The Best Free Tours in San Sebastián

We show you the best free tours in San Sebastian so that you can get to know the city with a specialised guide, take a train tour or go on a boat trip.

A visit to San Sebastian is sure to dazzle you. As a city where most attractions are concentrated within walking distance, it is easy to get around on foot.

Its mix of beach and gastronomy make it one of the main destinations in the Basque Country. La Concha beach and a pintxo route through the city centre are not to be missed during your visit to San Sebastian.

A good way to get to know the city is with these free tours of San Sebastian plus two others that can be done for less than 10 euros.

👉 Free Tours are trendy because it is a “cheap” way to get to know a place. It is an introduction to then continue touring on your own or go deeper in a paid tour. Why cheap and not free? Because FREE is actually a word with a double meaning in English. Yes, on the one hand its translation is “free of charge”, but it is also related to “freedom”. That is to say, tours are at will and the amount you will pay will depend on whether you liked it a lot or a little, and the budget you are traveling with. It is recommended to leave a minimum of 5 € per person attending.

🔝 If you want to see more of the area, take a look at this ROAD TRIP through the BASQUE COUNTRY.

1. Free tours of San Sebastian: the essentials

With this free tour you will walk through the beautiful historic city centre and the main monuments, accompanied of course by a specialised guide who will explain the history to you. On the walk you will discover the streets where the bars are located for a pintxo route and emblematic buildings such as the City Hall. The tour lasts two and a half hours.

• Book your free tour of the historic city centre here.

2. Free tour of the Belle Époque

Since the end of the 19th century, San Sebastian has been a summer destination for kings, queens and the upper classes. With this free tour of the Belle Epoque you will visit the most emblematic places of that time, such as the hotel Maria Cristina, the La Perla seaside resort and admire beautiful neo-Gothic façades such as the Cathedral of the Buen Pastor. They will also tell you about the history of the famous railings of the La Concha beach.

• Book your free tour of the Belle Époque here.

3. Free tour of historical and mythological San Sebastian

A walk through the history and origins of the Basques, visiting the old part of the city, the port and the local gastronomy. They will tell you how the Basque language was born, the legends and customs surrounding the inhabitants of San Sebastian and even which are the best pintxo bars where the locals go to eat and drink.

• Book your free tour here to discover the history and mythology of the Basques in San Sebastian.

4. Tourist train through San Sebastian

Although it is not one of the so-called free tours, you can take a train around the main places to see in San Sebastian for less than 10 euros. Sitting in one of the carriages you will first see the bay of La Concha next to Mount Urgull and then go into the city centre and pass by the Buen Pastor Cathedral and the Victoria Eugenia Theatre, among others. The train has an audio guide that will explain each of the sites.

• Book the tourist train around San Sebastian here.
• If you have a bit more budget you can take the San Sebastian tourist bus with a longer tour of the city.

5. Catamaran ride to Santa Clara Island

A visit to San Sebastian should not miss the island of Santa Clara, located in the Bay of La Concha and one of the emblems of the city. Sailing on a glass-bottomed catamaran, you will see the city of San Sebastian from the sea and arrive at the island to spend some time there.

• Book your catamaran trip to Santa Clara Island here.

With these free tours in San Sebastian and the train and catamaran rides, you will get to know all the attractions of the city.