Our favourite pintxo bars are located in three neighbouring districts in the heart of San Sebastián, all within easy walking distance of each other. The compact Old Town or Parte Vieja is home to the highest concentration of bars, so many visitors focus their attentions here.
For a different experience, head away from the tourist crowd and rub shoulders with the locals in either Centro or Gros.
With so much choice, deciding where to go and what to eat can be a tricky business. Narrowing it down very much depends on how much time you’re spending in the city and therefore how many pintxo crawls you can fit in! If you’re staying for one day then you should definitely concentrate your efforts on the Old Town, and you probably won’t want to fill your boots with a massive steak from Bar Néstor.
Have a look through the list of our favourite bars and dishes and make notes on what tickles your tastebuds. Browse their websites, menus and social feeds too (although be aware that not all of the websites are kept up to date). Check out the locations on a map and see which ones make sense to do in the same session, taking their proximity and menus into account to ensure you get some variety and don’t overdose on prawns in four consecutive bars.
Don’t be too fixed on your list – remember to look at the specials that are available on the day. Have some reserves, just in case a bar is closed or a particular dish is no longer available. If there’s more than one pintxo you like the look of in the same bar, consider splitting these across different sessions – the atmosphere will be different at lunch time and dinner.
And if this all sounds too much like advance planning then of course just make it up as you go along! We really would recommend taking some notes with you though…