San Sebastián by camper van: where to sleep, what to see, and our pintxos in the rain

Let’s be honest for a second: San Sebastián, we rushed through it. One day, in rain that would keep a vanlifer indoors, before heading to Portugal for the winter. And yet… this Basque stop left us wanting to return (and not just for the pintxos). So if you’re planning your motorhome road trip in the area, here’s everything we saw, ate, and especially everything we would have liked to see if the sky had been a little less grumpy.

We show you the stop in video

Before diving into the details, here’s the San Sebastián sequence as we experienced it, taken from our very first crossing from Spain to Portugal.

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San Sebastián in a motorhome: our quick stop in the rain

It was late 2021, during our first descent to Portugal. We arrived from the French side, passed Hendaye, Irun, and there, in barely twenty kilometers… we felt we had changed countries. A narrow street in the old town, a simple church around a corner, and this atmosphere that has nothing to do with France. It’s old, it’s typical, it’s impressive, as we say back home.

Except it was pouring rain. Really. And finding a site with electricity in northern Spain is another story (we’ll get back to that shortly, because it’s a real issue in a van). So we did what we always do when the sky falls on our heads: we headed towards the sun. With a little pinch of regret, because we could see, between two downpours, that the Basque landscapes were quite alluring.

Where to park and sleep in a motorhome or van in San Sebastián

This is THE nerve of the war here. San Sebastián, or Donostia in Basque, is a dense city, wedged between the sea and hills, and it doesn’t really like large vehicles in its center. Good news: there are several designated areas and parking spots, we’ve marked them all on the map below (click on each marker for the address and our notes).

Our tips for sleeping in a van in San Sebastián without a headache:

• Campincar San Seb: the most mentioned site by motorhome users, in the northwest in the Igara district. Water, electricity, waste disposal, the complete combo about ten minutes from the center.
• Camperárea Donostia Arena: to the south, near the Illunbe arena. Closer to transport to dive into the city without moving the motorhome.
• Camping Igara de San Sebastián: the classic about 5 km away, open year-round, if you want the comfort of a real campsite (pitches and bungalows).
• wecamp San Sebastián: a bit further west, more nature, good value for a night or two.

For the day only, you can aim for a central parking lot like Buen Pastor (near the cathedral) or Txofre in the Gros district, just long enough to go for a walk. And the famous electric puzzle: throughout northern Spain, sites with charging stations are rare and solar power doesn’t yield much under a cloudy sky. Our advice from real charging warriors: arrive with your batteries full, you’ll thank yourself.

The Spanish Basque Country in a van: we really felt the border

What strikes you upon arrival is the immediate shift. In just a few kilometers from France, the language changes (Basque, Euskara, everywhere on the signs), the architecture changes, and even the way of eating changes. If you’re doing a road trip in the Spanish Basque Country, know that San Sebastián is often the first major stop after the border, before heading to Bilbao (about an hour to the west) and the rest of the Cantabrian coast.

That’s also why the city is a great base: you arrive, park the motorhome, and explore. The coast between San Sebastián and Bilbao, we still dream about it (we’ll tell you why a bit later, it has to do with dragons).

What to see in San Sebastián when you have two hours (or two days)

Even in express mode, the city reveals itself quickly because everything is compact around the bay. The heart is the Parte Vieja (Parte Zaharra), the old town at the foot of Mount Urgull: a maze of narrow streets, churches, and especially the headquarters of pintxos bars. That’s where we spent most of our short stop.

Right next to it opens the Playa de la Concha, this shell-shaped bay that has made the city famous (it’s nicknamed the pearl of the Cantabrian, and honestly, even under the gray skies, we understand why). For the postcard view, two hills face each other: Mount Urgull on the old town side, crowned by a large statue of the Sacred Heart, and Mount Igueldo to the west, with its retro funicular and its breathtaking view over the entire bay. We couldn’t go up, rain being the reason… but it’s noted for the return.

Eating in San Sebastián: our very first time with pintxos

If you were to remember just one thing to do here, it would be this. The pintxos are the Basque version of tapas: small bites placed on bread or skewered, lined up on the counters of the bars in the Parte Vieja. You point, you taste, you keep going, it’s a way of life as much as a meal. And for us, that evening, it was a big first.

On the menu of our improvised initiation: a pintxo with delicate peas, another with shrimp wrapped in dough (a funny shape, it looked like an ice cream), a trio of sun-dried tomatoes-cheese-nuts on bread, a potato tortilla as we like it, and above all a skewer of well-aged beef. On that one, Xavier was pleased: we weren’t dealing with industrial meat here, you could feel the farmer and the beef that took its time. The ham, on the other hand, was… well, let’s say we’ve had better (private joke). All for about 16 euros for two, and the memory of a truly good moment.

We’re not going to give you a false starred address that we haven’t tried: the name of our bar got lost in the mists of 2021. But know that the old town is full of them (Gandarias, Bodegón Alejandro, Sirimiri for the sure values), and for wealthy foodies, San Sebastián is home to some legendary tables like Arzak, three Michelin stars, one of the temples of modern Basque cuisine.

Around San Sebastián: the Basque coast and its Game of Thrones settings

That’s our real regret. We wanted to head up the coast to the west to see the Game of Thrones filming locations, and the weather canceled everything. Because yes, two iconic sets from the series are just nearby:

• Zumaia and Itzurun beach, about thirty kilometers away: its flysch cliffs, these layers of striped rock millions of years old, served as the beach for Dragonstone. The most accessible spot from San Sebastián.
• San Juan de Gaztelugatxe, a bit further (count a good hour to an hour and a half): the islet connected by a staircase of 241 steps, it’s the famous fortress of Dragonstone. The kind of place that justifies coming back in good weather.

We’ve marked them on the map above so you can plan your Basque coast itinerary better than we did. If the sky is with you, don’t make our mistake: take your time.

When to go to San Sebastián in a motorhome?

Our rainy experience is no coincidence: the Basque coast is green because it is watered, even in mid-season. The heart of summer (July-August) remains the safest in terms of weather, but it’s also the busiest and most expensive, with the famous Semana Grande in mid-August. Spring and early autumn offer a good compromise of light and tranquility, provided you accept a few good Basque showers.

In terms of budget, Spain remains gentle on the essentials: fuel and groceries are reasonable, a round of pintxos negotiates around 15 to 20 euros per person, and a night in a site or campsite ranges from free (tolerant parking) to about twenty euros for a fully equipped campsite. Enough to enjoy without breaking the bank.

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PS: we left under the rain with one certainty, the ham might have been better before, but San Sebastián is just waiting to be revisited in good weather. Next time, we’ll go up Mount Igueldo and say hello to the dragons of Gaztelugatxe. Promise.