Tours

San Sebastián—Tours

Tour 1 — The Coast

A popular trip for donostiarras (residents of San Sebastián) is to follow the coast between the Peine de los Vientos (The Winds' Comb) and the district of Sagües. It is a trip of about seven kilometers that lasts two or three hours, and takes in the sea, the beach and the magnificent buildings along the way. Look out for the sculptures of Chillida in the Peine de los Vientos, and you can decide about whether or not it is a comb. If you are lucky, you will be able to hear the sounds of the waves. Continue along the beach of Ondarreta, and go into Miramar Palace. You will understand why Queen María Cristina spent her summers here. Return to enjoy a walk along the beach, listening to the breaking waves. Observe the typical buildings that stand along the bay, including Miramar Palace, Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra, the Ayuntamiento (City Hall), Sagrado Corazón and Club Naútico (Harbour Club). If you are overcome by hunger, thirst, fatigue or the heat, take a seat on the terrace of La Perla, or in the Cafe Biarritz, and watch time go by. After resting a while, carry on along the attractive piers. The leisure pier is crammed with small motorboats and yachts, and the fishing pier has a dozen or so fishing boats. If you are in luck, you will see some of them unloading. At the end of the pier is the Aquarium. The Paseo Nuevo (New Promenade) offers an unadulterated view of the sea. Waves splash over the railings when it is rough. On your left is Mount Urgull, scene of historic Anglo-French battles. Continue along and you will find yourself opposite the outlet of the Urumea River, nestled between the Hotel María Cristina, the Teatro Victoria Eugenia and the Palacio Kursaal, designed by the renowned architect Rafael Moneo. Walk along Gros Beach to the Sagües district. If you feel like continuing your walk along the beach, you can go as far as Mompás, jumping from rock to rock. You will see things that not many tourists see. You could also climb Mount Ulía and enjoy the view while drinking a bottle of cider.

Tour 2 — The Old Quarter (Parte Vieja)

What we now suggest is a gastronomic-cultural tour. The Parte Vieja (old quarter) of Donostia is a district of narrow, cobbled streets, containing the oldest buildings in the city. It is also the most important area for dining, drinking and entertainment. The old quarter is not very old; the great fire of 31 August, 1813, marked the beginning of the rebuilding of the city as it is today. Start your tour in the old quarter by heading towards the port on 31 De Agosto Street. Half way along you will see the side door of the Museo San Telmo, a former convent now converted into a museum with a Basque ethnographic section. At the end of this street is the imposing Iglesia de Santa María la Real. Go up the steps to Calle Mayor, looking towards the Buen Pastor Cathedral in the background. If you feel like a climb, behind the Iglesia de Santa María there is a path leading up to Mount Urgull. The path is cobbled, and the climb takes about 30 minutes. You have lovely views of Donostia from the top, and, fear not, there is a bar-cafe at the top!

From the Iglesia de Santa María la Real you can continue on up some steps to the port. You will pass by two gastronomical societies; only men are admitted, and by member invitation only. When you reach the port you will find yourself standing on a part of the city wall, and you will see the door leading from the wharves to the old quarter. It is where people go to lay bets in the Regatas de Traineras.

Are you hungry now? Go to Puerto Street where you will find pintxo bars (these are small morsels to accompany your drink; in the Basque Country people tend to say pintxo rather than tapa) on the way to plaza de la Constitución (Constitution Square). Plaza de la Constitución is one of the prettiest parts of the city. The Biblioteca Municipal (City Library), the arches around the square and the many balconies and terraces make it a tranquil place. Crossing the square, you will go through some arches leading out onto several little streets that in turn lead into Mercado de la Bretxa (Bretxa Marketplace). Go and have a look at all the stalls with their great selection of tasty foods. Come out onto the Boulevard and take a look at the Kiosko de Música (Bandstand) in Belle Epoque style.

Going back into the old quarter it is pleasant to lose yourself in the streets and discover appealing pintxo bars, buildings such as Iglesia de San Vicente, Palacio Goika and plaza de la Trinidad (Trinidad Square), and the interesting tamborrilero (drummer) of Sarriegi.

Tour 3 — The Central City

This next tour is a cultural-shopping one. The central city is the area between the Parte Vieja (old quarter), the beginning of the District of Amara, the Urumea River and the La Concha Beach. It is known as the Cortázar development. Donostia was once a walled city and you can still see part of the City Walls. The expansion of the central city was the responsibility of Cortázar, who designed the center on a grid of streets. This is the best shopping area in the city. The architecture and street lamps remind some of Paris, and for this reason it is known as Área Romántica (Romantic Area).

Start your tour from the Boulevard and head towards plaza de Gipuzkoa (Gipuzkoa Square) along Churruca Street. Observe the architecture of the square with its arches, and the magnificent Council building. Here you will see the busts of famous Guipúzcoa personalities. Plaza de Gipuzkoa has a small pond with ducks and swans, which delights children. Continue from here towards Plaza de Okendo, located between the Hotel María Cristina and the Teatro Victoria Eugenia, underneath which stands the tourist office. By now you will have reached the river, and you will be asking yourself a very "donostiarra" question: What do I like better, the classical building of the Teatro Victoria Eugenia, or the modern Cubo de Moneo? Continue along the river towards Avenida de la Libertad. This is the financial heart of the city, containing many banks as well as old-established shops such as Derby. If you go past the Banco Guipuzcoano on the hour, you will hear the carillon (bells) of its clock strike. Go down Loyola Street, crammed with designer clothing shops. You can also have breakfast, or enjoy a quiet vermouth, on the terrace of Dover. Opposite here you can see Buen Pastor Cathedral surrounded by a garden. At the rear of this is Centro Cultural Koldo Mitxelena (Koldo Mitxelena Cultural Center). Go in and browse among the books, read the newspaper or visit the art gallery. Now head towards the north train station, designed by Eiffel, through plaza de Bilbao (Bilbao Square), then walk to the Cubos de Moneo (the official name is Palacio Kursaal) along Paseo de Francia, observing the architecture of the buildings and bridges along the way.