10 Best Food Tours of San Sebastian

One of the best things to do in San Sebastian is a gastronomic tour. Among Donostia's greatest attractions is undoubtedly its Basque gastronomy, and on a tour you'll get a taste of that characteristic flavour. The best thing about the tours is that you can go directly to the best bars and restaurants while a local guide tells you secrets about the history and preparation of the typical dishes.

On these gastronomic tours you will also have the opportunity to get to know the streets of San Sebastian, especially those of the old town. You can stroll through its cobbled streets and enjoy the afternoon or evening, depending on the time you choose. In addition, some tours include a cooking class so you can prepare the famous pintxos when you return home.

Do you want to take a tour of San Sebastian and also taste the delicious food that is hidden in this city? Then I recommend this tour with lunch. You can get to know La Concha Beach and the old town of Donostia in a single five-hour tour for around 150 €.

The best thing about this tour is that your guide will take you to places where you will find culinary gems. At La Concha Beach, one of the best beaches in the Basque Country, you can visit a restaurant and do a little wine tasting. In this area your guide will tell you a lot about the culture and history of the city. Gradually you will get closer to the old town.

When you get to the Old Part of the city you will see a lot of restaurants. You are sure to go to one of these for a pintxo lunch. To accompany your dish you can order a glass of wine or cider, a traditional drink from the Basque Country. If you have any doubts about how to prepare it, don't hesitate to ask your guide, but he or she will probably tell you everything you need to know while you are eating.

At the end of this tour you can continue enjoying the city on a boat trip around San Sebastian. Some of these tours are cruises that include dinner or wine tasting, so take the opportunity to experience it for yourself!

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 150 €.
• Duration: around 5 hours.
• Means of transport: the tour is on foot.
• Advantages of this option: you can explore several parts of the city in one tour.
• Disadvantages of this option: some people find the walk from the beach to the old town too long.

Do you like to get to know the new flavours of the places you visit? Can you imagine learning how to prepare them? If you like that idea then I definitely recommend this gastronomic experience that includes a Basque pintxo cooking class. It has an average duration of four hours and an average cost of 100 €.

To start this plan you should meet your group and a local chef where you are told to meet. The class is usually small so you can ask as many questions as you like. The chef will start the class by showing you the most common ingredients of traditional Basque gastronomy. This way you will be able to take a gastronomic culture tour through the seven Basque provinces.

After the introduction you will be able to prepare six of the most iconic pintxos from the restaurants and bars of San Sebastian. As you prepare these dishes, the teacher and chef will tell you the secrets and tricks to cook like a Donostia chef. The ingredients you will use in these Basque tapas include pork, fish, various vegetables and dairy products.

At the end you will also be able to make a Basque cheesecake for dessert. Finally, you can decorate a table with all your creations and take a nice photo. After the photos feel free to taste all the food.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 100 €.
• Duration: about 4 hours.
• Means of transport: you will walk or take the means of transport of your choice to the restaurant.
• Advantages of this option: with this experience you can learn how to cook so that when you get home you can taste the flavour of San Sebastian again.
• Disadvantages of this option: you must work on your plate to be able to eat something tasty, if you don't like cooking, this is not an ideal plan for you.

Want to try the different types of pintxos to be found in San Sebastian? If you're looking for something to do at night and want to try this typical dish, I recommend this tour. For around three hours and for approximately 100 € you can visit different breweries and restaurants with a local guide who will tell you interesting facts about the places and the food.

In the old town of San Sebastian there are different places that you will love to visit. The tour is easy to do on foot. It usually starts at Cervecerías La Mejillonera, a lively, nautical-themed place where you can accompany your pintxos with craft beers.

To try Iberian ham your guide should take you to a shop like Zapore Jai. This is a magical spot where you can sample Basque gourmet products. After a few minutes there, you can go to the main square of the old town to visit other bars in this area.

Among them are Bar Txepetxa, 148 Gastroleku and Gipuzkoa. Here you can try the best pintxos made with tender sirloin steak and other ingredients. Each dish is accompanied by a good glass of aged wine. Finally, you can try a typical San Sebastian dessert.

Interesting details

• Price: around 100 €.
• Duration: approximately 3 hours.
• Means of transport: walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: it is a fun opportunity to eat something different and at the same time get to know San Sebastian by night.
• Disadvantages of this option: for some people a night-time gastronomic tour can be very taxing on their digestive system, so you'd better be cautious.

