Days that respect geography, energy, opening hours, crowd pressure, and the pleasure of not rushing.
ROUTING LOGIC
Times are suggested planning windows, including the travel buffers described below. Reorder whole days for museum closures, weather, and confirmed reservations. For a shorter visit, use the first day or first two days; extensions and alternatives are labeled.
01
Day 1
The essential bay and Old Town
Centro → La Concha → Parte Vieja → harbor
Breakfast at Antonio Bergara 3
Allow an hour; Bergara 3 opens 09:00 Monday–Saturday and is closed Sunday. Use the separately verified daily Antonio Boulevard branch at Mayor 1 on Sunday; confirm breakfast service.
La Concha orientation
Walk the central promenade for 75 minutes with bench stops; use pavement rather than sand for mobility needs.
San Telmo
Allow 2 hours after a 20-minute Old Town approach. If closed, move the Aquarium forward and keep the museum for another open day.
Ganbara lunch
Reserve or allow a queue buffer. Sunday/Monday rest-day contingency: reserve Antonio Boulevard at Mayor 1, whose operator advertises daily lunch/dinner; reconfirm kitchen service.
Harbor and rest
An easy 45-minute harbor walk followed by hotel time; skip exposed paths during sea warnings.
Tamboril and La Viña
Tuesday–Saturday: small savory order then shared dessert. Tamboril closes Sunday/Monday; Sunday substitute Antonio Boulevard savory food then La Viña if serving. Monday reserve Antonio Boulevard dinner: La Viña is closed and KATA 4 stops at 16:00.
02
Day 2
The western shore at a human pace
Centro → Miramar → Antiguo → Ondarreta
Breakfast at Antonio Boulevard
The operator lists this Mayor 1 branch open daily from 09:00. Allow 60–75 minutes to reach Miramar on foot with stops; use Dbus if distance is unsuitable.
Miramar exterior and gardens
A 45-minute pause; garden slopes need care. No palace interior opening is promised.
Monte Igueldo
Allow 2 hours including lower-station queues, subject to the date calendar. Low cloud or access difficulty: remain along Ondarreta.
La Cervecería del Antiguo lunch
Keep the whole west-side afternoon together; confirm kitchen service before starting the morning.
Peine del Viento
Allow 30 minutes from lunch area and an unhurried viewing stop; police barriers or rough seas mean a sheltered café instead.
Antonio restaurant dinner
Return by Dbus or taxi with a 45-minute buffer; Bergara 3 closes Sunday, so reserve the daily Antonio Boulevard branch then.
03
Day 3
Gros and contemporary Egia
Centro → Gros → Tabakalera → Cristina Enea
Antonio breakfast
Use Bergara 3 Monday–Saturday or Antonio Boulevard on Sunday, then cross the river; confirm morning food service.
Zurriola promenade
Watch the surf from the promenade for an hour. This is not a plan to swim in exposed surf.
Bergara lunch
Use the Gros branch and allow a relaxed meal; Urtxori Bi is the district alternative if serving.
Transfer to Tabakalera
Allow 30 minutes on foot from Gros plus a rest buffer; book a taxi for mobility needs.
Tabakalera exhibition
Check the particular exhibition opening, allowing 90 minutes. If galleries are closed, choose a listed film only with suitable language and tickets, or Cristina Enea in dry weather.
Urtxori Bi early food stop
Allow a 30-minute return to Gros and confirm kitchen opening. Wednesday rest day means reserve Antonio Bergara 3 instead; use Antonio Boulevard on Sunday if that branch is needed.
04
Day 4
Marine history and a selective final climb
Harbor → Parte Vieja → Urgull → Centro
Antonio Boulevard breakfast
Allow a full hour at Mayor 1, then 20–30 minutes toward the port; check actual food service. This avoids KATA 4 Sunday closure and its later Saturday opening.
Aquarium
Allow 2 hours. Tourism documents wheelchair access inside; ask the operator about the entrance approach and specific assistance.
Tamboril lunch
An easy Old Town stop with queue allowance Tuesday–Saturday. Sunday/Monday rest means reserve lunch at Antonio Boulevard instead.
Monte Urgull daylight walk
Only in suitable weather and with the ability to climb; allow 2 hours. Step-free alternative: level harbor and Old Town with café time.
Hotel rest and packing
Keep a buffer before dinner rather than gambling on a seasonal island boat.
Reserved KATA 4 farewell meal
Tuesday–Saturday only: seafood or another current choice, with seating and allergy arrangements. Sunday closure and Monday 16:00 close mean Antonio Boulevard dinner instead. A departure replaces the meal, not transfer time.
DO NOT BREAK THE RHYTHM
Four ways travelers exhaust San Sebastián.
Crossing town for every mealA good nearby table beats the famous reservation that breaks the day.
Stacking major institutionsTwo famous doors do not guarantee two meaningful visits.
Ignoring the hotel resetA real break protects the evening that mattered enough to reserve.
Treating travel time as emptyThe route, street, train, river, or view can be part of the city—not an inconvenience.