View of the Cantabric Sea from the new walking way in the north of the city around Urgull mountain. Rounding the sea, La Concha bay, considered one of the most beautiful places in the Basque Country.

San Sebastian - San Sebastian visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'San Sebastian' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Basque Country.

San Sebastián is the capital of the Gipuzkoa region of the the Basque Country in northern Spain. The city lies on the southern coast of the Bay of Biscay. There is evidence of Roman occupation but the town really developed after the founding of the St. Sebastián monastery in 1014. It has a thousand year history as an important trading port. In and around San Sebastian are many buildings, castles and forts that testify to a prosperous and, sometimes turbulent, past. In the 17th century it was the home port of most Spanish corsary ships and was attacked by both the Portuguese and English in the 18th and 19th centuries.

San Sebastian - Tourist Attractions

Some of the top tourist attractions in San Sebastian include:

• Monte Igueldo - 184m high hill at the end of Playa de Ondarreta with a terrace restaurant, an amusement park, an observatory and an outlook tower.
• Monte Ulía - 230m high hill rising above the Gros district 7km from the center of San Sebastian with a garden restaurant and three outlook terraces at the top.
• Catedral de Buen Pastor (Cathedral of the Good Shepherd ) - Late 19th century Neo-Gothic cathedral with a 75m high tower.
• Alameda del Boulevard - Boulevard shaded by tamarisk and lined with shops, restaurants and cafes with the fishing harbor, Club Náutico and the Town Hall overlooking the Bahía de la Concha at the west end.
Old Town of San Sebastian - full of old buildings and very lively in the evening, especially around Plaza de la Constitución which forms the heart of the Old Town.
• Paseo Nuevo - road running from the Aquarium to the mouth of the Río Urumea and Puente Zurriola.
• Palacio de Miramar - road through a tunnel under the Palacio de Miramar to the Antiguo district and Playa de Ondarreta.

San Sebastian - Beaches

San Sebastian enjoys one of the best in-city beaches in Europe, La Concha Bay. Alongside are Ondaretta and Zurriola beaches. Zurriola beach, in particular, has excellent surfing and also permits naturism, but all three beaches have visitor amenities. San Sebastian is likened to Paris in appearance - the elegant street lights, ornate architecture, tree-lined avenues and stylish bridges.

San Sebastian Tourist Information Office
Boulevard 8
20003 Donostia-San Sebastián
Phone: 943 48 11 66
Web: sansebastianturismo.com/

Bus: Various regional bus services arrive at San Sebastian bus station, at Plaza de Pio XII in Amara Nuevo.
Flight: San Sebastian Airport. Other nearby airports include Biarritz (France, 50km away), Bilbao (100km) and Vitoria-Gasteiz (114km).
Train: San Sebastian has international links with Spain, Portugal and France and overnight services from both Paris and Lisbon.