Affiliate disclosure: some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you book using one of them, we’ll earn a small commission. All of our info is free to read and free of ads, so we appreciate it!

There are not many mid-sized cities in Spain, and probably even in all of Europe, that offer the variety and diversity that San Sebastián serves up to its visitors (and residents). I live here, so I should know!

While the city has only 190,000 inhabitants, this is a place with a lot of history and it lies at the crossroads of two countries (Spain and France), and within the heart of the Basque Region, which you might also call its own country. This means that the city, like its people, language, and culture, is varied.

San Sebastian is distinctly Basque, but it also has its own sort of French “spirit”, making it a bit of a hybrid place where you can feel the essence of both those peoples and cultures as they blend together.

This is simply a marvelous town, known globally for its cuisine, its sea-oriented lifestyle, its Belle Epoque architecture, and its close relationship with nature. And depending on where you choose to stay during your visit here, you’ll be able to experience all of these features to varying degrees.

And while each neighborhood is different, I think it’s worth noting that the city itself is quite compact and is extremely walkable, meaning that no matter where you book your accommodation, you’ll never be far away from other areas of interest.

So, just pick the neighborhood that has the atmosphere that you’re after, and don’t worry so much about its location: you'll be able to quickly get to wherever else you want to go no matter what.

Click here to see all of our Spain guides & itineraries

Table of Contents

San Sebastián planning cheatsheet

Plan your itinerary with expert advice

Book a Spain travel consultation with a local expert

My favorite hotels in San Sebastián

Hotel de Londres - grand old hotel on Playa La Concha. $150-400/night
Hotel Arbaso - comfortbale and modern rooms by the cathedral. $150-300/night
NH Collection Aranzazu - dependable midrange option by Ondarreta beach. $100-200/night
Hotel Zinema 7 - well done budget hotel just outside the center $75-180/night

Guided tours and activities

How to get around

Car rentals with DiscoverCars
Train tickets from Renfe and Euskotren
Bus routes at Pesa, ALSA, and BusBud

Overview of the city’s layout

The best way to figure out San Sebastián’s geography is by understanding the city’s relationship to its three principal geographic “features”: the Cantabrian Sea, the 3 mountains that dot the coast (Igeldo, Urgull, and Ulia), and the Urumea River that bisects the city.

The sea has always been San Sebastián's lifeblood - the gateway to the city as well as its departure point for voyaging sailors, merchants, and fisherman who have always called this place home - and it is by far the city's defining feature.

The Cantabrian Sea and the curving Bay of Biscay form the city's northern border and the city center neighborhoods all lie along this stretch of coast. Given that this is a coastal town, San Sebastián’s most sought-after neighborhoods are all along the water and this is where you should focus on when choosing a base.

After the sea, the next reference point is the 3 "mountains” (hills really) that rise up directly from the bay. On the northeastern side of the city you have Ulia; Urgull sits at the very tip of the Old Town (Lo Viejo); and Igeldo lies on the western edge of town, rising above the neighborhood of Antiguo.

Our final feature is the Urumea River which roughly divides the city into eastern and western halves and lets out into the bay.

The city began in the Old Town - the little peninsula jutting out into the bay and topped by Mount Urgull - and then expanded from there. The neighborhoods along the coast tend to be older and more historic while the inland neighborhoods were built later and are much more modern.

Quick summary of my 4 recommended neighborhoods

As I mentioned above, San Sebastián isn’t especially big and as long as you stay somewhere relatively central, you’ll be within easy walking distance of the main sights in town. Basically, if you’re looking at a map, just choose anywhere that’s fairly close to Lo Viejo (Old Town) or the neighborhood immediately behind it, which we locals refer to as the City Center. All 4 neighborhoods that I've suggested meet this criteria.

There’s also very good public transportation here, so even if you stay somewhere removed from the center, you’ll be able to get around quickly and easily. Even so, if it's your first time here and you’re only staying for a day or two, I don’t think it really makes sense to stay further out, as those neighborhoods are very residential, aren’t nearly as pretty as the more central ones, and you won't be able to walk.

Below is a quick look at my 4 recommended neighborhoods. Further down in the article I discuss each of them in more depth.

