MUSEUMS
Aquarium
It may not be a typical museum, but San Sebastián’s Aquarium is one of its most popular sights, attracting 300,000 visitors per year. Located in the Old Town, it’s housed in a historic building, built in 1928. Explore its two floors to learn all about the city’s maritime heritage and native marine life, and don’t miss its huge tanks – one filled with species from the Bay of Biscay and the other with tropical life. There’s also a huge skeleton of a North Atlantic right whale.
Museo San Telmo
One of the best museums in the city, the Museo San Telmo, began life as The Historical, Artistic and Archaeological Museum and was inaugurated in 1902. Since then, it has moved several times and changed dramatically into a museum for the 21st century. Dedicated to Basque society and citizenship, it’s housed in an old convent from the mid-16th century, located at the bottom of Monte Urgull hill.
Museo Naval
Situated near the bottom of Monte Urgull hill, next to the Aquarium, the Museo Naval details the history of the Basque Country’s maritime history and heritage. It is split into various collections including shipping, maps and charts, underwater archaeological heritage and fishing.
Eureka! Zientzia Museoa
The city’s science museum, Eureka! Zientzia Museoa, is located in the Miramón technology park in a beautiful natural setting. Great for families, it’s an interactive museum where a hands-on approach to experiments is encouraged. It features attractions such as a planetarium, an astronomy observatory, a rollercoaster simulator and a mini botanical garden.
La Factoria Albaola
Known as ‘the Sea Factory of the Basques’, La Factoria Alboaola is essentially a boat-building factory, dedicated to historical boats. Visitors will be able to witness boat-building using traditional methods and tools, and even help in the construction themselves.
Casa de la Historia
Located on top of Monte Urgull stands the magnificent Castillo de La Mota castle. Climb to the top and you’ll find the excellent Casa de la Historia museum, detailing the history of the city of San Sebastián. Its collection is thoughtfully and creatively laid out, and features large cinema screens playing informative documentaries about the city.
Sagardoetxea
Sagardoetxea is the place for cider fans – the Basque cider museum is situated approximately 6km south of the centre of San Sebastián. Begin your tour in the apple orchard, where you’ll see the apples being grown and collected, then head inside to the modern museum, where interactive screens explain the fermentation process.
PARKS
Alderdi Eder gardens
These gardens stretching out in front of the Ayuntamiento and alongside the Concha Bay offer one of the most typical views of San Sebastián. They have a variety of floral layouts lined by the trees that identify most with the city, the tamarinds. Elegant palm trees complete the gardens, home to an enormous merry-go-round in Belle Epoque style, a huge favourite with young children.
Gipuzkoa square gardens
This romantic and charming green space resembles a small English wood right in the centre of the city. It was designed by the prestigious French gardener, Pierre Ducasse. Home to a large number and variety of trees, flowers and plants, it also has a pond where ducks and swans swim around to the delight of the youngest members of the family.
Miramar Gardens
With its privileged views of the Concha Bay, the Miramar park is a stop you mustn’t miss when walking round the coast in San Sebastián. Presided over by a spectacular mansion taking its inspiration from the English country houses – designed by Selden Wornum, a British man – the Miramar gardens tumble down gently towards the sea among gravel paths and flower beds.
Aiete Park
Noble and majestic. That’s the Aiete Park. Standing on the hills surrounding the city, the park is remarkable for its impressive gardens and, of course, for its mansion. The walls of the building witnessed the comings and goings of aristocrats including Queen Isabel II, Queen Victoria of England, Queen María Cristina and Alphonse XIII, all of whom chose the mansion as their place of summer residence. It has recently re-opened as a culture centre packed with creative activity.
Cristina Enea Park
Standing beside Tabakalera, very close to the Estación del Norte train station, with its 94,960 m² Cristina is the perfect place to switch off from the hustle and bustle of the city without leaving it.
Miramón Park
Standing in the district of Aiete, this park occupies an extensive valley floor to the south of the city. Given its size, it is also a park with a great variety of flora and fauna. It has an extensive network of paths, an amphitheatre with stone stairs and different leisure and picnic areas.
Ametzagaina Park
The most outstanding feature of this park sprawling over the hills between Otxoki Park on one side and the district of Loiola lies in the remains of an ancient fort from the 19th century Carlist Wars. Here you will find large leafy woodland and sprawling meadows, not to mention areas to take a walk in and play. Its 380,000 m² make this the biggest city park in San Sebastián.
Memorial Gardens
Next to the Iesu parish church by the architect Rafael Moneo, this park was opened to the public in 2010 as a space to keep alive the memory of all victims of violence, terrorism and war. A clear-cut testimony of solidarity by the city of San Sebastián towards all cities in the world to have suffered these situations past and present. A garden of white flowers, full of life, in which to meditate and reflect on the meaning of human rights, peace and freedom.
Puio park
This park on the hill of the same name is unfamiliar even to the locals of San Sebastián. Nevertheless, it is a privileged lookout point with magnificent views of the city (Amara, Centre, Old Town…) and the sea.
Artikutza Natural Park
Artikutza belongs to the municipality of Goizueta, in Navarre. It occupies an approximate surface area of 3,700 ha and has a perimeter of around 30 km. It borders with Oiartzun, Lesaka, Arantza Zubieta and Beintza-Labaien. It is surrounded by a mountain circus, the principal peaks of which are: Bianditz (841m), Izu (829m), Arainburu (1,054m), Loitzate (1,046m) and Altueta (654m).
MARKETS
The Brecha Market
Located in the Old Quarter of San Sebastian, is actually two markets. For this reason, it is called the Brecha and Pescaderia Markets (Mercados de la Brecha y Percaderia). The two markets are housed in historical buildings, with a space connecting the two.
This market once sold traditional local products, such as fresh farm produce, meat, fish, etc. Today, it has been renovated into a modern shopping and entertainment center, but you can still shop for local produce here. There are also souvenirs, handicrafts and collectors’ items for sale.
