Surfing in San Sebastian/Donostia

San Sebastian is a great place to go to relax on the beach, eat amazing food, and perhaps see a few sights, but no major museums or whatnot here. It does get extremely crowded in the summer, but if you like to party, the bars and clubs can't be beat. The Parte Viejo - old town has a LOT of bars per square foot - mainly yummy tapas bars with some blaring music. The restaurants are amazing - come prepared to EAT! The surfing - while not world-class - is quite good and the water is not too chilly in the summer. Board rentals are plentiful, and it's also a great beach for beginners.

Quick Tips:

If you want to get away from it all and be on a quiet, deserted beach, don't come here in the summer. If you want to play in the surf and sand, and go dancing or drinking till dawn, and then this is the place for you! For surfing, go to Playa Zurriola, a quick 15-minute walk from the main beach, rent a board right on the beach. They'll even hold your bag for you, or you can lock them up in the convenient nearby lockers and showers on the beach.

Best Way To Get Around:

The buses are regular and reliable - all the tourists take them. Taxis readily available, too.

Hotel Niza is a small hotel right on the beach, with single rooms available for only 59 Euros and other rooms for about 100 Euros, in high season. This is in a great old building with chandeliers, old-school glass-door elevator, and a helpful, friendly staff. There's a great moderately priced restaurant on-site with typical Basque fair, and an Italian restaurant next door. Did I mention it's right on the beach? Playa la Concha, and some rooms have views.

Went surfing at Playa de la Zurriola, a fun beach break. It closes out a bit and it is a little crowded, but the water was pretty warm and there were plenty of peaks to go around. A good wave for beginners—lots of whitewater. Need a shorty wetsuit. Locals were not too bad and they didn't get too much stinkeye. Pukas has a stand right on the beach where you can rent mostly mini-mals, a few shortboards, and bodyboards and fins. About €15 for 2 hours for rentals. They do lessons too.

A great Irish pub (with no Irish people working there astonishingly enough) near Playa de la Concha. This is THE place to watch football (soccer to us yanks)—they have a pull down big screen TV and I watched the World Cup final here with a bunch of other foreigners and Spaniards alike. And yes, they do have Guinness.

A beautiful church seemingly carved from the cliff almost, it is in the Parte Vieja and is impossible to miss on your way to the tapas bars.