1. City Center/Area Romántica – (green on the map above)

A walk south from the Old Town, brings you right into San Sebastián’s busy and magnificently elegant City Center. Also known as Area Romantica (which gives you an idea of how pretty it is), this area is full of gorgeous Bell Epoque architecture, criss-crossed by ornate bridges, and filled with high-end shops, grand boulevards, and upscale hotels, bars, and restaurants.

It's also blessed by Spain’s most iconic urban beach – Playa La Concha, a delicious stretch of golden sand right in the center of the city. The beach and surrounding area was long a favorite with Spanish and European nobility, who built lovely summer residences here.

2. Lo Viejo/Old Town – (red above)

Located at the base of Monte Urgull, which surges up from the ocean to form a peninsula in the middle of the city, Lo Viejo is San Sebastián's historic center. The architecture here is older and "smaller” than what you'll find in the rest of the city. The streets are narrow and densely packed, which is quite different from the larger and grander architecture elsewhere. It's right along the sea, the streets are heavily pedestrianized, is adjacent to a series of lovely parks, and is an easy walk to just about everywhere you'll want to visit. You'll see it interchangeably called "Lo Viejo”, "Parte Vieja”, and “Old Town".

Despite being quite touristy, it's a beautiful area and also actually where the vast majority of the city’s best restaurants and pintxos spots are found.

3. Gros – (blue above)

Just to the east of both Lo Viejo and the City Center (across the Urumea river), Gros was once a mostly neglected working-class neighborhood, but has rapidly gentrified in recent years and is now unquestionably the most cosmopolitan part of the city. It's not quite as visually charming as the two city center neighborhoods, but has a relaxed and hip atmosphere and feels much more local.

Many of San Sebastián’s young people choose to live here (or at least come to hang out) and it’s filled with cool bars, trendy cafes, and international restaurants. Centered along La Zurriola beach, which has great waves, it's particularly popular with surfers and anyone who likes that general vibe.

4. El Antiguo – (yellow above)

Located west of the city center and laid out along Ondarreta beach, this is a distinctly local neighborhood that few tourists choose to stay in. Local residents call themselves antiguotarras and consider their neighborhood to basically be its own separate town (even though it’s very close to the center).

It's a very pleasant neighborhood and makes for an ideal base if you want to have a more local experience without sacrificing proximity to the center, main sights, and the beach. It's quieter and the demographics skew older, so just don’t come here expecting it to be especially “hip” or “youthful”. Accommodation here is also comparatively affordable.

Map of my suggested hotels

For anyone who’s just looking for a quick collection of suggested hotels and doesn’t want to read through my individual neighborhood overviews below, here’s a map of San Sebastian that shows most of the hotels I’ve recommended throughout this guide.

The hotels here encompass a wide range of star levels and nightly prices, so everyone should be able to find something to suit their preferences.

And if you want to know more about the hotels, you’ll find quick descriptions of each of them in the “Where to stay” sections of the relevant neighborhood overviews below.

Happy (hotel) hunting!

Discover authentic Spain with local advice!

Connect with our Spain-based Local Expert Alfonso for a 60-minute travel consultation!

1-hour live trip planning session

Learn about pro tips & hidden gems

Get advice that's tailor-made to you

Learn more

Discover authentic Spain with local advice!

Connect with our Spain-based Local Expert Alfonso for a 60-minute travel consultation!

1-hour live trip planning session

Learn about pro tips & hidden gems

Get advice that's tailor-made to you

Learn more

1. City Center/Area Romántica

Best for: Just about everyone; first-time visitors on short stays; travelers looking for an upscale atmosphere

Pros: Gorgeous architecture, excellent hotels, walking distance to all the sights, beachfront, lively atmosphere, great shopping

Cons: Expensive accommodation, pretty touristy in some parts

*Plaza de Okendo in the city center. Photo:* *Валерий Дед*, *CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

*Monumento a Antonio de Oquendo y Teatro Victoria Eugenia in the City Center. Photo:* *Zarateman, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons*

Just to the south of the Old Town, the City Center lies between La Concha beach and the Urumea river. It's an architecturally magnificent area, filled with beautiful buildings, grand squares, iconic monuments, and historic hotels. The atmosphere is refined and elegant.

