Basque Country- San Sebastian, Spain
- More about your Oliver Guide: Honey Nachman
- Trip type: Adult, Beach
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: 1 WEEK
to & from
- Fly to Bilbao through Paris-- allow for a longer layover in case of flight delays.
- Rent a car for Bilboa and San Sebastian but turn it in before Biarritz where parking is impossible and a car not necessary.
Where to Stay
- SAN SEBASTIAN: Hotel Maria Christina
San Sebastian, Spain
... throughout the meal people yell “TXOTX!” This is a signal to get thee to the barrel room where you fill your cup from spigots that shoot the cider 5+ feet out of one of the barrels that is the size of a car. I’m not making this up. Sound fun? It is.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Cully Wiginton
- Trip type: Family, Beach
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: FIVE DAYS TO A WEEK IS PROBABLY A GOOD SWEET SPOT TO RELAX AND SOAK UP THE CULTURE.IF YOU ARE SPRINTING AROUND EUROPE, YOU CAN "SEE" MOST OF SAN SEBASTIAN IN TWO DAYS. WE WERE ON AN EXTENDED TRIP AND STAYED FOR A MONTH AND COULD HAVE STAYED MUCH LONGER!
to & from
- The closest major airports are Bilbao, Spain and Biarritz, France. We flew into Bilbao and had a car service take us to San Sebastian (about $200 US).
- San Sebastian is a very walkable city and a rental car is not needed/advised, unless you want one for excursions to other nearby towns/areas.
Where to Stay
- I highly recommend the Old Town or City Center/Area Romantica in terms of location. Both are conveniently located in between the two main beaches: Playa de la Concha and Playa de la Zurriola.
- We stayed in an airbnb in Old Town, which was wonderful and just a block away from the pedestrian area with its endless array of pintxo bars.
- Staying near the beachfront in Playa de la Concha would also be great.
- Staying beachfront in the Gros area also puts you right on an amazing beach with awesome surf, but the restaurants and shopping are a little less spectacular in this area.