San Sebastián is located in northern Spain, near the French border, along the Bay of Biscay. It’s part of the Basque Autonomous Community and serves as the capital of the Gipuzkoa province.

The city sits between lush hills and three beaches—La Concha, Ondarreta, and Zurriola—with a compact center ideal for walking. Its location makes it a gateway to both inland Basque villages and coastal wine regions like Getaria.

San Sebastián is well-connected by train and bus to major cities like Bilbao, Pamplona, and Madrid, and is just over 30 minutes from Biarritz by car.

The best times to visit San Sebastián are May–June and September–October, when the weather is mild, the beaches are accessible, and crowds are smaller than in peak summer.

San Sebastián has an oceanic climate with warm summers and mild, rainy winters. Summer highs average around 24°C (75°F), while winter days hover near 12°C (54°F). Rain is common year-round—pack a light jacket or umbrella regardless of season.

Spring and early fall offer ideal conditions for food tours, coastal walks, and pintxos crawls. September also overlaps with the San Sebastián International Film Festival, a major cultural event.

Traveling in the shoulder season means better hotel availability and lower prices than in July or August, when domestic tourism peaks.

For the most immersive experience, we recommend staying in Parte Vieja (Old Town) or the adjacent Centro district. Parte Vieja is San Sebastián’s historic core—home to centuries-old churches, lively pintxos bars, and narrow pedestrian lanes just steps from La Concha Bay.

Centro offers early 20th-century architecture, wide boulevards, and boutique hotels housed in elegant Belle Époque buildings. It’s ideal if you want walkable access to both the beach and the main shopping streets.

For a quieter stay, the Gros neighborhood east of the Urumea River features modern apartments, creative restaurants, and easy access to Zurriola Beach, popular with surfers and locals.

Use the interactive map below to explore accommodations by date, budget, and amenities.

San Sebastián Airport (EAS) is located about 20 km from the city center, with connections to Madrid and Barcelona. For more flight options, Biarritz Airport (BIQ) and Bilbao Airport (BIO) are within 1–1.5 hours by car or bus.

The city’s main station, Estación del Norte, offers regular service to Bilbao, Madrid, and other Spanish cities. It’s walkable from the city center and connected by local bus routes.

San Sebastián operates on Central European Time (CET) and observes daylight saving time (CEST) from late March through October.

Spain uses the euro (€). Credit cards are widely accepted, though it’s useful to have cash for small purchases in markets and pintxos bars.

Both Spanish and Basque (Euskara) are official languages. English is spoken in most hotels and tourist-facing restaurants, but learning a few Spanish or Basque words is appreciated.

Visitors from the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia do not need a visa for stays in France under 90 days within any 180-day period. For more details, check out our article on traveling visa-free.

Visitors from the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Australia can stay in Spain for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa. For more details, check out our article on traveling visa-free.

Spain uses Type C and F plugs. Voltage is 230V. U.S. visitors should bring a plug adapter and check if their devices are dual-voltage.

We recommend a travel power strip with multiple USBs and standard plug-ins if you have many items to plug in. Using a power strip, you will only need one adapter to plug the strip into the wall.

For mobile data, travelers can use a local SIM or eSIM. We recommend Airalo eSIMs for convenience—they activate automatically on arrival and are ideal for short-term stays with modest data needs (under 5GB).

A car isn’t necessary in San Sebastián, but it’s useful for day trips to Getaria, Hondarribia, or French Basque villages like Saint-Jean-de-Luz. Parking in the city center is limited.

In addition to the major car rental companies found in the United States, Sixt and Europcar are common throughout Europe. For a comparison of rental car offers from large international brands and smaller regional brands, we recommend Discover Cars.