Along with its beautiful beaches and vibrant culture, Donostia-San Sebastián is renowned for its incredible gastronomic scene, which makes it one of our favourite destinations for stunning, epicurean-themed holidays. For everything you need to know about eating your way through Spain’s culinary capital, read on…
Donostia-San Sebastián is the capital of the Spanish province of Gipuzkoa, which is set on the Bay of Biscay in the heart of northern Spain’s Basque Country. Whether you’re exploring the hidden squares of the city’s Old Town (Parte Vieja), strolling along the riverside promenade lined with Belle-Epoque buildings, or lazing on one of its three golden-sand beaches, the city seems to have been made for exploring on foot.
Its compact layout means you can finish your breakfast at a café in the Old Town’s Plaza de la Constitución, then be lazing on La Concha beach ten minutes later. There’s an efficient network of local buses, or you can hire a bike and take advantage of the extensive bike lanes to explore further afield.
San Sebastián is also a traditional stop for walkers on the Camino del Norte, which is one of the oldest and most beautiful routes for pilgrims heading to Santiago de Compostela. Be warned: the city’s hospitality and gastronomy might tempt you to stay longer than planned.
There is a domestic airport at Donostia-San Sebastián, with flights arriving regularly from major Spanish destinations like Madrid, Barcelona and the Canary Islands, as well as from London. The nearest major international airport is at Biarritz, less than an hour’s drive away in southern France. There’s also an international airport at Bilbao, which is less than two hours’ drive away. From either direction, the drive to San Sebastián is incredibly scenic, especially if you have time to explore pretty coastal towns like Zarautz and Hondarribia along the way.
Spain’s extensive rail network makes it easy to arrive by train, soaking up the stunning countryside along the way. If you opt to travel by high-speed train, the journey from Madrid takes around five hours.
Pinxtos (pronounced “peen-chos”) are San Sebastián’s most iconic culinary experience, and these snack-sized morsels offer the perfect tasting tour of the Basque region’s finest produce. Platters of different pinxtos, usually spiked to small pieces of bread with toothpicks (hence the name: pintxo means thorn or spike), are often the first thing to catch your eye when you walk into a bar or tavern.
The Basque region is renowned for its incredible seafood, especially its boquerones (anchovies). You can enjoy them fresh or marinated, grilled in butter, speared with sliced red tomatoes, or even served with a dollop of blueberry marmalade. The most famous anchovy-themed pinxto was named in honour of the eponymous spicy siren portrayed by Rita Hayworth in the 1946 movie, Gilda. The flavoursome fish are served skewered with a green manzanilla olive and a sweetly spicy piparra (pepper).
Other favourites include seared foie gras, shredded txangurro (spider crab), Jamón ibérico (cured Iberian ham) and freshly grilled gambas (shrimps), all of which you can enjoy in a multitude of ways that celebrate each hero ingredient’s freshness and flavour.
If you’re a cheese lover, don’t miss the opportunity to try Idiazabal cheese, which has been a regional speciality for thousands of years. It’s made from the milk of the native Latxa and Carranzana sheep, which spend every summer grazing the high meadows of the Pyrenees Mountains.
If you have more of a sweet tooth, we recommend ordering a plate of freshly-made churros. Dunk them in the accompanying bowl of rich, dark chocolate sauce and wait for your taste buds to explode with joy.
La Viña has been an iconic eatery in San Sebastián’s Old Town since 1959, tucked into a quiet street of golden stone buildings just a stone’s throw from the sixteenth century Gothic church of San Vicente (San Bizente Eliza). In 1988, the restaurant’s chef, Santiago Rivera, created a dessert, with a rustic, caramelised exterior and a smooth, custardy centre, that transformed the eatery into a place of pilgrimage for foodies the world over: rich and creamy Burnt Basque cheesecake.
Treating yourself to a generous wedge of this mouthwatering sweet indulgence is a must during your visit to the Basque region. We recommend making it your well-earned reward after tackling the walk to the summit of neighbouring Monte Urgull, where you’ll find most amazing views over the city, bay and beaches.
The cold selection of cold pinxtos that is typically displayed on bar counters is usually complemented by a menu of hot pinxtos that are made to order. Once you have perused the available options, you can let the bartender know which ones you would like to try. They will keep track of what you have ordered, and present you with a bill when you have eaten your fill. Remember: bar hopping is actively encouraged in San Sebastián – it’s the best way to ensure that you get to sample a little of everything!
If you take a road trip from San Sebastián heading west along the Atlantic coastline, you’ll soon start to notice row after row of tall, trellised grapevines. The picturesque green hills that surround the coastal town of Getaria are famous for producing a wine called txakoli (chacolí in Spanish). This lightly sparkling, dry white wine is the perfect tipple to enjoy as you work your way through an assortment of pinxtos.
If you’re more of a beer drinker, we recommend following the locals’ example and ordering a zurito of your favourite local brew. With just 150 mL per serve, it’s just the right size to wash down a single pinxto before heading to the next bar to do it all again.
Traditional Basque cider (known locally as sagardoa, which translates literally as ‘apple wine’) has been produced and enjoyed in the region for centuries. It’s dry, still and slightly cloudy, typically served in small glasses, and locals recommend drinking it quickly in a few shots if you want to fully appreciate the freshly-poured flavour. With around 80 cider houses dotted around the Basque region, it’s well worth joining a guided tour of cellar doors to learn more about the history and lore surrounding this beloved beverage. Pro tip: if you’re visiting Donostia-San Sebastián between January and May, you can take part in the annual ritual known as txotx, when the barrels of new-season cider are opened to be tasted.
The Basque capital is not just food-famous for its small bites – it’s also punching well above its weight in the fine-dining department. Despite being roughly the same size as Townsville, San Sebastián contains 12 Michelin-starred restaurants, plus another 36 with Bib Gourmand status. All this to say that there are plenty of amazing dining options if you’re looking for something a little bit special.
If you’re a serious foodie, you’ve probably already heard of legendary dining destinations like Arzak, Akelarre, and Martín Berasategui, which are renowned for their genius in combining the Basque region’s classic culinary traditions with a generous serving of innovation and creativity. Iconic ingredients include freshly caught Cantabrian tuna, foraged wild mushrooms, and locally grown cherries, artichokes and beef. Be sure to enquire well in advance, as reservations for many of the city’s finest eateries are often heavily booked in advance.
One of the true delights of culinary-inspired travel is to venture into the surrounding countryside to sample local specialities at their source. Much of San Sebastián’s reputation as a gastronomic paradise is due to the incredible wealth of ingredients on its doorstep, and a guided gourmet tour is our favourite way to try them all. You can sample new-season txakoli wines on a day trip to Getaria, find out how Basque sailors were kept safe from scurvy at a family-run cider farm in Astigarraga, or feast on fresh seafood in the seaside village of Orio.
From its bustling pinxtos bars to its Michelin-starred temples to fine-dining, Donostia-San Sebastián is truly a food-lover’s paradise of flavour and creativity. To start planning your ultimate foodie escape, talk to your personal travel manager today… together you can start crafting a deliciously unforgettable adventure.
TravelManagers respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands where we work and gather, and those we visit.
