Centro
Hotel María Cristina
A five-star house on the Urumea at the edge of the Parte Vieja, a short walk from La Concha, with two restaurants, a cocktail bar and river-view suites.
Basque Country · Spain
Luxury travel in San Sebastián
The Basque Country’s city by the sea: La Concha Bay, the pintxo bars of the Parte Vieja, Michelin-starred tables and a Belle Époque centre. Avelia plans private, tailor-made time in San Sebastián, as a stay of its own or as part of a wider journey through Spain.
San Sebastián at a glance
- Recommended stay
- Three or four nights, or a week with days along the coast
- Best seasons
- March to May and September to November; June to August for the beach
- Getting there
- San Sebastián airport 22 km out, Bilbao's 100 km; trains from Madrid
- Best for
- Pintxos and Basque cooking, La Concha Bay and the Belle Époque city
- In a wider trip
- Pairs well with Bilbao, La Rioja, the Duero, Madrid or Barcelona
- Also known as
- Donostia, the city's name in Basque
A trip with us typically includes hotels, private transfers, guided days and restaurant reservations, and always support while you travel.
01Inspiration
Experiences in San Sebastián
Each of these is arranged privately for your dates, subject to availability.
The Parte Vieja and the Belle Époque city
A private walk through the Parte Vieja, rebuilt after the fire of 1813, to the Belle Époque centre laid out when the walls came down; then San Telmo, the Basque Country’s oldest museum.
Pintxos, cider and txakoli
A pintxo route through the Parte Vieja, lunch at a gastronomic society, a tasting menu at one of the Michelin-starred restaurants in and around the city, and txakoli at a winery on the coast.
The bay, the hills and the coast
The bay under sail, Monte Urgull and Monte Igeldo for the views, Chillida’s Peine del Viento where the city meets the sea, and a day along the coast to Getaria, Zarautz or Hondarribia.
02Featured hotels
Where to stay in San Sebastián
A selection of hotels we recommend in San Sebastián. We can also arrange other properties to suit your preferences and travel plans.
Igeldo
Hotel Akelarre
A five-star house of 22 rooms on Monte Igeldo, every one looking out to sea, with Pedro Subijana's restaurant and an adults-only spa.
03Seasons
When to go
Spring March to May
Mild and green: highs rise from about 13°C (55°F) in March to 18°C (64°F) in May, with rain on 12 or 13 days a month. Quieter than summer, for walking and the table.
EventsThe cider houses' txotx season, when the new cider is tasted from the barrel, runs until late April.
Summer June to August
The warmest and sunniest months: highs of about 20–23°C (68–73°F), though it still rains on about ten days a month. The beach season, and the busiest.
EventsThe Jazzaldia in the second half of July, and the Semana Grande in the week of 15 August, with fireworks over La Concha Bay each night.
Autumn September to November
Highs ease from about 21°C (70°F) in September to 14°C (57°F) in November, the wettest month. The txakoli harvest, and the markets full of wild mushrooms.
EventsThe Film Festival every September, and the Euskal Jaiak in early September, with Cider Day and the rowing regattas for the Bandera de La Concha.
Winter December to February
Cool and often wet: highs of about 11–12°C (52–54°F), lows around 6°C (43°F) and rain on 12 or 13 days a month. The quietest season, and the city's own fiestas.
EventsThe Christmas market on the Urumea from 1 December to 6 January, the Santo Tomás fair on 21 December, and the Tamborrada, the city's great fiesta, on 20 January.
Region by region across Spain, our best time to visit Spain guide.
04Shape your trip
Routes and itineraries
Each route is a starting point, tailored to you. Three of our multi-city Spain itineraries include San Sebastián, priced in US dollars per person.
4 days
Culture and cuisine
- Places
- San Sebastián, Getaria and Hondarribia
- Suits
- A first visit, with the coast and the wine country
5 days
Art and architecture
- Places
- San Sebastián
- Suits
- Art, architecture and a great table
Itineraries that include San Sebastián
The Grand Spanish Tour
from $27,200 per person
Luxury Spanish Honeymoon
from $16,800 per person
Spain's Culinary Heritage
from $15,300 per person
Beyond San Sebastián
Day excursion
BilbaoA day out: Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum, titanium, limestone and glass on a bend of the Nervión, open since October 1997.
Another stay
La RiojaFor a day of tastings or a stay: Spain's first Qualified Designation of Origin, since 1991, with the Rioja Alavesa on the Basque bank of the Ebro.
