San Sebastian in Spain’s Basque Country is one of the culinary capitals of the country. It’s home to an entirely unique cuisine and a different way of eating. That’s why it’s a perfect place to learn from a local tour guide to make the most of the experience. In this post we share our top recommended San Sebastian food tours.
Why Book A San Sebastian Food Tour
There is an order to what at first seems like chaos when it comes to eating pintxos in San Sebastian Spain. At first, it can be intimidating. There’s food laid out on the bar. There are often menus as well. It’s hard to decipher what is what.
Particularly on a weekend, the pintxos bars are packed. At least the good ones are. People are yelling orders at the bartender, in Spanish or the Basque language. The dishes are also much different than they are in the rest of Spain. Don’t expect paella and churros. Basque cuisine is just different.
It certainly is intimidating. By booking one of these recommended food tours, a local guide can turn you into a pintxo-eating pro in just a few hours. A food tour is easily one of the top things to do in San Sebastian.
Tapas vs. Pintxos
A note about nomenclature. In most parts of Spain you will be booking a tapas tour, but there is a reason why we are not making recommendations for traditional San Sebastian tapas tours. That’s because in Basque country, they are pintxos not tapas.
The first tip is to know your nomenclature. The Basque word pintxo translates to skewer. It refers traditionally to a small bite or two on a long wooden toothpick. Sometimes, the pintxo rests on a slice of bread. The word pintxo is pronounced pincho, which also happens to be the Spanish word for pintxo.
Pintxos can also be small plates, which look a little more like the tapas many people are more familiar with in the rest of Spain, and around the world. Whether actually on a skewer or on a plate, they are all referred to as pintxos in San Sebastian.
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Booking A San Sebastian Food Tour
We recommend two primary options for booking San Sebastian tours: Devour Tours And Viator.
We love Devour Tours and have been fans of theirs for years. Although we haven’t personally experienced every Devour Tour we’ve taken numerous tours in several Spanish cities, including San Sebastian.
Devour San Sebastian Tours
Devour takes their tours seriously. They vet their guides and ensure only experts with a true passion for food will end up leading a tour.
One of the best things about Devour Tours is that at the end of the tour you will receive a local guide with all of their favorite places to eat and drink in the city. Their goal is to help you learn how to eat in San Sebastian like a local.
Viator Tours
Viator is a TripAdvisor company. They offer tours and experiences around the world. We’ve booked many experiences through them in the past. We recommend a few tours that Devour doesn’t offer or at a different price point.
Book A Food Tour Early In Your Trip
Regardless of who you choose, we recommend booking a tour on your first day in San Sebastian so that you can make the most of what you learn during the rest of your stay. This is particularly important in San Sebastian because the way of eating out there is so unique.
Recommended Food Tours In San Sebastian
Ultimate San Sebastian Pintxos Tour With Wine
San Sebastian is easily the best culinary city in Spain and one of the best in the world. Join this two and a half hour daytime pintxos and wine tour to learn the secrets of why San Sebastian is Spain’s culinary capital.
Perfect for families and those looking to avoid the crowds, guests will visit five of the best pintxo and wine bars in San Sebastian historic city centre. Led by an English speaking guide, the group will learn what sets Basque cuisine apart from the rest of Spain. Guests will also learn inside tips on how to order pintxos and what makes a good pintxos bar.
During the tour, discover San Sebastian’s best pintxos bars, including some over 100 years old, while sampling mouth-watering pintxos like the famous jamon Iberico. In between delicious bites, guests will sample local Basque drinks including its famous apple cider and regional wines.
Why We Like This Tour
San Sebastian is one of our favorite food cities in Spain but planning your own pintxo crawl can be intimidating. This San Sebastian food tour helps to demystify the entire pintxos experience – during the day when the bars are less crowded!
Book This Food Tour Here.
Food Tour Details
The pricing for the tour and tasting begins at €89 per adult. This daytime tour is offered at 11:30am 12:00pm. The tour is also offered in the evening at 6:00pm and 6:30pm. Guests with dietary requirements are welcomed but asked to make note of this at the time of booking. Comfortable shoes are recommended and given the nature of pintxos bars, seating is limited or not available.
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Pintxos Like A Local: Centro Neighborhood Pintxo Tour In San Sebastian
San Sebastian’s Old Town is the epicenter of its pintxos culture. But throughout the city, amazing pintxos are waiting to be enjoyed.
During this three hour tour, guests will leave Old Town to explore a more local and quiet neighborhood and its pintxos. Visiting at least five different pintxos bars, some family run for generations, guests will see how the locals (Donostiarras) enjoy their regional specialities and amazing wines.
Your English speaking guide will provide insight into Basque cuisine and how to order like a local. Going from bar to bar, the small group will enjoy traditional pintxos, including the first ever created pintxos, as well as modern Basque haute cuisine. Guests will be served a different Spanish wine at each stop providing them with a mini wine education. Best of all, the group will visit the two-time Basque pintxos champion.
