San Sebastian

[MarcyLondon]

Will be docking here on Vista June 2025. Wondering if there are normally shuttles into the centre of town or is it walkable?

Marcia

[alserrod]

Hello

 

City centre is very walkable

 

San Sebastian and surroundings is known to have, by far, the best luxirious restaurants in Spain

 

It is enough to look for 3 and 2 Michelin stars restaurants in Spain

[Hlitner]

We once spent a few nights in San Sebastian and really enjoyed the evening/night life with decent tapas and restaurants :).  But, the most fascinating part of our visit was watching the locals come to the beach, directly from work.  One particular lady walked onto the beach, wearing a very stylish business suit and carrying her heels.  She found a spot (near us) and pulled out a large fabric bag which she put over her head (there was a hole for her head).  The bag was full length.  She then changed into her swimsuit (under the bag) and within 1 minute was ready to lie on the beach 🙂  You have to love a city with that kind of atmosphere.

 

Hank

[Milhouse]

Do know where the Vista will be docking?  I know there's a small harbour/marina right by the old town but wouldn't think it would be able to support a cruise ship. 

We were in San Sebastian for a few days in 2019 and agree that most of the town and vicinity is very walkable though.  We stayed just outside of the old town and walked in.  Fairly flat (apart from Monte Urgull that overlooks the old town) and pedestrian friendly including neighbourhoods beyond. Reasonable bus system too.

[Harters]

On 3/29/2024 at 10:11 PM, Milhouse said:

Do know where the Vista will be docking? 

Looking at Oceania's website, it looks like we're tendering. If that's wrong, then the port is about 6km away from the city centre. 

[Harters]

Assuming this cruise is tendering at San Sebastian, does anyone know where the tender boats come ashore?

[alserrod]

5 hours ago, Harters said:

Assuming this cruise is tendering at San Sebastian, does anyone know where the tender boats come ashore?

 

 

Hi, I am not sure because few few cruises call at San Sebastian (most of them just call at Bilbao)

 

But I guess you will call at Pasajes/Pasaia port. It is located 6 km away from San Sebastian centre

 

Language issue:

In Basque, Pasaia & Donostia

In Spanish, Pasajes & San Sebastian

 

write both names and do not get crazy. Surely you will read Pasaia only (but I come to see Pasajes in Google Maps). They are similar

Donostia and San Sebastian aren't similar at all and.... they are the same city

 

There aren't one but TWO suburbans systems absolutely in front of Pasajes port

- The closest to the port, it is the Iberian gauge (it is the main Madrid - France via San Sebastian line and used there for suburban too). One train every hour and it takes 13 minutes to San Sebastian centre

- The other one (just 80 metres away first one) is a metric gauge railway. One train every 30 minutes, it also takes 13 minutes to the centre

 

 

For going to San Sebastian it doesn't matter which line you will use. First one call in main San Sebastian station. Second one call in "Amara". But you can look timetables and take the first one.

 

 

 

 

[Harters]

54 minutes ago, alserrod said:

But I guess you will call at Pasajes/Pasaia port. It is located 6 km away from San Sebastian centre

That doesnt seem likely.

 

If the ship was going to the port  then surely it would dock there, rather than tendering. 

[alserrod]

On 5/12/2024 at 12:18 AM, Harters said:

That doesnt seem likely.

 

If the ship was going to the port  then surely it would dock there, rather than tendering. 

 

 

Hi,  I have found these two news

 

In the picture of this news, tender arrives surely to the very small port of San Sebastian, northern side of La concha beach.

https://www.noticiasdegipuzkoa.eus/donostia/2023/10/11/lujoso-crucero-world-traveller-fondea-san-sebastian-bahia-concha-7371607.html

 

In the picture of this news, cruise with 400 passengers arrive to Pasajes Port

https://www.diariovasco.com/oarsoaldea/pasaia/crucero-polar-fridtjof-nansen-escala-pasaia-20240426075752-nt.html

 

[Harters]

Thanks. The first link is particularly helpful - seeing a ship in the bay. As you say, the tender point must be the small marina/port at the northern end. I can plan my walk round the "old town" from there.

 

 

Edited May 13 by Harters

[alserrod]

Give you a whim.... eating in San Sebastian.

 

The city is known to have the best cuisine in Spain.

Just as an example, there are 13 restaurants with 3-stars Michelin.

Four of those 13 are in San Sebastian.

Other restaurants aren't bad at all.

 

enjoy

[Harters]

2 hours ago, alserrod said:

The city is known to have the best cuisine in Spain.

Absolutely. A leisurely MIchelin starred lunch may be a possibility but I think it may cut into our sightseeing time a bit too much. More likely we'll look to sample pintxos in a couple of bars and leave a fuller food experience for a long weekend trip. 

[alserrod]

For Spaniards, San Sebastian restaurants are destination indeed when visiting the city. Obviously there are cheaper restaurants than those 3-stars... but San Sebastian is known after its food.

 

If you go on pintxos, I would search for most recommendated ones too... You will enjoy

[Harters]

2 hours ago, alserrod said:

I would search for most recommendated ones too

I've seen a couple of websites discussing recommendations. My plan is to  work out our sight-seeing  walk and then see which recommended ones are near the walk, so we can combine being tourists and being eaters.