San Sebastián, Spain
San Sebastián old town: a guide to the Parte Vieja
PicoloBetween the Urumea river, the harbour and the green slopes of Monte Urgull lies San Sebastián’s old town, the Parte Vieja. This is where the city began, and where it still lives most intensely. The streets are narrow and straight, the houses tall with wrought-iron balconies, and almost every door opens onto a bar with pintxos lined up along the counter.
The old town is small enough to walk through in ten minutes, yet big enough to spend days discovering. Here is what you should not miss.
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A city that rose from the ashes
Most of the old town was destroyed in a great fire in 1813, during the Napoleonic Wars. The city was rebuilt to a strict grid plan, which is why the streets are so straight and regular today. Only one street survived the fire: Calle 31 de Agosto, named after the date the city burned. It is home to some of the oldest houses and several of the best-known bars.
Plaza de la Constitución
The heart of the old town is Plaza de la Constitución, a rectangular square framed by houses with numbered balconies. The numbers are a reminder of the days when the square served as a bullring, and the balconies were spectator boxes. Today it is full of café tables, playing children and people taking a break between bars.
Santa María del Coro and San Vicente
At the end of Calle Mayor rises the facade of the Basilica of Santa María del Coro, an 18th-century baroque masterpiece facing the Buen Pastor cathedral at the other end of the street. On the other side of the old town stands San Vicente, the city’s oldest church, with its sober Gothic stonework.
The San Telmo Museum
In a former Dominican convent at the foot of Monte Urgull, the San Telmo Museum tells the story of Basque society. The combination of old cloister and modern extension is worth the visit alone, and it is a great place to understand why the Basques are so proud of their culture.
Pintxos on the counter in the old town. Photo: Picolo
The pintxos bars
No visit to the old town is complete without a pintxos crawl. The rule is simple: one pintxo and one drink per bar, then on to the next. Order the hot specialities from the board, made fresh while you wait. Read our guide to the best pintxos bars in San Sebastián, with a local guide leading the way.
Mercado de la Bretxa and the harbour
In the morning, the Mercado de la Bretxa is the place to see where the ingredients come from, with fish, cheese and vegetables from the Basque Country. Continue to the fishing harbour at the end of the old town, where small restaurants grill fresh fish right outside the door and fishing boats still moor.
Monte Urgull: the view over the old town
Behind the old town rises Monte Urgull, with paths through the woods up to the Castillo de la Mota fortress and the great statue of Christ at the top. The walk takes around half an hour, and from the summit you look straight down on the old town’s rooftops, the harbour and the whole of La Concha bay.
When to visit the old town
The old town is lively all year, but the mood is best in the evening, when the bars fill and the streets buzz with voices. The morning is perfect for the market, churches and museum, before the crowds arrive. On the Tamborrada, 20 January, the old town is the centre of the celebrations, with drums from midnight to midnight.
Where to stay in the old town
Stay in the Parte Vieja and everything is right outside your door. It can be lively until late, so ask for a courtyard room. For more calm, Centro by La Concha is just five minutes away. Read more in our guide to where to stay in San Sebastián, neighbourhood by neighbourhood.
Lasala Plaza Hotel: by the harbour
An elegant hotel by the old fishing harbour, with a roof terrace over the bay and the old town just around the corner.
Book your stay: See rooms at Lasala Plaza Hotel
Hotel Parma: by the river
A central hotel on the edge of the old town, close to both the pintxos bars and Zurriola beach.
Book your stay: See rooms at Hotel Parma
Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra: next to the old town
A classic hotel on the La Concha promenade, five minutes from the pintxos bars.
Book your stay: See rooms at Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra
Frequently asked questions about San Sebastián old town
What is the Parte Vieja?
The Parte Vieja is San Sebastián’s old town, between the Urumea river, the harbour and Monte Urgull. It is home to the city’s oldest churches, Plaza de la Constitución and most of the pintxos bars.
Why do the balconies on Plaza de la Constitución have numbers?
The square was once used as a bullring, and the numbered balconies served as spectator boxes.
Is the old town safe in the evening?
The old town is lively and busy in the evening. As in any crowded city centre, keep an eye on your valuables.
How much time do you need in the old town?
You can walk through it in ten minutes, but allow at least half a day for the market, churches and Monte Urgull, and an evening for the pintxos bars.