Top tips

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The Quick Answer

• The best beach bases: Gros, Antiguo, the Old Town & City Centre
• The best city break stays: the Old Town & City Centre
• The best foodie haunts: the Old Town & City Centre, Egia, Antiguo

Table of Contents

San Sebastián is a city blessed!  With world-renowned food and two of the best city beaches in Europe, it is a fantastic destination for city-breaks, beach-lovers, families, fun, or couples with romance in mind. Check our guide to the neighbourhoods of San Sebastián to make sure you stay in the perfect district for your needs.

San Sebastián’s Neighbourhoods 

The Old Town, or Parte Vieja, is where you'll find the historic architecture and pintxos bars. If San Sebastián’s beaches and nightlife have more of a pull for you, consider staying in Gros, across the river from the Old Town. The City Centre, also called the Area Románcita, around La Concha beach, is where those looking for a luxurious option or superb views should stay. Travellers staying a bit longer, or looking for a more residential base, should consider Antigo-Igeldo, Amara, Aiete, or Egia.  Antigo is San Sebastián’s oldest neighbourhood, and full of traditional shops; while Amara is modern, and affordable, while still being close to the centre of town; Aiete is greener and more peaceful.

The Old Town & City Centre

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As well as being within a short and very pleasant stroll of many of San Sebastián’s main visitor attractions, the Old Town and City Centre are also very picturesque neighbourhoods to stay in. The Old Town, also called the Parte Vieja, is where the old walled city had its heart, between the port and the base of Mount Urgull. This is where you’ll find the oldest architecture, including churches, the basilica, and the historic plazas. These days, this is also where you’ll find the majority of museums, plus the aquarium. The Old Town is also a fantastic neighbourhood for foodies — this is still the heart of pintxo culture — and for anyone who enjoys a lively evening out. The City Centre replaces the city walls, and has some seriously charming Belle Epoque architecture, arranged along grand boulevards. This is where you’ll find some of the most luxurious hotels and shopping, and a collection of very fine bars and restaurants. These neighbourhoods are also right up beside Playa La Concha, so perfect for a city beach break.

Gros

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Gentrified Gros is central, beachfront, and full of youth and life! This is a great place for surfers, who come for the waves of La Zurriola, while also being popular with skateboarders, basketball and volleyball teams, cyclists, and walkers; it’s a beautiful stretch of coastline! Gros is situated across the river from the City Centre and Old Town, and it doesn’t have the architectural charms, but it’s still a historic place, and super trendy and cosmopolitan with it. This is where you’ll find the coolest new places to eat, drink and go out of an evening, and it’s got a young, friendly vibe. Gros also has one of San Sebastián’s newest architecture icons: the Kursaal Conference Centre, which hosts the San Sebastián Film Festival and Jazzaldia jazz festival.

Antiguo & Igeldo

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Antiguo is another beach-side neighbourhood to consider, this time just to the west of the city centre, along Ondarreta beach. It’s a much more residential-feeling neighbourhood, with an older population, and fewer visitor facilities — but that means there are some fantastic value places to stay here, and that it offers a more authentically San Sebastián feeling stay. Antiguo sits under Mount Iguldo, known for its fantastic views and vintage funfair, which you can reach on a charming funicular. The Miramar Palace and its lovely gardens sit between the beaches of La Concha and Ondarreta — you can walk between them around a rocky headland at low tide, or across the beautiful gardens at high tide, so this is a pretty central neighbourhood in which to stay. San Sebastián’s promenade continues through Antiguo, ending at the rocky cliffs bearing the well-known contemporary sculpture called The Comb of the Wind.  

Amara & Riberas de Loyola

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Amara and Riberas de Loyola are living, residential neighbourhoods, with shops and offices as well as bars and restaurants favoured by local people — so expect great pintxo again! Amara’s two large avenues lead to parks, the river, San Sebastián’s main square, and the main football stadium. The plazas here are lined with pavement cafes and often host markets and musical events. Riberas de Loyola offers a similar, more residential setting, and is probably best known for its impressive new church, a minimalist, contemporary affair designed by Rafael Moneo. Both of these neighbourhoods have a number of three and four star hotels, as well as apartments and aparthotels. 

Egia

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Located on the opposite side of the Urumea River to the Old Town, Egia is definitely a residential neighbourhood, but it’s got loads of attractions too — including a huge park, lots of theatres and music venues, and a cultural centre called Tabakalera (it used to be a tobacco factory). Egia is a neighbourhood of rich cultural offerings, street art and pintxos bars, and it's within an easy walk of both Gros and its beaches, and the historic attractions of the Old Town and City Centre. This is a great base for foodies: known for its varied cuisine and traditional neighbourhood bars with a twist! Its big park is called the Cristina Enea Park, and is one of the largest proper urban parks in San Sebastián, complete with peacocks, ducks and landscaped gardens and the palace of the Duke of Madras, which you can visit.

Aiete & Miramón

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Aiete and Miramón are residential neighbourhoods just outside of the centre of San Sebastián, on hills that overlook the city. These are green places to stay: Aiete has a landscaped park with ponds, caves and waterfalls; Miramón Park is one of the largest in the city; Puio Park is one of the best places for panoramic city views. You can walk up to Aiete starting from a path off Playa La Concha, or you can catch the bus, but the views as you go up Aldapeta Hill are superb. In addition to views and green spaces, Aiete and Miramón are convenient neighbourhoods for the Basque Culinary Centre, and the palace of the Dukes of Bailen, now the House of Peace and Human Rights.