San Sebastián (Donostia in Basque) is one of the more popular visitor spots in Spain, with its attractive setting on the Bay of Biscay, three beaches, and surrounding mountains. This city of about 500,000 is the capital of Spain’s Gipuzkoa province and is situated 20 km from the French border. There’s an excellent variety of running in San Sebastián in a compact space, with an attractive seafront promenade, paths along the Urumea River, and some good hill climbs for those who want a challenge. For more, see our French Basque Coast guide.
The signature run in San Sebastián is the La Concha Promenade, which can be combined with the very runnable beaches. Nearby, there’s a series of paths along the Urumea River, showcasing six historic bridges. We’ve also put together a ‘runseeing’ tour of Old Town and Monte Urgull, while on the other side of the beach, you can get the heart rate up around Monte Igueldo. There’s also a series of parks skirting the Antiguo area that make for a decent run.
San Sebastián has a good climate for running, with warm summers and cool to mild winters — though it’s more overcast than many other locations in Spain.
