← Europe 2026

San Sebastián

Sat. Nov. 7 – Thu. Nov. 12
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Route picked: V4 (Oct. 3, 2026). Booked: the Barcelona → San Sebastián flight (Oct. 4, 2026). Chasen + Hugo fly Vueling VY1098 Barcelona → San Sebastián airport Sat. Nov. 7 and take the airport bus to Donostia: five nights here, then Valencia for three and a single Madrid night before the booked flight home Mon. Nov. 16. Each day holds the musts only; every stop sits inside its hours on the conservative reading (Oct. 3, 2026). Mon. Nov. 9 is the Gaztelugatxe day trip.

San Sebastián — continuation (route V4)
TypeTimePlaceNotesStatus
Sat. Nov. 7 Barcelona → San Sebastián · pintxo crawl (race eve, expect crowds)
12:20 PMVueling VY1098, Barcelona → San SebastiánLands 1:35 PM at San Sebastián airport (Hondarribia); leaves from Barcelona Terminal 1. Each of us has an under-seat bag, an overhead bag and a 25 kg checked bag. Backup if it cancels (the only nonstop that day): a Vueling nonstop to Bilbao, then the DO04 airport bus to Donostia (hourly at :45, about 80 min, €13.65).booked
3:30 PMBus BI01, San Sebastián airport → Donostia bus stationSaturday airport departures: 1:45, 3:30, 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 9:45 PM; about 21 min (Ekialdebus timetable, Oct. 2026)Lurraldebus line BI01, €1.95 for a single ticket. The 1:45 PM bus is too tight after a 1:35 PM landing with a checked bag, so the 3:30 PM bus is the plan (arrives 3:51 PM at Donostia bus station, then on to Hotel Atari in the Parte Vieja by city bus or on foot). Check in. Backup: the 5:30 PM bus, or a taxi from the airport rank (about 17 min, roughly €40–55). Calle Mayor is a pedestrian zone: a taxi can stop at the 15-minute loading bay on Calle Virgen del Coro, 1 min on foot from the hotel. Race weekend: in 2024 the Boulevard closed to traffic from 5:00 AM on the Saturday, so a taxi may not get close; the bus and a walk is the safer plan.tentative
~4:30 PMCheck in — Hotel AtariCheck-in from 3:00 PM; Calle Mayor 18, in the Parte Vieja. Drop the bags before the first bar.booked
7:30 PMBar Néstor12:30 PM–3:00 PM, 7:30 PM–10:00 PMHighlight: the tortilla, only a couple made per service. Put your names on the list under the shutter ~6:30 PM; it sells out, and on race eve the Parte Vieja is packed, so get there early and expect every bar on the crawl to be full. This starts a pintxo crawl: a pintxo or two and a small drink at each bar, then move on; all three bars are within a 2-minute walk. Instagram reel (@broccoliraab)fav
8:30 PMBar Txepetxa12:00 PM–3:00 PM, 7:00 PM–11:00 PMHighlight: the anchovy pintxos on crisp bread, the house specialty; the txangurro (crab) too. James Blick Tapas 101fav
9:30 PMKBZÓN Txiki12:00 PM–11:30 PMHighlight: the bluefin tuna; also the burrata with clams, grilled razor clams and marinated duck. Instagram reel (@broccoliraab)fav
Sun. Nov. 8 San Sebastián · race day
10:00 AMBehobia–San Sebastián race20 km road race from Irun with up to 30,000 runners, finishing on the Alameda del Boulevard, a short walk from the hotel. Starts from 9:30 AM (wheelchairs) and 10:00 AM (runners), with a 2 h 35 min limit, so the finish area is busy until about 12:35 PM. Expect closed streets and packed bars and restaurants all day. A slow morning: watch the finish, or keep to Gros and the beaches.
7:30 PMGerald’s Bar1:00 PM–5:00 PM, 7:30 PM–1:00 AMHighlight: the beet and cucumber salad with apricot, then the big sharing plates. In Gros, across the river. Book ahead: race day fills the town. Instagram reel (@foodieholly)not booked
Mon. Nov. 9 Gaztelugatxe (Dragonstone) day · pintxo crawl
9:30 AMAvanza bus, Donostia → Bilbao IntermodalWeekdays every 30 min, hourly 10:00 AM–1:00 PM; last bus 10:00 PM from Donostia, 10:30 PM from Bilbao (Avanza booking system, Oct. 3, 2026)Earlier than the usual 10:00 AM start on purpose: later buses miss the 12:45 PM taxi-bus, leaving only the 2:45 PM one before the 5:00 PM last entry. Arrives 10:45 AM; €13.65, no reservation needed (unnumbered seats). The last bus that makes the 11:30 AM connection; the 10:00 AM arrives 11:15 AM, too tight.tentative
