Things to do in San Sebastián
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Arzak
With three shining Michelin stars, acclaimed chef Juan Mari Arzak takes some beating when it comes to nueva cocina vasca and his restaurant is, not surprisingly, considered one of the best places to eat in Spain. Arzak is now assisted by his daughter Elena and they never cease to innovate. Reservations, well in advance, are obligatory. The restaurant is about 1.5km east of San Sebastián.
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Martín Berasategui Restaurant
With three Michelin stars and dozens of other awards, this superlative restaurant, about 9km southwest of San Sebastián, is considered by foodies to be one of the best restaurants in the world. The chef, Martín Berasategui, doesn't approach cooking in the same way as the rest of us. He approaches it as a science and the results are tastes you never knew existed. Reserve well ahead.
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Aquarium
In the city’s excellent aquarium you’ll fear for your life as huge sharks bear down on you and be tripped out by fancy fluoro jellyfish. The highlights of a visit are the cinema-screen-sized deep ocean and coral reef exhibits and the long tunnel, around which swim monsters of the deep. The aquarium has undergone a recent makeover and expansion, which has seen the opening of a maritime-museum section as well as a few more tanks full of fish. Allow at least an hour and a half for a visit.
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La Cuchara de San Telmo
This unfussy, hidden-away (and hard to find) bar offers miniature nueva cocina vasca from a supremely creative kitchen. Chefs Alex Montiel and Iñaki Gulin conjure up such delights as carrílera de ternera al vino tinto (calf cheeks in red wine), with meat so tender it starts to dissolve almost before it's past your lips. A percentage of profits goes to the worthy Fundación Vicente Ferrer charity.
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Donosti Tour
This one-day bus tour allows you to hop on and off as often as you wish. Tickets, which include headphones for commentary in your choice of language, are sold on the bus. The main route stays close to the beaches and climbs Monte Igueldo. A second route operates from July to September, heading further inland along the river and visits the Museo Chillida Lek. Check with the tourist office for times.
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Pukas
Playa de Gros, with its generally mellow and easy waves, is a good place for learners to get to grips with surfing. Aspiring surfer wannabes should drop by Pukas, where surf lessons, and board and wetsuit hire are available. Prices vary depending on group size and lesson length, but start at €53 for a weekend course comprising a 1½-hour lesson each day.
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Museo de San Telmo
Housed in a former 16th-century monastery with an attractive cloister, this museum features paintings ranging from the Renaissance and the baroque through to the 19th century, with a heavy emphasis on Basque painters. A highlight is the chapel, whose walls are decorated with frescoes by José María Sert chronicling Basque artisanship.
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Restaurante Ni Neu
The former Michelin-starred Kursaal has been rebranded as the Restaurante Ni Neu and, although the old chef and his star have gone, the menu, and meal quality, remains much the same. Anyway, who needs a Michelin star when you have a setting, inside the Kursaal Centre, with a view straight over Playa de Gros?
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Casa Urbano
A comfy, old-fashioned dining room is the frame for excellent jamón (ham) and fish dishes here. The lomo de merluza con almejas (hake and clams) is delicious and traditional dishes such as bacalao con tomate y pimientos (smoked cod with tomato and peppers) are subtly done.
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Playa de la Concha
This placid spot is amongst the best beaches in the Europe. In summer it gets rather crowded - as does its neighbour beach, the Playa de Ondarreta. The Isla de Santa Clara, about 700m from the beach, is accessible by boats that run to the island every half-hour from June to September (around €2).
reviewed
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Monte Igueldo
The views from the summit of Monte Igueldo, just west of town, will make you feel like a circling hawk staring over the vast panorama of the Bahía de la Concha and the surrounding coastline and mountains. The best way to get there is via the old-world funicular railway to the Parque de Atracciones. Individual rides (which include roller coasters, boat rides, carousels and pony rides) cost between €1.80 and €2 extra. Trains on the furnicular railway depart every 15 minutes.
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La Mejíllonera
If you thought mussels only came with garlic sauce, come here to discover mussels (from €3) by the thousand in all their glorious forms. Mussels not for you? Opt for the calamari and patatas bravas (fried potatoes with a spicy tomato and mayo sauce). We promise you won't regret it.
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La Rotonda
Be bright, beautiful and be ready to swerve well into the morning at this ultra-smooth dance venue, right at beach level below the Paseo. Nothing much happens until after midnight when things start strolling with soul followed by Spanish rock. By 04:00 harder techno house takes over.
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Playa de Ondarreta
The westerly extensin of Play de la Concha, this is one of the most impressive beaches in Europe. Expect crowds in summer. The Isla de Santa Clara, about 700m from the beach, is accessible by boats that run to the island every half-hour from June to September (around €2).
reviewed
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Don Serapio
For Basque food there's none better than this place. A couple of hundred metres up from the bus station is this long-established food emporium stocked with delicious Basque delicacies, jamóns, salt cod, fruit and vegetable preserves, cheeses, wines and much more.
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Astelena
The pintxos draped across the counter in this bar, tucked into the corner of Plaza de la Constitución, stand out as some of the best in the city. Many of them are a fusion of Basque and Asian inspirations, but the best of all are perhaps the foie-gras-based treats.
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Elkar
For a huge range of travel books and guides (including lots of Lonely Planet guides), maps and hiking books in English, Spanish and French, try this specialist travel bookshop. Almost opposite it is a bigger mainstream branch dealing in Spanish- and Basque-language books.
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Arraitxiki
It's not all writhing prawns and pierced pintxos in Donostia. This excellent vegetarian restaurant does a fine line in creative meals and everything is organically sourced. There's a menú del diá for around €13.
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Bar la Cepa
The best jamón jabugo (cured ham from southern Spain) does not disappoint here, and you eat beneath the blank eyes of a very large bull's head. The kitchens also produce decent no-frills menús for €13.50.
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Bar Txepetxa
Txepetxa's fame is worldwide and its walls are covered in press cuttings to prove it. Anchovy pintxos are a speciality. but there are other treats such as champiñón al horno, tiny towers of grilled mushrooms
reviewed
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Kaskazuri
Upmarket Basque seafood is all the rage in this flash restaurant, which is built on a raised platform allowing views of the former home of your dinner. It cooks up a storm with their €18 menú del día. Book in advance.
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Be Bop
Grind your hips in this sultry bar-club, tricked out in bright red, green and cream and burnished by the evening sun. Cheesy pop anthems kick off the night, salsa turns things sexy later on and regular guest DJs add spice.
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Herria Bar
Basque Donostia flies the flag with enthusiastic style in many of the bars in Juan de Bilbao. Drinks are fairly cheap here. Herria's name (the Nation) says it all, as do the sloganeering T-shirts for sale behind the bar.
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Bidebide
A change from all the traditional hanging-ham restaurants, this new place is light and cool, with slow sounds and a late-night-in-the-city vibe. There is a small but perfect range of pintxos and simple meals.
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M.A.D
Musica, Arte and, well, we’re not sure what the ‘D’ stands for, but otherwise it does what it says on the label. Alternative music blasts day and night, and photos and psychedelic art adorn the blood-red walls.
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