Hondarribia is a walled town on the French border, at the mouth of the Bidasoa river, about 20 km east of San Sebastián. It packs a hilltop old town with a castle, a fishermen's quarter full of pintxo bars, a beach, a mountain walk and a seven-minute boat ride to France into a very small space. San Sebastián's airport is right on its edge, so many visitors pass it without stopping; stop.
The walled old town
The upper town (Alde Zaharra) is still enclosed by its walls, and you enter through the Santa María gate. Inside are cobbled streets of stone houses with carved coats of arms and wooden balconies, often painted in bright colours. At the top, Plaza de Armas is fronted by the castle of Carlos V, a massive medieval fortress that is now a Parador hotel; ask at reception if you would like to see inside. The church of Santa María de la Asunción y del Manzano is nearby. The old town is the setting for the Alarde on 8 September, a historic parade of the town's companies in uniform; it is crowded and divides local opinion, so expect a busy town.
The Marina quarter and its pintxos
Below the walls, the old fishermen's quarter, La Marina, has narrow houses with green, blue and red window frames. Its main street, San Pedro kalea, is where people go for pintxos, and the bars here are some of the most praised in Gipuzkoa. Names that come up again and again in guides, and that are listed by the local tourist board, include:
- Gran Sol, on San Pedro, known for creative pintxos such as its Jaizkibel and Hondarribia, and a busy terrace; it is listed in the Michelin guide.
- Gastroteka Danontzat, on Denda kalea in the old town, a step away from the Marina, with traditional food with a modern touch in pintxo or larger portions.
The local tourist board, Hondarribia Irun Turismoa, keeps a guide to bars and restaurants in town. Opening days vary and some bars close one day a week, so check before you go. The rules are the same as in San Sebastián (see where to eat in San Sebastián): order at the bar, one or two per place, and move on.
The boat to Hendaye
From the jetty on Paseo Butrón, small passenger boats run by Jolaski cross the bay to Hendaye in France in about seven minutes, all year round. Departures are frequent, hours vary with the season and the service can stop in bad weather; check times and fares on the Jolaski site. Hendaye has a long sandy beach and a quieter, very French feel; it is also a good starting point for Biarritz.
Jaizkibel and the coastal walk
Behind the town rises Mount Jaizkibel, a long ridge over the sea. From the old town a path climbs to the sanctuary of Guadalupe and the fort beside it (around an hour), with views across to France. The full walk along the ridge or the coast from Hondarribia to Pasaia is a full day of about 22 km; the Paradores route describes it. From Pasai San Pedro you can catch a bus back to San Sebastián. Take water and good shoes: there is very little shade and few places to buy anything on the way. You can also drive the road along the top of Jaizkibel for the views.
The beach
Hondarribia beach, in the newer part of town at the river mouth, is wide and sheltered, with calm water that suits children. For waves, the open coast at Hendaye across the bay is livelier.
Getting there
- From San Sebastián: Lurraldebus buses link the city with Hondarribia (and the airport) in roughly 30 to 45 minutes depending on the line. Check routes and times at Lurraldebus.
- From the airport: San Sebastián airport (EAS) is on the edge of town, a short bus or taxi ride from the centre. Flights are mostly domestic; most UK and US visitors fly to Bilbao or Biarritz instead, see getting to San Sebastián.
- From France: take the train to Hendaye and then the boat across.
Staying connected
You will cross into France and back, check boat times and tides, and look up bars that open on different days, so having data on your phone is useful all day. A data eSIM for Spain gives you local data from arrival without removing your own SIM; check how much data you need and how to install it.