Private San Sebastian Highlights & Pintxos Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. They say that God made a model of paradise and that once it was built, he kept the model… thus, San Sebastián was born. To understand (and enjoy) the natural beauty of San Sebastián, we’ll start at the top of Mount Igueldo where you’ll find the most amazing views of the city. There we’ll learn about the history of the Basque Country, the Bay of Biscay and the role of San Sebastián in all this. Can you get rich trading wool? Were boats of a quality and reputation similar to that of Ferraris and Porsches manufactured in sixteenth century Euskadi? Yes, and yes.

   30 minAdmission included

2. The best way to descend Igueldo is aboard its wooden funicular, which is more than 100 years old. We get off next to the most photographed sculpture in the city: the Peine del Viento by Eduardo Chillida, made of corten steel (hence its deliberate rust color.) To scratch the winds and frequent waves of this place.

   15 min

3. We’ll head over to the other 'Finis Terrae' of the city, Sagüés and La Zurriola, the epicenter of the surfing scene in San Sebastián. But first we’ll check out the main hallmarks of the city: its 'posh' side, its romantic nooks, the palace built for royal summers at the end of the 19th century (Miramar Palace), the French-influenced, modernist and rationalist buildings (with the odd nod to the Bauhaus), or more recent architecture such as the Kursaal, two buildings that seem to be beached rocks by the sea.

   45 min

4. The Old Town is the gastronomic epicenter of San Sebastián (yes, here are the pintxo bars, the gastronomic sociedades ‘ [think private eating clubs], seasoned locals enjoying the timeless 'txikiteo' [a sort of uptempo bar-hopping] – ordering 'zuritos' or 'cañas'. Here is the gluttonous, indulgent San Sebastián you’ve heard tell of), and the site of the city’s oldest buildings. You’ll come away with a Master's Degree in navigating “miniature cuisine” (how do you order a pintxo? When do you pay?), and High Honors in Basque bars. Okay. Let's talk about serious things. Everything we’ve told you about pintxos wouldn’t make sense if we didn’t visit the most iconic bars to try their most famous pintxos accompanied by cider, wine or beer. The snack will end with the sweet dessert that locals love to eat while walking down the street: a creamy, sweet and stunning artisanal ice cream. Now you can go to bed satisfied.

   1.5 hAdmission included

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 39 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

How it compares in San Sebastián

• Its from-price is 21% above the median of the 397 experiences we list in San Sebastián.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 59 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).

See all 397 experiences in San Sebastián