~10:50 AMMetro, San Mamés (at Intermodal) → Moyua2 stops, ~11 min (Rome2rio estimate).tentative
11:30 AMBizkaibus A3518, Bilbao (Moyua) → BakioWeekdays hourly at :30, 6:30 AM–9:30 PM€3.40. Passes Mungia at 11:50 AM; Bakio ~12:10 PM (estimate).tentative
12:45 PMBizkaibus A3524, Bakio → Gaztelu BegiWeekdays every 2 hours from 6:45 AM; no Sat. or holiday serviceRuns as an 8-seat taxi, €2.00. If it's full, the next is 2 hours later, so be at the stop early.tentative
~1:00 PMSan Juan de GaztelugatxeOpen; free (ticket only Sun. Nov. 1, 2026)241 steps, ~2 hours on site. No must for lunch here.fav
~3:30 PMA3524, Gaztelu Begi → BakioWeekdays every 2 hours from Bermeo, 7:15 AM–7:15 PMThe 3:15 PM from Bermeo; its Gaztelu Begi time is an estimate, so be at the stop early. 8-seat taxi; the next is 2 hours later.tentative
4:40 PMA3518, Bakio → Bilbao (Moyua)Weekdays hourly at :40, 7:40 AM–9:40 PM (plus 6:10, 6:40 and 7:10 AM)Passes Mungia at 5:00 PM; Moyua ~5:20 PM (estimate), then the metro back to San Mamés.tentative
6:00 PMAvanza bus, Bilbao → DonostiaWeekdays every 30 min, hourly 10:00 AM–1:00 PM; last bus 10:00 PM from Donostia, 10:30 PM from Bilbao (Avanza booking system, Oct. 3, 2026)Arrives 7:20 PM; buses every 30 minutes at this hour.tentative
8:00 PMBar Sport9:00 AM–11:00 PMHighlight: the grilled foie gras; also the crab-stuffed squid and the sea-urchin cream pintxo. This starts a pintxo crawl: a pintxo or two and a small drink at each bar, then move on; all three bars are within a 3-minute walk. James Blick San Sebastián food tourfav
9:00 PMLa Cepa11:00 AM–11:00 PMHighlight: the jamón; also the croquetas. Instagram reel (@madrid.explore)fav
10:00 PMKBTXIKI (by KBZÓN)12:00 PM–11:00 PMHighlight: the bluefin tuna with Idiazabal and ponzu; also the RAF tomato with Idiazabal. Closes 11:00 PM. Instagram reel (@broccoliraab)fav
Tue. Nov. 10 San Sebastián
10:00 AMBar Antonio9:00 AM–11:00 PMHighlight: the tortilla with caramelized onion and peppers; the house-cured anchovies too. Breakfast. James Blickfav
1:00 PMMaun1:00 PM–3:00 PMHighlight: the txuleta (steak); also the Basque cheesecake and grilled green peppers. Grill bar in Mercado San Martín (stall C8). Book by form or WhatsApp (+34 722 76 17 05). Instagram reel (@broccoliraab)not booked
6:30 PMCasa Vallés11:30 AM–4:00 PM, 6:30 PM–10:00 PMHighlight: the gilda, invented here; have at least two. The kitchen reopens at 6:30 PM. Instagram reel (@topjaw)fav
7:30 PMLa Cuchara de San Telmo7:30 PM–11:00 PMHighlight: the kokotxas (hake cheeks), cooked to order; also suckling pig, pork cheek and octopus. Dinner opens 7:30 PM; be there at opening, it fills fast. Instagram reel (@broccoliraab)fav
8:30 PMGanbara12:30 PM–3:30 PM, 7:00 PM–10:30 PMHighlight: the wild mushrooms with raw egg yolk, the house signature. Instagram reel (@madrid.explore)fav
Wed. Nov. 11 San Sebastián (free day · general strike)
Free dayA 24-hour general strike is called across Spain, the Basque Country included, so some bars and restaurants may be closed and buses reduced. Keep it loose: the beaches, Monte Urgull, and whatever is open. Under the conservative hours, Bar Sport and La Cepa are closed Wednesdays anyway.tentative
Thu. Nov. 12 San Sebastián → Valencia
~10:30 AMCheck out — Hotel AtariLast morning in the Parte Vieja. Checkout by 12:00 PM.booked
11:00 AMBus, Donostia → Bilbao airportHourly on the hour from Donostia, 5:00 AM–9:00 PMDirect bus (Lurraldebus/Avanza line DO04), €13.65; 75 min to the airport, 80 min from it (official timetable, Oct. 2026). The 11:00 AM bus gets to the airport ~12:15 PM, a comfortable 2 hours before the flight; the 12:00 PM is the backup.tentative
2:35 PMVueling VY1716, Bilbao → ValènciaLands 3:45 PM; the day continues on the Valencia page. One checked bag and one overhead bag (10 kg, 55 × 40 × 20 cm) each, plus an under-seat bag (40 × 30 × 20 cm). Check-in desks close 40 min before departure. If it’s cancelled: Volotea at 4:20 PM, same afternoon.booked

Legend

A ? marker is an idea; a check marker is a booked sight or food stop.