Things To Do Near San Sebastian

If you are visiting San Sebastian for a few days and would like to spend a day (or two) exploring the main places of interest near San Sebastian, here are a few suggestions for must-do tours and activities that are less than an hour drive from San Sebastian.

Visit the French Basque Coast

Cross the border between Spain and France and drive through the coastal road to discover the Cote Basque: from small and colorful fishermen villages like Saint Jean de Luz to elegant and stylish towns like Biarritz. Take a stroll along the beach promenades of the French Basque Coast to learn about Basque whale hunters and European royalty, and visit the local markets to taste the main products of French cuisine. Traveling to France from Spain in a day was never so easy. 

Port Vieux of Biarritz

Taste the Basque white wine and discover the coast of Gipuzkoa

If you are a wine enthusiast, you’ve probably already heard about a Basque wine called Txakoli. This slightly sparkling and dry white wine is mainly produced in small family run wineries located between the coastal towns of Zarautz and Getaria, just a few miles far from San Sebastian. Visiting one of these family run wineries from San Sebastian will take no more than a couple of hours, and if wine tasting paired with locally produced seafood appetizers is not enough of an excuse to make the short trip, we promise that the spectacular views of green vineyards merging into the blue of the Cantabrian Sea never disappoints. After the winery visit and txakoli wine tasting, you can also consider staying in the fishermen’s town of Getaria for a little longer to enjoy a lunch in any of its renowned grilled fish restaurants.

Txakoli Vineyards

Visit an Idiazabal cheese farm in the Basque Countryside

This is the perfect day tour for those who want to learn about Basque local products. Close to the mountains, shepherds of the Basque Country elaborate our beloved Idiazabal cheese in the artisanal way. When you visit any of the Idiazabal cheese farms located in the countryside, you will discover all the secrets about the native Latxa sheep and the elaboration process of this Basque cheese. As a bonus, on your way back to San Sebastian, you can stop for lunch at a traditional Basque cider house to taste some natural hard cider paired with a grilled rib eye steak. This is, without a doubt, a perfect plan for lovers of Basque food.

Shepherd with his flock of sheep

Walking around the Flysch Route

If you like nature and outdoor activities, taking a walk through UNESCO’s Basque Coast Geopark is a must. Home to the famous Flysch, here you can take different hiking routes or just walk a few minutes to admire the impressive cliffs and unique geological formations of sedimentary rock that have accumulated for over 60 million years. In recent years, the Flysch has become quite popular due to the world-famous tv series Game of Thrones, as it was one of the locations used during the filming of its seventh season. For those of you looking to get some exercise into your vacation, there is a great hiking trail between the towns of Deba and Zumaia with rewarding coastal views every step of the way.

The Flysch of the Basque Coast Geopark