San Sebastián has three city beaches and an island, all within walking distance of the centre: La Concha for the classic calm-water swim, Ondarreta for families, Zurriola for surfing, and Santa Clara, the island in the middle of the bay, for a short boat trip and a tiny beach of its own. Pick by what you want to do in the water, and check the tide before you go.
La Concha
The city's famous shell-shaped beach curves for well over a kilometre along the bay, in front of the promenade with its white railings. The island and the two hills, Urgull and Igueldo, shelter it from the open sea, so the water is usually calm and good for a proper swim, even outside summer when local year-round swimmers are out in the mornings. Two things to know:
- The tide changes everything. At high tide the sand shrinks to a narrow strip; at low tide it is wide and flat. Tide tables are linked from the official tourism page.
- Assisted bathing. In high season La Concha has an assisted bathing service for people with reduced mobility, with specialist monitors, all-terrain chairs and amphibious crutches, according to the city council's 2026 season announcement (linked below).
Ondarreta
Ondarreta continues west from La Concha past the rocky outcrop below Miramar Palace, at the foot of Monte Igueldo. It is a little over half a kilometre long, faces the same sheltered bay and has a family feel: the tourism office highlights the children's playground on the sand, canoe hire and space for ball games, and in season there are kiosks. At its far end, a short walk along the rocks brings you to the Peine del Viento, Eduardo Chillida's iron sculptures set into the cliff, and the funicular up Igueldo is close by.
Zurriola
Across the river in the Gros district, Zurriola faces the open Bay of Biscay, so it gets waves: this is the surf beach, busy with surf schools and board hire all year. It has a younger, livelier feel and the Kursaal building at one end. Swimming here is a different experience from La Concha: currents and waves can be strong, so stay between the flags, follow lifeguard instructions and keep out of the zones marked for surfers. In late July some Jazzaldia concerts are held on the beach: see our events guide.
Santa Clara island
The island in the middle of the bay has walking paths, an old lighthouse at the top and a small beach that shows at low tide. The council runs a bar and public toilets there from mid-June to the end of September. Boats leave from the port at the old town end of La Concha, run by Motoras de la Isla: from June to September a direct shuttle crosses roughly every half hour during the day, and a longer bay cruise also stops at the island; outside summer there are far fewer boats, and all sailings depend on the sea. Prices change, so check them before you go. Strong swimmers sometimes swim out from La Concha, but it is open water used by boats: do not try it alone or without experience. Check timetables and fares on the Motoras de la Isla site.
Lifeguards and the 2026 beach rules
According to the city council's 2026 announcement, the beach season runs from 1 June to 30 September. Lifeguards cover La Concha, Ondarreta and Zurriola from 1 June and Santa Clara from 15 June, all until 30 September, from 10:30 to 19:30 in the shoulder weeks and 10:00 to 20:00 between 15 June and 15 September. Outside those dates and hours there is no lifeguard cover, so be careful, especially at Zurriola.
A new beach bylaw from 2026 bans smoking on the sand and playing music through speakers (headphones are fine), with fines of 100 to 750 euros. Awnings, tents, sunshades and hire chairs are set up from 15 June. These rules may change, so check the council's site before your trip.
Practical tips
- Go early in July and August. La Concha fills by midday on hot weekends; Ondarreta and Zurriola are often a little roomier.
- Have a plan B for rain. Northern Spain's weather turns quickly, so a beach morning can become a museum afternoon.
- Eat after the beach. The old town is steps from La Concha: see our San Sebastián pintxo route and where to eat in San Sebastián.
- Coming from Bilbao or France? See getting to San Sebastián and our San Sebastián travel guide.
Staying connected
Tide tables, the island boat times, surf forecasts and a quick weather check all live on your phone, and you will want maps to get between the beaches and the old town. A data eSIM for Spain gives you local data from the moment you land, installed before you travel, and you keep your own SIM in the phone. See how to install it.