What to see in San Sebastian in 2 days. A complete visit to the Basque pearl

San Sebastian is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. Famous all over the planet thanks to the Playa de la Concha and its Old Town, some wonders that give this Cantabrian city a singular beauty for which you will want to return again and again.
Here we are going to detail a route with the best things to see in San Sebastián in two days or a weekend, enough time to get to know this beautiful city. If you have more time, exploring its surroundings and the Basque coast will complete a dream trip.
Visiting San Sebastian is a must experience. If you don’t know why, keep reading and you’ll find out.
What to see in San Sebastian in two days
First day in San Sebastian
We can start our first day in San Sebastián at one of the ends of the Bahía de la Concha, next to the Peine del Viento, the famous sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, which has been at this end of Ondarreta Beach since 1976, and from where you have great views of the city.
The Wind Comb is located at the foot of one of the two mountains that make this city famous, Mount Igueldo, which we recommend climbing as from there you have the best views of Playa de la Concha, one of the best things to see. in San Sebastian in two days. To do this, you can go by car or, better yet, on the funicular that starts from its base and has 100 years of history.
After admiring the views and enjoying the small amusement park in its upper part, we can go down and start walking along Ondarreta Beach until we reach the Miramar Palace, located at the junction of said beach with La Shell.
San Sebastian and Asturias
At last, therefore, we arrive at Playa de La Concha, for many the most beautiful in Spain, thanks to the palaces and stately homes on the promenade and its views of the Island of Santa Clara.
At the end of Playa de la Concha is one of the most beautiful buildings to see in San Sebastian in two days, the Town Hall, the gateway to the Old Town, which was built in 1887 as a large casino until the game in 1924. Since 1945 it has been the seat of the San Sebastián City Council and one of its symbols.
We will overcome the temptation to go into the Old Town, something we will do the next day, to continue along the sea, arriving at the Port of San Sebastián, very small in a triangular shape, surrounded by fishermen’s houses and numerous restaurants.
At the end of the port is the San Sebastián Aquarium, another essential point to visit, especially if you go with children. It is not only an aquarium but also an interesting Naval Museum and a viewpoint towards the sea from which you have great views of the Cantabrian Sea and the Bay of La Concha.
After the visit to the Aquarium, we recommend continuing our tour along the Paseo Nuevo, which surrounds the base of Mount Urgull, leaving the Bahía de la Concha until we reach the mouth of the Urumea River and later the Kursaal Bridge, which we will cross until we reach another of the symbols of the city, the Kursaal, the great Palacio de Congresos, one of the best things to visit in San Sebastian in two days.
This way we can finish the tour of our first day in San Sebastian.
Second day in San Sebastian
We can start our second day in San Sebastián in the same place where the first ended, next to Zurriola Beach and the Kursaal, before starting to walk and discover two of the most impressive buildings in the city, the Hotel María Cristina and the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, dating from 1912.
A few meters from them is the Plaza de Guipúzcoa, one of the most beautiful parks frequented by the people of San Sebastian with very nice gardens and a pond with ducks and where we can also admire the building of the Provincial Council of Guipúzcoa, from 1890.
Once again overcoming the temptation to go to the Old Town, we will walk in the opposite direction towards the most commercial area of San Sebastián, where the main shops are located as well as the Buen Pastor Cathedral, our next destination, in a neo-Gothic style from the end of the 19th century and of which we can highlight its stained glass windows, its organ and its altarpiece dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Now yes, we can retrace our steps and reach the Old Town, the most authentic part of San Sebastian, full of pintxo bars and where you will also enjoy unique buildings, streets, squares and monuments that will make your visit unforgettable.
In the Old Town we have two very interesting churches, the Church of Santa María del Coro, one of the most beloved by the people of San Sebastian, and the Church of San Vicente, also very interesting.
Here the best thing to do is wander around until you reach the Plaza de la Constitución, the nerve center of the city and one of the best things to see in San Sebastián in two days. There is the old town hall and it is where the famous tamborrada is celebrated, so well known throughout the world. The visit to the Old Town of San Sebastián can be completed with the Museo de San Telmo, the municipal museum with interesting works of art.
Our two-day visit to San Sebastián has not yet ended, and we still have to climb to the top of Mount Urgull, which we have already circled several times without entering it. Full of viewpoints and with the Castillo de la Mota at the top, Mount Urgull has witnessed the entire history of San Sebastián. There is also the Sacred Heart, another of the symbols of the city.
From the top of Mount Urgull you can also admire the Bahía de la Concha and the city from a different perspective than that enjoyed from Mount Igueldo, but also with the same charm.
This is the end of our two-day walk through San Sebastián, which will surely not be the only two days you will walk through it.
You can find more information about what to see in San Sebastian on the official San Sebastian tourism page.