Another stay
The Duero ValleyThe Grand Spanish Tour's next stop: the Ribera del Duero, a Denominación de Origen since 1982, its wine estates, castles and roast lamb.
Another stay
MadridBy air or a long-distance train: the Royal Palace, and the Prado on the Paseo del Prado, a World Heritage landscape since 2021.
Another stay
BarcelonaBy air or a long-distance train: Gaudí's city, seven of his works on the World Heritage List, the Gothic Quarter and the sea.
05Planning with Avelia
How we plan your time in San Sebastián
We help you choose the right hotel, balance guided visits with time to explore, and fit San Sebastián into your wider journey — or shape a stay in the city itself.
Share your plans
Tell us your dates, who is travelling and the pace you like, and whether San Sebastián is a stay of its own or part of a route with Bilbao, La Rioja or the Duero.
Shape your trip with us
Before any payment, we send a written proposal with a quoted trip price and what it includes — such as a hotel in the right part of the city, a food guide for the pintxo bars, and a day along the coast to Getaria — and refine it with you.
Travel with our support
Once you approve the proposal and complete the agreed booking requirements, we confirm your arrangements. We coordinate the details and support you while you travel.
Peace of mind
Financially protected. Your payments for a package trip are covered against our insolvency by a guarantee with AXA. Plan with peace of mind
What we can arrange
Your proposal sets out the arrangements included in your trip.
- Hotels matched to you — grand, boutique or quietly residential, in the right part of the city, and not only the ones featured here.
- Private transport — chauffeur-driven premium cars for airport and station transfers, days along the coast to Getaria or Hondarribia, to Bilbao or into La Rioja, and the drive to your next stop in Spain.
- Private guides — historians for the Parte Vieja and the Belle Époque centre, art guides for San Telmo and Chillida Leku, and food guides for the pintxo bars.
- Experiences — a sail on the bay, a private cooking class, txakoli and cider tastings, and an afternoon of thalassotherapy at La Perla.
- Tables and tickets — reservations from Michelin-starred dining rooms to pintxo bars and cider houses, and tickets booked ahead where they are needed.
- Special occasions — honeymoons, anniversaries and family trips, planned around who is travelling.
San Sebastián guides
- San Sebastián travel guide
When to go, where to stay, the food, the sights and three days in the city.
- Things to do in San Sebastián
Pintxos and three-star tables, the bay under sail, the Belle Époque city, Getaria and La Rioja.
- San Sebastián food and cuisine
The Basque table, where to eat, and the market, the txakoli and the cider.
- Four days in San Sebastián
Four days, day by day: the bay, the market and the old town, Getaria, and San Telmo.
- Best time to visit San Sebastián
Season by season and month by month, with the festivals, the crowds and the rain to plan around.
06Questions
Questions we are asked
What does it cost to have a tailor-made trip designed by Avelia Travel?
Every trip is priced individually. After discussing your plans, we prepare a tailored proposal with a quoted trip price and a clear outline of what is included.
How many nights should we spend in San Sebastián?
We recommend three or four nights for San Sebastián itself, and a week if you would like days along the coast and out to Bilbao.
When is the best time to visit San Sebastián?
March to May and September to November, for mild weather; June to August is the beach season, and September is as busy as August. It rains in every month, most in October and November, so a light layer and an umbrella are worth packing whatever the season.
Can I include San Sebastián in a larger Spain itinerary?
Yes. Bilbao is a day out; La Rioja and the Duero Valley are wine country to the south; and Madrid and Barcelona are a flight or a long-distance train away. Our luxury trip planning page explains how a trip with several stops comes together.
Is San Sebastián a good choice for a family trip?
Yes. Ondarreta, the quietest of the city’s beaches in summer, has a playground on the sand; the Aquarium has a tunnel through its tanks, and the old funfair at the top of Monte Igeldo delights children and adults alike; and a cooking class or a pintxo route can be planned around them.
Do you only plan full itineraries, or can you help with just a hotel?
Both. We plan complete trips, and we also arrange a stay on its own: a hotel matched to you, with transfers, a guide or a few reservations added if you wish.
Is Avelia right for me?
Avelia suits travellers who want a private, well-paced trip planned around them: the right places in the right order, hotels chosen for them, guides who know the ground, tables and tickets taken care of, and one point of contact from the first conversation until they are home.
Start planning your time in San Sebastián
Three or four nights in San Sebastián, or a week with days along the coast: tell us your dates and who is travelling.
Usually answered within one business day.