Eating San Sebastian: Beyond Pintxos Tour
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
San Sebastián has a reputation as one of the best food cities in the world, and this three-hour small-group walking tour through Gros and the Old Town shows you exactly why. With a max group of 10 guest, you'll work your way through five family-run bars and bakeries, sitting down for six tastings and four drink pours, including a hands-on pintxo-making moment and the region's traditional poured cider. Your local guide threads the tastings together with stories of Basque daily life, past 'Belle Époque' landmarks, and through the market square where locals still do their shopping. The route finishes at San Sebastián's oldest bakery, in business since 1886, for the pastry the city has loved for generations!
Inclusions
What's included
- Local English-speaking guide
- Guided walk through Gros and the Old Town's back streets and market square
- Hands-on pintxo-making moment at a local wine and beer shop in the Gros neighborhood
- ‘Food & the City’ Insider Tips
- 6 pintxo & tapas tastings and 4 local drink pours across 5 family-run bars and bakeries
- Traditional Basque cider, poured txotx-style, the traditional way
What's not
- Gratuities / Tips for the guide
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Extra drinks
Itinerary
Located in Gros, this lively local square will be your first glimpse of everyday life in San Sebastián. Framed by the Church of San Ignacio, bars, and shops, families gather here, just steps from our nearby first tasting stop.
Step into a welcoming family-run bar devoted to traditional Basque flavors. Savor their signature pintxo: grilled mushrooms with rich foie gras and creamy alioli on crusty bread, perfectly paired with a refreshing Marianito vermouth, herbal and slightly sweet, the classic Basque aperitif.
Step into a local couple's wine and beer shop, where you'll build your own Gilda: the anchovy, olive, and pepper skewer that started San Sebastián's whole pintxos tradition. Pair yours with a glass of wine or beer, your choice.
Between the Hotel Maria Cristina and Teatro Victoria Eugenia, discover San Sebastián’s Belle Époque legacy. Nearby, spot the Kursaal and Zurriola Bridge, linking Gros to downtown with river views and surfers heading out to the waves.
Sit down at one of the Old Town's liveliest streets for two skewers: shark and shrimp fresh from the Cantabrian Sea, and thick, aged txuleta beef grilled over charcoal. You'll wash it down with cider poured txotx-style.
La Bretxa Square, named after a breach made by Napoleon’s troops during the 1800s siege, is now a bustling hub where locals shop for fresh fish, meats, and produce, a lively glimpse into everyday Basque life in the city center.
Set on the iconic 31 de Agosto Street, one of the oldest streets in San Sebastián, this stop brings you to a beloved local bar that feels like a doorway into the city’s past. Bernardo, its 70-year-old owner, greets visitors with a warm smile and a lifetime of devotion to Basque cuisine. Here you’ll enjoy a special off-the-menu tasting of tender grilled squid with potatoes pintxo, beautifully paired with a glass of Txakoli, a dry white wine from the Basque coast.
For a sweet finale, we'll visit the city's oldest pastry shop, open since 1886. Here, you'll taste the original recipe of the iconic pantxineta: a flaky puff pastry filled with rich pastry cream and toasted almonds. You'll take it to go and savor it on the boulevard as the perfect end to your tour.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
- 5181
- 42
- 31
- 21
- 10
Ratings come from 185 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Your guide will be waiting for you in front of San Ignacio de Loyola church, and wearing our purple Eating Europe bag!
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 10 travellers
- Operated by
- Eating Europe Food Tours Rome
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- This activity requires a minimum of 2 guests. Should this not be met, we will contact you directly to help you get rescheduled or reimbursed.
- Children under 4 years old do not need a ticket and can join the tour for free. However, food is not included. Paid tickets with food included are available for ages 4 and up.
How it compares in San Sebastián
- Its from-price is 60% below the median of the 397 experiences we list in San Sebastián.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 15 of 397.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About San Sebastián
San Sebastián, or Donostia, is a Basque seaside city around a shell-shaped bay, with a golden beach, a hilltop fort and a pintxo scene known across Spain.
San Sebastián curves around La Concha Bay, a near-perfect shell-shaped inlet with a white-railed promenade and a sheltered city beach. Monte Urgull guards the east end with an old fort, and Monte Igueldo, at the west end, has a funicular and a viewpoint. The Parte Vieja, the old town, was rebuilt after the fire of 1813 and is packed with bars and a baroque basilica.
Top-ranked sights in San Sebastián: San Sebastian Old Town (Parte Vieja Donostiarra), La Concha Beach (Playa de la Concha), Constitution Square (Plaza de la Constitución).
Special offers in San Sebastián
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
