Luxury
Hotel Maria Cristina, a Luxury Collection
San Sebastián · riverfront
Belle Époque grande dame on the Urumea, favourite of the film festival. Walk to La Concha in 5 min and to the Parte Vieja in 3.
From 480€Check prices→
01
Excursions
The most-booked experiences on the island · book with free cancellation
Tours & excursions · Best-sellers on Viator
The eight best-reviewed excursions in the Basque Country
Hand-picked from Viator's top-rated experiences on Basque Country, sorted by review volume and average rating. Free cancellation up to 24 h before, reserve now and pay later.
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Food & wine3 hSan Sebastián pintxos and wine walking tour
4.9(3,200 reviews)
Small-group walking tour through the Parte Vieja stopping at 4–5 iconic pintxo bars. Every tapa is paired with Rioja, Txakoli or Basque cider and explained by a local food guide.
From
£75per person
- 4–5 pintxos included, from cold classics to hot txikitos
- Txakoli, Rioja and cider pairings
- Small groups (max 8) with a local foodie guide
Culture2 hBilbao Guggenheim skip-the-line guided tour
4.8(1,850 reviews)
Skip the ticket queue and walk through the temporary and permanent collections with an accredited art historian. Includes Richard Serra's 'The Matter of Time' and the outdoor sculptures.
From
£38per person
- Fast-track entry to the museum
- Art historian guide with audio headsets
- Meets 200 m from the museum entrance
Nature4.5 hSan Juan de Gaztelugatxe half-day tour from Bilbao
4.8(1,420 reviews)
Round-trip from Bilbao to the tied-island hermitage of San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. Includes the free timed entry booking, guide and a stop at Bakio for a Txakoli tasting.
From
£58per person
- Reserved timed entry to Gaztelugatxe
- Txakoli winery tasting in Bakio
- Round-trip transport from central Bilbao
Food & wine9 hRioja Alavesa wineries day trip from Bilbao
4.8(980 reviews)
Cross the Cantabrian range into Rioja Alavesa. Visit two contrasting wineries — one modern (Ysios or Marqués de Riscal), one traditional — with a stop for lunch and a walk in the medieval town of Laguardia.
From
£110per person
- Two winery visits with tasting flights
- Lunch in Laguardia included
- Small groups with an English-speaking sommelier guide
Culture2 hSan Sebastián old town walking tour
4.9(2,100 reviews)
Walk the Parte Vieja from Plaza de la Constitución to Santa María del Coro. History of the city's fires, the fishing quarter and the origins of the pintxo, ending with a free glass of Txakoli.
From
£25per person
- Local licensed guide
- Complimentary Txakoli tasting at the end
- Small groups (max 12)
Nature8 hBasque coast day trip: Getaria, Zumaia and San Sebastián
4.7(760 reviews)
Full-day round trip from Bilbao along the Basque coast. Getaria for a Txakoli tasting, Zumaia's UNESCO flysch cliffs and free time in San Sebastián for lunch and a stroll of La Concha.
From
£95per person
- Round-trip transport from Bilbao
- Txakoli winery tasting in Getaria
- Free time in San Sebastián for pintxos
Adventure2 hSurf lesson in Zurriola or Zarautz
4.9(640 reviews)
Small-group beginner lesson with certified instructors on Zurriola (San Sebastián) or Zarautz. All equipment provided — soft-top board, wetsuit and helmet — plus a post-session photo pack.
From
£45per person
- All equipment included (board + wetsuit)
- Small groups (max 6 students per instructor)
- Beginners and improvers welcome
Food & wine3 hBilbao pintxos and Casco Viejo food tour
4.8(890 reviews)
Small-group evening walk through Bilbao's Casco Viejo. Stops at 4 traditional and modern pintxo bars, tastings of Basque cider, Rioja and Txakoli, and a walk over Zubizuri to admire the Guggenheim by night.
From
£68per person
- 4 pintxo bars visited
- Rioja, Txakoli and cider tastings
- Local food guide, groups max 10
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02
Towns
The essential villages and what to do in each
10 · JunSan Sebastián
La Concha bay, the Parte Vieja for pintxos and Monte Igueldo for the postcard photo. Base for 3 nights.
Read the guide →- 12 · Jun
Bilbao
Gehry's Guggenheim, the Casco Viejo's Siete Calles and the Ribera market. A city rebuilt.
Read the guide → 
13 · JunGetaria
Balenciaga's home town, whole turbot grilled on the harbour and Txakoli vineyards on the hill.
Read the guide →- 14 · Jun
Hondarribia
Walled Renaissance town on the French border. Cross the bay to Hendaye for the day.
Read the guide → - 15 · Jun
Mundaka
The world's most famous left-hand wave and the Urdaibai estuary reserve at your feet.
Read the guide → - 16 · Jun
Vitoria-Gasteiz
The country's green capital: medieval old town, cathedral works and the ring of city parks.
Read the guide →
03
Town map
Filter by category and see what to do in each town
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VerComerPlayaExcursiones● Beach
04
Beaches
Beach-by-beach guide with parking, best time and facilities
8 handpicked beaches
Beaches on this island
Each beach has its own guide: where to park, the best time to arrive, what's actually on site, the beach bars worth recommending and what to avoid.
Town beach1.4 km
La Concha
Donostia-San Sebastián
The most beautiful urban beach in Europe
- ◆
- Parking: Underground car parks on Alderdi-Eder and Boulevard (€2/h).