This is the place to go for long, aimless walks, always looking up and all around you, just enjoying being in one of the most beautiful cities in Spain (and yes, maybe all of Europe).

The neighborhood is defined by its gorgeous 19th century Belle Epoque architecture, best showcased by landmarks like Teatro Victoria Eugenia, the María Cristina Hotel, and the current City Council, which have become some of the city's main attractions. There's a distinctly "French" ambiance here and you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a neighborhood of Paris rather than Spain.

This “French feeling” is partly explained by geography; San Sebastiám is just 25 km from the French border. But, I think that history has actually played a bigger role in creating the unique atmosphere. Back in the middle of the 19th century - the height of the French-inspired Belle Epoque era - Queen Isabell II of Spain chose San Sebastián as one of the main summer retreats for the Spanish royal court and then, a few decades later, Queen María Cristina converted the town into the Crown’s second “base”. Both royals set about constructing an elegant city center that would be fit to host European nobility.

Of course, it's not just an open-air museum of architecture: it’s also a busy, lively part of town, filled with shops, businesses, restaurants, and people going about their daily lives. It's bigger and busier than Lo Viejo, and is also less focused on tourism, meaning that it offers a nice mix of touristic attractions and regular life.

Sightseeing aside, it's also right on La Concha beach so perfect for cooling off on hot summer days or taking leisurely strolls on its seafront promenade the rest of the year. You have lots of parks throughout, including a wonderful riverfront greenway park/walking path. A series of lovely bridges criss cross the river, providing not just easy connections to other parts of the city, but also pretty views.

For more strolling and a little shopping, Avenida de la Libertad is the city's principal retail street. You'll find countless boutiques, stylish and avant-garde shops, pretty cafés, and lots of restaurants. It genuinely feels a bit like Paris.

This is the area that I recommend to most first-time visitors, especially anyone spending just a day or two here. It's walking distance to everywhere you'll want to go, feels uniquely "San Sebastian", has some of the best hotels in the city, and is just an all around delightful place to be.

Where to stay

Hotel María Cristina - The movie critics get Hotel de Londres, but the best is reserved for the actors themselves! And they always choose to stay here. It's a gorgeous five-star hotel that lies just beside the Urumea River and is the essence of the Belle Époque elegance. $500+ USD.

Hotel Londres - A luxurious 4-star hotel with unbelievable views of La Concha beach and its bay. Supposedly, back in the 20th century, It was once a favorite of movie critics who stayed here while attending the San Sebastian International Film Festival. $150-350 USD.

Hotel Arbaso - With a prime location right next to the city’s cathedral, the rooms here are comfortable and modern, many of them with their own separate sitting areas. $150-$350 a night.

Hotel Catalonia Donosti - A 10-minute walk from the beach, this is a lovely 4-star hotel in a beautifully renovated convent from the 17th century. The rooftop, with a pool, has magnificent views and the rooms are lovely. $150-300 depending on the time of year.

Sercotel Hotel Europa - A solid mid-range option one block off of La Concha beach. $120-300 USD

Hotel Zinema 7 - Technically in the Amara neighborhood just south of the city center, this is a comfortable and functional hotel in a nice residential area. A city bus line passes directly out front to bring you into the center in a couple minutes. $70-200 USD.

Pensión Aristizabal - A good value 6-room pensión that's well located on Plaza de Bilbao. $50-100 USD.

2. Lo Viejo (Old Town)

Best for: People who want a historic atmosphere, anyone after an Old World vibe, foodies who plan to spend a lot of time eating

Pros: Great restaurants, heavily pedestrianized, centrally located, pretty and atmospheric

Cons: Very touristy, crowded, expensive, few decent-sized hotels

*Plaza de la Constitución. Photo:* *Edorta Subijana*, *CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

Sheltered from the harsh forces of the ocean by Mount Urgull, San Sebastián’s Old Town (Lo Viejo or Parte Veija for us locals) is the quintessential area where all the city's fundamental traits reside: a close relationship with the sea, lovely old architecture, great food (pintxos anyone!), and the lively Basque lifestyle.

