Luxury San Sebastian
Tours made for you
Head to Playa de la Concha
and stroll along the promenade
Visit the old quarter
and marvel at the two opposing churches
Sail the Cantabrian Sea
on a slow fishing experience
Take part in a cooking class
and enjoy traditional Basque cuisine
The shimmering Basque coast
Madrid, Barcelona and Seville may be more famous, but the sophisticated and shimmering city of San Sebastian in the north of the country has quickly become the Spanish city of choice for those in the know, especially travellers guided by their taste buds.
This Basque seaside town sits at the mouth of the River Urumea, looking out onto the Bay of Biscay, with the natural beauty of Mount Urgull, Mount Ulia, Mount Adarra and Mount Igeldo at its back. Its covetable position has given rise to a lively beachfront that includes Playa de la Concha, renowned as one of the best beaches in Europe, and Playa de la Zurriola, a champion surfing destination. But it’s the city’s fabled elegant architecture, spacious plazas and plentiful green parks that have led to its moniker as the ‘Pearl of Northern Spain’.
San Sebastian, or Donostia as it’s known in Euskara, is where you’ll experience the unique and rich Basque culture, deliciously expressed in its cuisine. While you’re here, begin your feast with a large helping of pintxos, heavenly morsels of various dishes ranging from Spanish omelette to scampi, ham, chillies and risotto squares, traditionally, but not always, served resting on a slice of baguette. Next, you have the enviable task of deciding whether to go for a dish of the freshest seafood, Basque-style fore rib of beef or ‘Alubias de Tolosa’, a savoury, comforting bean broth.
Highlights
Surf on Playa de la Zurriola
Eat your share of pintxos
Lounge on Playa de la Concha – renowned as one of the best beaches in Europe
Visit the San Telmo Museoa of Basque culture and society
Get an aerial view of the city from the summit of Monte Igueldo
See the 18th century cannons and fortifications on Mount Urgull
Melania Siriu
Senior Travel Designer
San Sebastian is a stunning city. Enjoy a stroll along La Concha Beach's promenade before wandering through the maze of alleyways that make up the old quarter. I personally recommend a cooking class with a member of a gastronomic society, as you'll be able to taste delicious traditional Basque cuisine - and learn a secret or two about its past.
Melania Siriu
Senior Travel Designer
Luxury accommodation in San Sebastian
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
We’ll plan your trip around your specific interests, tastes and preferences, providing helpful tips and honest advice based on first-hand knowledge of the destination.
Authentic experiences
Our expert guides and brilliant travel concierges are hand-picked to provide a genuine experience, bringing your destination to life with care and passion.
Responsible travel
Our luxury trips are designed with responsible travel principles that prioritise travel experiences that are both good for you and good for the planet.
Trip inspiration
Where to go
Andalusia
Andalusia possesses the most-varied terrain in all of Spain and boasts both a Mediterranean and an Atlantic coastline.
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Barcelona
Barcelona caters to every type of traveller, from honeymooners and beach lovers to art aficionados, foodies and culture hunters.
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Bilbao
Sophisticated, cosmopolitan, and vibrant, Bilbao is the modern face of the Basques.
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Catalonia and the Costa Brava
Along Catalonia’s rugged coast, the Costa Brava, secluded beaches are punctuated by fishing towns.
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Duero Valley Wine Region
With more than 300 wineries, there’s no chance of going thirsty. Each and every winemaker is immensely proud of their product and have their own secrets.
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Granada
Granada is as famous for its beautiful gardens and charming narrow streets as for its tavern-style nightlife and Flamenco-skilled gypsy artists.
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La Rioja Wine Region
Tucked away between the Basque Country, Navarre and Castilla y Leon, northern La Rioja may be small, but it’s full of spirit.
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Madrid
The Spanish capital is bursting with life and passion and through its well planned streets course Madrilenos, the city’s inhabitants.
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Malaga and the Costa del Sol
Malaga is best known for the Costa del Sol, a stretch of sandy coastline punctuated by Marbella and Puerto Banus Marina, as well as sleepier fishing villages.
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Mallorca
Beloved by Chopin, George Sand, Joan Miro, and other such luminaries, the largest of the Balearic Islands is nothing short of inspiring.
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Santiago de Compostela
Santiago de Compostela is one of the country’s most culturally and historically significant cities.
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Seville
Seville has resurrected itself as the capital and largest city of Andalusia, full of Spanish grandeur.
Discover moreMeet your Europe team
When to visit
San Sebastian is a year-round destination, but for your best chance of catching some sun, it’s best to go in the summer months (May to August).
Beach days
May - September
Outdoor activities
June / September
Plan your trip to San Sebastian
Whatever you want from your adventure in San Sebastian, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
It was truly wonderful. This was one of the best trips we have ever taken. Further, working with Jacada made all the difference in the world! Every detail was carefully considered based on our “wishes and wants” for our trip to Spain and Portugal! Melania and Alice were amazing and we can’t tell you how grateful we are for their…
Alice Cosso and Meg Simpson helped us with our trip to Spain. We toured Barcelona, Majorca, Seville, and Madrid. We are a family of four with two teenagers who were seeing Spain for the first time. We relied upon Meg and Alice to help us with tours,flights,hotels, excursions. We accomplished so much in two weeks. I can’t imagine doing it…
Dan Rhodes, my travel agent was, was extremely smart and perceptive. He put together the perfect itinerary. The local agency, Made for Spain and Portugal was also terrific. I can’t praise Dan enough. I have seldom met anyone so amazing at listening and then working with your guidance to put together the trip of a lifetime. I have a lot…
Andulsia April 2023 From the first contact to the last day the trip was smooth and seamless. Our Agent Dan our concierge Alice and our very knowledgable guides and hosts made the trip so very enjoyable. Everything Jacada had arranged for us was exactly the kind of thing we were interested in. The Alhambra, Ubada/Beaza, Cordoba, Ronda, Jerez and one…
Great service, very knowledgeable guides, great locations and super transport
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When you book a trip in today’s world there’s a lot to think about. But with the right advice and expert planning, you can do it with confidence.
If you book to travel with us but your plans are impacted by circumstances you can’t control, we’ll change your reservation or cancel your booking for a full credit towards future travel.