- ◆
- Best time: Low tide reveals the widest stretch of sand: check the tide chart.
Town beach800 m
Zurriola
Donostia-San Sebastián
The city's surf beach in the Gros district
- ◆
- Parking: Underground car park at Sagüés (€2/h).
- ◆
- Best time: Autumn and winter for the biggest, cleanest swells.
Town beach600 m
Ondarreta
Donostia-San Sebastián
La Concha's quieter western sister
- ◆
- Parking: Underground car park under the beach (€2/h).
- ◆
- Best time: Late afternoon: the sun drops behind Monte Igueldo and the light on the water is unforgettable.
Sandy beach2.5 km
Zarautz
Zarautz
The longest beach on the Basque coast
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- Parking: Large regulated car park along the promenade (€1/h, capped at €8/day).
- ◆
- Best time: Mornings in summer for glass; September and October for the best surf and the wine harvest in the Txakoli vineyards behind.
Sandy beach550 m
Laga
Ibarrangelu
The wildest beach in the Urdaibai reserve
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- Parking: Two paid car parks at either end (€3/day).
- ◆
- Best time: Early morning for stillness and views of Izaro island.
Sandy beach1 km
Laida
Ibarrangelu
The estuary beach of the Urdaibai Reserve
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- Parking: Paid car park at the entrance (€3/day).
- ◆
- Best time: Two hours either side of low tide, for the sandbars and the calm estuary water.
Sandy beach1.4 km
Bakio
Bakio
Surfers' beach and gateway to Gaztelugatxe
- ◆
- Parking: Free parking along the seafront and a large paid car park at the eastern end (€2/day).
- ◆
- Best time: October to April for cleaner surf; summer afternoons for warmer water.
Rocky cove180 m
Itzurun
Zumaia
The flysch cliffs beach — a UNESCO Geopark
- ◆
- Parking: Small paid car park at the beach (€2.
- ◆
- Best time: Low tide reveals the flysch platform for guided walks.
05
Sleep
Beds worth the trip
Style
Boutique
Villa Soro
San Sebastián · residential
19th-century mansion in the Ategorrieta district. 25 rooms, a walled garden and one of the city's finest breakfasts.
From 310€Check prices→
Adults-only
Akelarre — Relais & Châteaux
San Sebastián · Monte Igueldo
Michelin three-star Akelarre restaurant plus 22 sea-view rooms cantilevered over the Atlantic. Cliff-edge infinity pool.
From 620€Check prices→
Design
Gran Hotel Domine Bilbao
Bilbao · Guggenheim
Javier Mariscal-designed hotel directly facing Gehry's Guggenheim. Rooftop terrace with the best view of the museum.
From 260€Check prices→
Boutique
Palacio Urgoiti
Bilbao · countryside estate
17th-century palace 15 min from Bilbao. Working golf course, chapel and kitchen garden. Quiet base for Gaztelugatxe.
From 210€Check prices→
Boutique
Saiaz Getaria Hotel
Getaria · fishing village
Two 15th-century houses in Getaria's medieval core. Views over the harbour and Balenciaga's home town at your door.
From 180€Check prices→
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06
Eat
Tables jotted on a napkin
- Book →
Arzak (3★)
New Basque cuisine, three generations · San Sebastián
- Book →
Mugaritz (2★)
Andoni Luis Aduriz · avant-garde · Errenteria
- Book →
Elkano (1★)
Whole turbot on the grill · Getaria
- Book →
Asador Etxebarri (3★)
Wood-fired everything · Axpe (Atxondo)
- Book →
Nerua Guggenheim (1★)
Josean Alija · seasonal Basque · Bilbao
- Book →
Bar Néstor
The tortilla and the tomato — pintxos legend · San Sebastián
07
Diario
A journal entry
Entry 04 · Friday
Getaria at lunchtime
We drove up the N-634 in the drizzle. In Getaria it cleared. Elkano at 14:00 sharp — whole turbot on the grill, split at the table, the fisherman's blessing. Afterwards up to Txomin Etxaniz for a Txakoli tasting, pouring the wine from a metre above the glass. Home along the coastal road, the Cantabrian silver-grey on our left.
- ✓Book Elkano four weeks ahead
- ✓Txakoli tasting cellars close on Sunday
- ✗The coast road N-634 is slower — worth it
08
Itineraries
Ready-to-copy routes
3 days · San Sebastián & the coast
Two nights in Donostia, day trip to Getaria and Zumaia's flysch cliffs.
Leer itinerario →5 days · pintxos, Guggenheim and Rioja
San Sebastián, Bilbao, day in Rioja Alavesa wineries and the Urdaibai reserve.
Leer itinerario →7 days · the full Basque loop
Add Hondarribia, Vitoria-Gasteiz and a night at Etxebarri in the Atxondo valley.
Leer itinerario →09
Practical
What we've noted for next time
Getting there
Direct flights to Bilbao (BIO) from most European hubs; San Sebastián (EAS) is smaller and mostly domestic. Biarritz (BIQ) is 40 min from Hondarribia by car.
Getting around
Rent a car for the coast and Rioja. Between San Sebastián and Bilbao, the Euskotren coastal train (Topo) is scenic if slow. City centres are walkable.
Best time to go
May–June and September for the softest weather. July–August is warm but crowded; October brings the harvest and the film festival.
Emergencies
112 · Osakidetza public hospitals (Donostia, Cruces in Bilbao) · pharmacies signposted 'FARMAZIA'.