’d be aware that it is known for being a ‘foodie’ spot. According to their official tourism website, there are eleven Michelin starred restaurants in the town as of June 2022.
We arrived from the summer heat of Madrid, and even before we had landed we noticed that San Sebastian is greener than the south of Spain and it was also cooler.
Where we stayed
We had rented an apartment for our four night stay. Perfectly located just across the river from the old town, we had a great view and it was an easy walk into Parte Vieja (‘old town’). It was roomier than expected and we were delighted with our choice. We rented the apartment from San Sebastian Holiday Apartments; this was back in 2017. This company still exists, but the apartment is unfortunately no longer on offer.
Our host, Lois, met us at the apartment and gave us some great dining recommendations, and other local tips. He was lovely and extremely helpful.
The Old Town
Exploring the pedestrian streets of the old town was fun. The streets are in a grid layout with the attractive main square, Plaza de la Constitución, in the centre. The Plaza de la Constitución used to be a bull ring, and one of the buildings has retained the booth numbers used by spectators. I had my very first gin and tonic in this square.
The ‘Koruko Andre Mariaren Basilika’ was my favourite site in the old town. This church has such an interesting and ornate frontage and is definitely worth a visit inside.
The streets are lined with appealing pintxo bars and eating places, as well as some unique shops. I bought a handmade pair of shoes for €99, which have lasted and I still love. There are also shops selling large ranges of tinned seafood products. Note that the quality of tinned seafood in Spain is very high.
Monte Urgull
At the top of Mount Urgull, which is just behind the old town, there is a statue of Christ. It is an easy walk with mostly paved paths, and plenty of shade. There is also an interesting mediaeval castle to explore as you reach the top. The views are great, both of San Sebastian, and the coast. It was cloudy the first day we climbed, so Hubby climbed it again on a day of full sun later in our stay (while I was busy wine shopping).
The Bay and Port – Puerto de San Sebastián
The Port is quite scenic. We admired the range of berthed boats and yachts, and from here it is an amazing view along the bay’s sandy coastline (and the Playa de la Concha – the beach). There are a number of attractive historical buildings lining the promenade, many of which are lovely hotels.
There are also little restaurants around the port area, though we ran out of days to try one.
What we ate
We only had four nights in San Sebastian, so we made the most of enjoying the local food.
Breakfast at Sakona
Despite originally planning to make breakfast in our well equipped apartment, we ended up having breakfast daily at a little place called Sakona. They made the best guacamole on toast, with a 65 degree egg (€6, 2017). Their Eggs Benedict was also lovely (€7). They had a good range of pastries too, so Hubby also enjoyed a fresh croissant with jam (€3).
Dinner at Michelin Star Restorante Kokotxa
On our first night we enjoyed the ‘Market Menu’ at the one Michelin Star Restorante Kokotxa. Kokotxa is located in the old town. We had booked five weeks in advance to secure a reservation. The menu was seven courses, some were smaller snacks and each one was delicious. We drank a local Tempranillo.
The setting was lovely with large spacious tables, clean white walls and a rustic terracotta floor. We paid €65, plus a 10% tax (2017) but I see online that it is more expensive now. We recommend Kokotxa!
Trying the Local Produce
San Sebastian has a good fresh produce market called Mercado de la Bretxa , so one night we dined in our apartment on a range of local specialties we had bought at the market that morning. These included sliced meats, enormous olives, a baguette and local cheeses (plus a French Comte from over the border). We picked up a bottle of local wine in the old town to accompany it.
Enjoying the Pintxos Bars
On our last full day in San Sebastian we dined at Sirimiri, located in the old town. Sirimiri is a pintxos bar, so of course we tried some pintxos. The display was amazing, and they were as delicious as they looked. Amazingly, in Sirimiri, once you confirm with the staff you are having some pintxos, you are then able to help yourself from the generous displays, and somehow, the staff keep track of what you’ve taken and you get an accurate bill at the end!
We selected a rosé version of the local sparkling wine, Cava. We also had a plate of steak tartar and the best octopus we’ve ever eaten! These plated meals were selected from a blackboard menu of shared plate options. If you ever visit Sirimiri, make sure you order the octopus. Our apartment host had specifically recommended it, so we knew we couldn’t go wrong. All up, it cost €65.50 (2017).
Should you visit San Sebastian?
San Sebastian is primarily visited for its pintxo bar culture, the gorgeous old town and the picturesque beach, more than for major sights (although we did do a day trip to the amazing Bilbao Guggenheim – an hour and twenty minutes away by bus). So if this sounds good to you, we recommend it if you are planning a trip to Spain.
2 comments
Great architecture around that Plaza, these historical cities are quite fascinating. The food looked excellent too.
Thank you for your comment, Gillian! They certainly are fascinating, we have a great time exploring. The food was definitely a highlight.