Autumn has fully arrived in Donostia — the air is crisp, the sea turns silver, and the city’s rhythm slows down. Shades of orange leaves decorate the city, cafés glow warm through the ¨siri miri¨ drizzle, and the smell of roasted chestnuts fills the afternoons.
With the summer crowds gone, we’re here to tell you: San Sebastián in November is pure magic. Not many people recommend travelling in the off-season, because some places might close, but honestly, it’s when you get to experience the real San Sebastian. Once you tick off your ¨must visit¨spots, here are our favourite plans to experience San Sebastian like a local — raincoat on, umbrella in hand, and off you go and pretend you actually live here.
📍 San Telmo Museoa, Old Town
🗓 Tue–Sun, 10:00–20:00
💶 €10 (free on Tuesdays)
Free on Tuesdays! And temporary art exhibitions that keep us coming every few months, San Telmo Museoa is a sanctuary of art and history — and the perfect refuge when the weather turns grey. The museum is inside what was once a Dominican convent from the 16th century. It’s dedicated to San Telmo, the patron saint of sailors and today, its blend of Gothic architecture and modern glass structures creates an atmosphere that represents Basque architecture.
Of course, this recommendation comes with a food stop: Zazpi restaurant. A delicious stop with a surprising tasting menu, or a great option for a pintxo stop, a sit-down lunch, or an afternoon drink! Ran by Paul Arrillaga, known for a modern take on traditional Basque cuisine and a sun from the Repsol guide, this restaurant is definitely worth a visit!
📍 Tabakalera
🗓 Tuesday to Sunday: 10:00 – 21:00
💶 Free Entrance
Once a huge tobacco factory — one of the city’s largest industrial landmarks and one of our favourite buildings— this space was transformed in 2015 into an artistic and cultural centre.
Its high ceilings and raw architecture still whisper stories of its working past, but now those same walls echo with exciting exhibitions, screenings, residencies, and creative studios. Whether you come for a film at Zinema Tabakalera, a photo exhibition, or a coffee in its central plaza, you’ll feel the pulse of modern Donostia here.
Tip: Don’t leave without going up to the rooftop terrace — you’ll get one of the best panoramic views of the city and less visited.
3. Chillida Leku in Autumn Light
📍 Hernani (15 min from city center)
🗓 Daily, 10:00–18:00
💶 €14
A short car or bus journey from the city, Chillida Leku feels like another world — quiet, earthy, timeless, and gorgeously green. Conceived by sculptor Eduardo Chillida, the museum itself is a work of art. The whole space represents his artistic dialogue of materials between steel, stone, and the Basque landscape.
It’s an open-air museum with monumental sculptures among beech, oak, and magnolia trees. It literally feels like a breath of fresh air. The union between art and nature is so natural you never get the feeling you’re in a musuem. Check out their monthly agenda for special events and temporary exhibitions.
During November, the light sculptures and autumn colours turn the park into a living painting which makes it the perfect backdrop to Lurra Café, where you can have a comforting lunch or breakfast after your walk.
4. Warm Corners for Rainy Days
Here are a few of our favourite hideaways when the clouds roll in:
- Kafe Botanika – green, lush, and full of life, ite feels like you’re in a garden.
- Taba Café (Tabakalera) – perfect for reading, people watching, and an artisanal pizza lunch.
- Simona Coffee – a great coffee fix, a great place to take your laptop if you need to work.
- Old Town Coffee Roasters – great breakfast spot and specialty coffee.
- Rompe Huevos – minimalist, new in the city, amazing coffees and egg dishes for breakfast and brunch.
- Somos Bakery – unless your hotel or Airbnb is in this neighbourhood, you might not go, and we’re here to tell you it’s worth the visit just for this café. We would eat everything on the menu on repeat. All day brunch.
Donostia’s cafés are made for savouring the moment and the cakes! 😉
5. Live like a local
We’re allergic to tourist traps. That’s why we created the kind of tours we’d actually want to join ourselves. For us, traveling is about diving into the local way of life, which includes going to the theatres, concerts, and exhibitions that we locals really go to.
This is the cultural agenda we use every month: KutxaKultur, which has all sorts of plans, from family-friendly to ideal solo traveller options. Art and music are universal languages, so we definitely recommend looking up the dates you plan to visit San Sebastian and see what’s happening in town.
Candlelight concerts: are worldwide concerts of orchestras paying homage to artists like The Beatles, Coldplay, and ABB,A and they have several concerts going in San Sebastian over the next few months. Actually, it’s worth saving this website as they have concerts all over the world in iconic landmarks.
Survival Tips for November Travelers
- Enjoy the city for yourself— go out in the morning before 9 am, and the city will be yours!
- Dress in layers, wear comfy water-repelling shoes, and embrace the rain — it’s part of the city’s charm.
- Try cold water swimming in La Concha beach with the regular crowd that’s there every morning! Or try a soft landing to this booking, a 2-hour Thalassotherapy circuit at La Perla spa, where you can pool hop through the different seawater pools with massaging jets and a jacuzzi. You can actually head out to the beach, get in the sea, and run back to jump back into the jacuzzi.
- Join a pintxos and wine tour and discover what all the fuss about the food here is about! Not going out for pintxos is like not coming to San Sebastian at all. Our food tours run rain or shine —if the rain stopped us from doing stuff, we’d never go out!
