San Sebastián Hop-On Hop-Off City Bus Tour

Old Town (Parte Vieja) and San Telmo Museum

The Old Town of San Sebastián is a tight grid of stone streets between Mount Urgull and the Urumea River, rebuilt after the great fire of 1813. Its squares and lanes are lined with tall balconied buildings and lively eateries famous for pintxos, the small Basque bites served on bread. Highlights include the baroque Basilica of Santa Maria and the arcaded Constitution Square, where the numbered balconies recall the days when it served as a bullring.

The San Telmo stop leaves you at the museum of Basque society and culture, housed in a 16th-century Dominican convent with a modern extension. From here, walk through the Old Town to the fishing port or climb Mount Urgull for views of the bay. On a San Sebastián hop-on hop-off day, this is the stop most visitors use first.

La Concha promenade and Ondarreta

The bus follows the La Concha promenade, with its white railings and lamp posts, along one of the most admired urban beaches in Europe. From the upper deck you see the whole curve of the bay, Santa Clara Island in its mouth and Miramar Palace on the hill that divides La Concha from Ondarreta beach. The Belle Époque buildings along the seafront date from the late 19th century, when San Sebastián became a fashionable summer resort.

Hop off at La Concha or Ondarreta to walk on the sand or along the promenade. In summer the beach is busy from morning until sunset; out of season it is perfect for a long walk with the sea air.

Igueldo and the Comb of the Wind

At the western end of the bay, the Igueldo stop brings you to the granite terraces where three huge iron sculptures known as the Comb of the Wind are anchored into the rocks, facing the open Atlantic. When the sea is rough, the waves burst through blowholes in the paving with a roar. Above rises Monte Igueldo, whose summit, reached by a historic funicular, offers the classic postcard view of La Concha and a small old-fashioned amusement park.

The funicular and the amusement park have their own tickets, not included in the bus ticket. Allow at least an hour if you want to go up to the summit; the light is especially beautiful in the late afternoon.

Gros, the Kursaal and the Good Shepherd Cathedral

Across the Urumea River, the bus crosses some of the city’s historic bridges to Gros, the district of the Zurriola surf beach. Here stands the Kursaal, the modern glass congress centre whose two translucent cubes glow at night. Back in the centre, the Good Shepherd Cathedral, completed in 1897 in neo-Gothic style, has the tallest spire in the city and faces a long pedestrian avenue.

Gros is a great place to hop off for a relaxed walk along the river or to watch the surfers on Zurriola. The cathedral area, called the Romantic Area, is the elegant 19th-century expansion of the city, with wide streets and shops. Both areas are full of cafés and bakeries, ideal for a break between rides.

Miramar and Aiete palaces, Anoeta and Tabakalera

The route also climbs to quieter parts of the city. Miramar Palace, built in English cottage style in 1893 as a royal summer residence, sits in gardens with superb views over the bay. Aiete Palace, in a large public park on a hill, is another former aristocratic summer residence. Both gardens are free to visit and make lovely green breaks from the seafront.

Further on, the bus passes the Anoeta sports area and Amara, then Tabakalera, a former tobacco factory turned into an international centre for contemporary culture, with a rooftop terrace over the city. The full loop takes about one hour, so you can ride it once for an overview and then hop off where you like.