Here, you'll find pleasant pedestrianized streets dotted with pretty squares, most of the city's best pintxos restaurants and cider houses. Don't make the mistake of thinking that the restaurants here are tourist traps, they're not! We locals come here for good meals, especially when we want pintxos and traditional Basque food. It is said that San Sebastián holds the most Michelin-star restaurants of any city by square kilometer, and this is where most of them are located.

Although this was historically a neighborhood inhabited by fishermen and the craftsmen who worked at or by way of the harbor, Lo Viejo has more recently become a touristic hotspot, but not in the soulless mass tourism way. The historic charm very much still remains here and it’s always lively, filled with locals and visitors alike. People from all over the city come here to mingle and eat.

While here, be sure not to miss La Bretxa market where you can watch young chefs shopping for the locally-sourced ingredients that will go into the inventive dishes they'll be serving up later that day.

A major benefit of staying here is proximity to Monte Urgull, a great spot for nice walks and viewpoints. I know most people visit in the summer (when you'll have pretty views of the calm sea), but for me, there’s nothing better than climbing the hill on a winter’s day and looking out at the fierce ocean as it whips wind and waves at Urgull, trying to break through into the city.

Given that the rest of the San Sebastian expanded out from this area, it’s also the most central base from which to explore other parts of town. Most of the main sights are within a 10-minute walk, and you can get almost anywhere in the city on foot. You’ll also be quite close to a central transport hub, the nearby Boulevard Avenue, which is a major stop for buses heading all over the city.

If you’re after historic charm, great food, a lively atmosphere, and a central location, Lo Viejo is hard to beat. Of course, given its popularity and everything that it offers, accommodation here is more expensive than other parts of town and it's also much more touristy.

Also, because of its narrow streets there is not much space for huge hotels and you'll mostly find pensiones (small guest houses and B&Bs).

In general, I think Lo Viejo is a good potential base in the off season months, but it's not my favorite area to stay over the summer as it gets too crowded for my taste. That said, if you like the sound of a more historic and quaint area and can accept the tradeoff of dense crowds, it's a nice choice.

Where to stay

Hotel Atari - One of the few decent-sized hotels in the Old Town, Hotel Atari is a lovely and thoughtfully designed 4-star that is also home to one of the city's best restaurants. $300-550 USD.

Lasala Plaza Hotel - An adults-only boutique hotel, the location here is perfect with privileged views of the Bay of Biscay and La Concha beach. You also get luxurious features like a rooftop swimming pool and very stylish rooms. I really like it. $150-400 USD.

Hotel SANSEbay - A very pleasant mid-range to upscale choice located in a quiet corner of the old town with views over the water. $150-300 USD.

Pensión ab Domini - This guesthouse is an absolute gem. It mixes the charm of a classic home from the Old Town with nice updates and modern comforts. $150 USD.

3. Gros

Best for: Young people; surfers; anyone looking for a relaxed, but trendy and international atmosphere

Pros: Cosmopolitan, youthful and lively, not touristy, great beach access, still walkable to the city center

Cons: Sightseeing won't be right outside your door, not quite as pretty as Lo Viejo and the City Center, limited hotel options

The neighborhood of Gros along Zuriola beach seen from the top of Ulia mountain in San Sebastian, Spain. — *Gros and Zuriola beach seen from the top of Mount Ulia. Photo:* *Ander.gd*, *CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Common*

Across the Urumea River from Lo Viejo and the City Center, the neighborhood of Gros is another waterfront area, but with a totally different vibe.

Life here revolves around the neighborhood’s beach, La Zurriola, which, with its consistently strong waves, is a surfing hotspot. And the atmosphere is very much what you would expect from a surfer’s “hood”: youthful, pretty hipster, a bit alternative, and a lot of fun!

During the summer, people will be out on the water all throughout the day, you’ll hear indie music playing in bars and cafes, the restaurants are international (with a focus on healthier options), and lots of independent shops line the streets. You also have many chiringuitos, typical Spanish beach bars spread out along the beachfront.

If you’ve heard that the Basque Country is Spain’s version of California (which I think is a fair characterization in many ways), Gros is the place that will confirm that stereotype.