For anyone interested in buying some Basque produce to take home, this is the ideal plan. La Bretxa Market is almost an obligatory stop in San Sebastian. On this three-hour tour you can stroll around the market and then take a tour of several restaurants to sample some of the best pintxos in Donostia.

After meeting your guide you can head to the Bretxa Market. There you will see products such as olive oil, vegetables, fish and charcuterie products. Your guide will direct you to a special shop where you can do a little gourmet tasting before going on to the main courses. This tour will gradually get more interesting!

After leaving the market you can visit the Old Part of San Sebastian. There you will visit at least a few restaurants where you can eat pintxos and accompany them with a local wine or cider. Your guide will tell you curiosities and stories about these drinks and food, and then you can stroll through the streets of this side of the city.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 100 ¤.
• Duration: about 3 hours.
• Means of transport: walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: with this tour you will be able to visit a local market and find products that you can take home.
• Disadvantages of this option: you should consider bringing extra money for any purchases you wish to make at the market.

Fancy getting to know the sweeter side of San Sebastian? If you've already tried the typical pintxos I think it's time for a dessert and this is the best option. On this four-hour tour you will visit several cafés, patisseries and shops in the city to taste the best sweets in Donostia.

After meeting your guide, you'll start touring at least seven speciality shops. You will taste freshly brewed coffee, candies made in the French Basque Country, traditional Basque cake, chocolates, churros and even cider house desserts. Get ready for an adventure of flavours and desserts!

Among the places you will visit you will probably find one of the best bakeries in town. One of them is Galparsoro Okindegia Bakery where you will find a wide variety of delicious breads. For sweets and desserts your guide will take you to other iconic places in the city.

In total there will be about 10 food tastings. At each stop you will be able to drink wine or water to accompany your meal. Please note that the tour is on foot, so your guide will be able to tell you facts about the city and the locals. When the tour is over you can continue exploring San Sebastian on a tourist bus.

Interesting details

• Price: approximately 100 €.
• Duration: about 4 hours.
• Means of transport: walking tour.
• Advantages of this option: you will be able to try something different from the typical pintxos for which this city is best known.
• Disadvantages of this option: if you can't eat gluten or sugar it is best to avoid this type of gastronomic tour.

Traveller Tip
If you decide to go on a dessert tour I recommend you have had breakfast or lunch beforehand as most of the tastings have a lot of sugar.

A trip to San Sebastian is not complete without a gastronomic tour. For this plan you should bear in mind that the main food you will taste will be pintxos. These dishes are always prepared with seafood, chicken, beef or pork. Some people are allergic to these foods or simply cannot eat them due to dietary restrictions. Keep this in mind before going on a tour.

In case you can eat pintxos without any problems then you have nothing to worry about. Just keep in mind that you should go on an empty stomach to be able to eat everything the bars and restaurants have to offer. If you are going to eat dessert, wait at least three hours after your first meal of the day.

On the other hand, when you go out for tapas in San Sebastian you will notice something different in the bars. In many of them the pintxos are already served at the bar, but as you go on a guided tour you will most likely be served hot pintxos. If you go on your own, ask the waiter for your favourite pintxos from the menu with a glass of wine or cider.

If you are travelling as a couple, a gastronomic dinner tour is an ideal plan as San Sebastian is considered one of the most romantic cities in the world. Make the most of your time in Donostia and enjoy its landscapes and cosy atmosphere. I recommend you to choose small group tours if you want something quieter and more personal.

If you do a gastronomic tour in San Sebastian on your own, I recommend that you do a bit of research so that you can find restaurants with good prices and excellent quality. Some people who travel to the city don't manage to get the best bar, as they don't plan their visits ahead of time. Because of this they may go to the least recommended places and have a bad time.

I personally recommend gastronomic tours because you will always be accompanied by a local guide. This person knows all the restaurants in the city and will be able to take you to the best ones. Also, with a gastronomic tour you get to taste more than one dish. On the other hand, if you go on your own, this is more complicated and more expensive.

Moreover, gastronomic tours offer much more than just tasting different dishes. With this tour you can discover new or hidden places that you as a tourist might overlook. Also, on the tours the guide will always tell you about the history of the city or teach you something new and you can even learn how to cook.