Back in the day, this was a mostly forgotten working-class neighborhood, but the last 30 years have seen Gros become one of the city's most attractive neighborhoods. This is now indisputably the most cosmopolitan part of town - full of fashionably dressed people chatting at the trendy cafes - and you’ll hear English spoken everywhere, but mostly by expats, not tourists.

Within easy walking distance of pretty much anywhere you’ll want to go and perfectly connected to other areas by buses and protected bike lanes, this is a great base for exploring San Sebastián, especially if you’re looking for somewhere young, hip, and modern.

For an escape from the city, Monte Ulía is one of the city's best green spaces. It has a great network of hiking trails, a favorite of which is the 7 km trail that brings you to the fishing village of Pasaia. The enormous Kursaal convention center is also here, a multi-use space that hosts conferences, exhibits, shows, and the San Sebastian film festival. And for a really local experience, head to El Muro, a wall that lines the eastern edge of Zuriola beach and is a favorite evening meeting point for locals who come here to grab a beer, a bite, and sit on the wall and watch the sun set.

If it's not already clear from my description, I really like Gros. If I didn't live here and were coming to visit, this is where I'd stay and it's the area I typically recommend to friends. Even so, if you're visiting for just a day or two and want to quickly hit the sights, soak up San Sebastián's Belle Epoque architecture, and food hop the old town's pintxo bars, the previous two neighborhoods I've recommended make more sense. For anyone with more time (or who really want to avoid other tourists), definitely consider it.

Where to stay

Boutique Hotel Mendi Argia - In a green and secluded part of the neighborhood, this boutique hotel is an absolute treat. The views are great and the rooms are modern, but filled with character. It's a particularly great option for a romantic stay. $200-300 USD.

Hotel Punta Mompás - A cute little hotel in an area that I think has the best views in all of San Sebastián at the foot of Ulía mountain. At sunset, the views over the Cantabrian Sea are extraordinary, and the hotel is worth staying at for that alone. $50-150 USD.

Pensión Kursaal: This is the best guesthouse in Gros, right in front of the Kursaal Congress Center and a few steps from La Zurriola beach. It’s a perfect spot for surfers and visitors who want to enjoy the sea and the outdoors. $50-100 USD.

4. El Antiguo

Best for: Travelers who want to stay somewhere very local; families with kids

Pros: Good beach access, less crowded, local atmosphere, lots of squares and parks, modern and affordable hotels

Cons: Long walk into the city center, more modern and less historic architecture, no sights, not much evening activity, can feel quiet and sleepy

*Plaza Jose Maria Sert. Photo:* *Xabier Cañas*, *CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped*

Located along family-friendly Ondarreta beach on the western side of the city, this is a very local and down to earth neighborhood that offers a chance for total immersion into San Sebastián's typical way of life.

Not many people know this, but El Antiguo was actually the original settlement of the city, making it the oldest part of town. While the city’s development shifted east to the Old Town and the City Center over time, this is the real “old San Sebastian”, even if the original architecture is now almost entirely gone.

Perhaps better described as a village unto itself, El Antiguo has a kind of independent spirit from the rest of the city. To better demonstrate that attitude, think of this: antiguotarras (residents of the area) usually say they are “going to San Sebastián” if they plan to head into town. When here, although just a 30-minute walk along the beach to the city center, you do genuinely have the sense of being somewhere else.

There are no touristic sights here, the architecture is pretty modern, and it's definitely not trendy or hip, but it's a "real” local area that is quite pleasant and doesn't feel like a place concerned with tourism. Very few tourists choose to stay in the area, so it has a very local atmosphere and none of the crowds found in the more central neighborhoods. It's also great for families with young children, as the neighborhood is full of parks and leafy squares, and Ondarreta beach never gets nearly as crowded as La Concha or Zuriola.

Although the neighborhood is fairly sleepy and you won't find nightlife or super busy evenings, the main street of Calle Matía is a lively commercial avenue that is always bustling and filled with people. All around it are lots of good restaurants that serve typical and are comparatively very affordable.

Another major benefit of staying here is that, because there's space, you have a decent selection of mid-sized hotels that are pretty modern and comfortable. If you're arriving to the city by car, many have their own garages and you can also find parking lots and on-street parking.

I think the area is a very good choice for families with children, travelers who want to stay somewhere peaceful, and anyone looking to enjoy a slice of authentic local life. It's also a good option if you're coming here for an extended stay as you'll have all the amenities and services needed for daily life.

Where to stay

Go Donosti Chillida - If you want to experience San Sebastián as a true local (albeit one with a decent salary), the modern apartments from Go Donosti Chillida, with their exceptional views of La Concha Bay, are a great choice. $150-250 USD.

NH Collection Aranzazu - A large, modern hotel a few blocks off the beach. Rooms are very spacious and it's good value. It's a particularly good option if you'll have a car and need to park. $100-200 USD.

Letoh Letoh San Sebastián - Located in the heart of Calle Matía and just meters away from Ondarreta Beach, this is a modern hotel that offers perfect working spaces (great for work trips or digital nomads) in addition to comfortable, very tastefully furnished rooms. $80-150 USD.

Ilunion San Sebastián - A classic, four-star hotel that's very modern and conveniently located right next to Ondarreta Beach and Calle Matía. $75-150 USD.

Other neighborhoods to consider

Easo

A more tranquil, easy-going, and middle class neighborhood, Easo offers an interesting contrast with the upscale (and expensive) life found in the other city center neighborhoods.

Technically, this is really still part of the City Center, but Easo is a bit to the south and west, and is often thought of as its own mini neighborhood. It sits at the base of a steep hill which rises up around Calle Easo and continues into the upscale neighborhood of Aiete.

The Plaza de Easo is a very pleasant square, and it’s a nice spot to grab some drinks and start up or wind down an evening.

Wherever you stay in this area, you’ll be only a couple of minutes away from the main sights, but with many fewer tourists and a much more “regular” local crowd.

Egia

To the east of the city center, across the Urumea River, and to the south of Gros, Egia is an “up and coming” area that artists and hipsters who have been displaced from other neighborhoods (as they become too expensive) have begun to flock to.

It’s definitely not a wealthy or touristy area, but it’s still quite central and you’ll be within easy walking distance of most of the rest of the city from here.

It’s also a haven for independent art and culture, and you’ll find innovative music and expo spaces like Dabadaba, Le Bukowski, and Tabakalera (all centers of the hipster movement in San Sebastián) sitting side by side with good quality, traditional restaurants with great prices here.

Hotel Villa Eugenia: A three-star hotel located close in central Egia but still close enough to La Zurriola beach, Villa Eugenia is a good spot if you want to be able to hit the beach and check out the neighborhood’s arts scene.

Igeldo

Mount Igeldo rises up on the western edge of San Sebastián, and the neighborhood that sits atop it, Igeldo, is a perfect transition between urban life and the rural Basque lifestyle found outside the cities. Here, you can go hiking, get to know nature, enjoy nice views of the ocean, and see La Concha Bay from the most unique amusement park in Europe.

Mercure San Sebastián Monte Igueldo: Right next to the amusement park, Hotel Monte Igeldo is a good luxury choice for an escape from the city without being too far away.

Pasaia

Although it’s not actually a neighborhood of San Sebastián - since it belongs to a different city council -, the Bay of Pasaia (located on the eastern side of Monte Ulía and well to the east of San Sebastian overall)) is still the town’s main industrial port, and it more or less makes sense to think of Pasaia as just another neighborhood.

That being said, it is much further away from the city center than anywhere else I’ve mentioned so far. Pasaia is definitely not a conventional choice for a place to stay, and you’d be traveling back and forth a lot if you want to spend most of your time in central San Sebastian, but the charm here is undeniable.

The narrow streets and the fisherman-like houses running along the waterfront are iconic, the sea is at your fingertips no matter where you go in the area, and the character is local, authentic, and real.

Also, whether you stay here or not, you must go for dinner at Txulotxo Restaurant.

Donibanea Hotela: Have you read everything I’ve just said about Pasaia? About the sea, the fishing tradition, the narrow streets, the bay? Well, if all of that could be converted into a hotel, it would be Donibanea Hotela.