Why We Like This Tour
Although we love a good pintxos crawl in San Sebastian’s old quarter, just across the river is a whole other world of food goodness. We like that this tour gets away from the busy alleyways of the old quarter for a true eat like a local experience.
Book This Food Tour Here.
Food Tour Details
This is an evening tour that begins daily at 6:30pm. Pricing for the tour begins at €99 per adult. There is a fair amount of walking during the tour. Guests are encouraged to wear comfortable shoes and to note that there is no seating. Guests with dietary requirements are welcomed but asked to make note of this at the time of booking.
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Ultimate San Sebastian Pintxos And Wine Tour
Explore Spain’s ultimate food city during this two and a half hour daytime wine tasting and pintxos tour of San Sebastian. The small group of no more than 10 guests will visit five different hand picked pintxos bars. Sample amazing local specialities such as Iberian ham, grass fed beef, and the best cheesecake in Spain!
In between mouth-watering bites, your English speaking guide will talk about pintxos culture in San Sebastian. Learn the stories of the families operating many of San Sebastian’s pintxos bars for generations. In addition to delicious food, guests will enjoy four types of local wines and the famous Basque ciders.
Why We Like This Tour
This is a combination San Sebastian wine tour and pintxos tour, with a little Basque cider on the side. And, they visit our favorite cheesecake guy in San Sebastian! Seriously the best.
Book This Food Tour Here.
Food Tour Details
Pricing for this tour and tasting begins at €100. Because alcohol is served, guests must be 18 years of age or older. The tour is not wheelchair accessible and comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Any guests with dietary requirements should make note at the time of booking. The tour is not recommended for vegans.
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Cider House Guided Tour Cider Tasting and Traditional Menu Included
The Basque Country in northern Spain is world-renowned for the production of alcoholic cider. From January to April the doors of the cider houses are opened to the public to indulge a uniquely Basque experience.
During this half-day tour (4-5 hours) discover the Basque Country’s cider culture at one of the traditional cider houses with a tasting and tour. Explore nearby apple orchards to learn about how cider is produced. Visit a working cider house to see the massive chestnut storage tanks.
While at the cider house, guests will enjoy a traditional multi-course feast which includes locally grown and produced cured meats and cheese, salted-cod and mouth-watering grass fed steak. All washed down with unlimited cider.
Why We Like This Tour
Thi is a great option for travelers looking for half day trips from San Sebastian. Visiting a cider house during the winter season is one of the most unique things to do in San Sebastian. Just remember this tour only runs from January through April, when the cider houses have their open houses.
Book This Food Tour Here.
Food Tour Details
Pricing for the tour begins at €160 including roundtrip transportation from San Sebastian. The tour is not wheelchair accessible and not recommended for vegetarians or vegans.
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San Sebastián Private Food-Historical Tour And Meal At A Gastronomy Club
Go behind the scenes of one of San Sebastian’s famous and exclusive ‘Sociedad Gastrónomica.’ There are private cooking clubs and one of the most unique aspects of food culture in San Sebastian.
Led by your English speaking guide, first explore Old Town San Sebastian to learn about this historic neighborhood. Visit a local San Sebastian food market to savor the sights and smells of locally sourced fruits and vegetables.
After building up an appetite, it’s time to head over for your exclusive dining experience. Inside the private, men’s only cooking club (women are allowed on the tour) enjoy local wines and cider as your learn about Spain’s culinary capital.
Enjoy the aromas as a one of a kind traditional Basque meal is prepared for you and the group. Listen to traditional Basque songs after dining and feel a part of this cherished Basque culinary tradition.
Why We Like This Tour
The Basque gastronomy clubs are like a secret society and it is difficult to get a glimpse inside. This private tour takes you behind the curtain to reveal what it’s like inside one of these elusive clubs.
Book This Food Tour Here.
Food Tour Details
Pricing for the tour and dining experience begins at €240 including hotel pick up and drop off. Guests must be 18 years old. This is a private tour and only members of your group will participate.
Guests with dietary restrictions are welcomed. All efforts will be made to accommodate those restrictions but this is a traditional Basque dining experience.
Reserve Your Spot HereFAQs - Booking San Sebastian Food Tours
Spain is a tough country for people with dietary restrictions. Many food tours can make accommodations if you let them know ahead of time. We tried to include above whether the tours are vegetarian or vegan-friendly.
It’s really up to you. Day time tours in San Sebastian can be a little less crowded unless it is on the weekend. Evening tours, though, offer you the full pintxo bar crawl experience.
We always recommend to travelers to not think about the value of the food tour solely based on the food eaten and wine drank. Instead, remember the value of the experience, the expertise of the local guide, and what you learn during the experience. This is why many Spain food tours cost between €50-100.
Most of our recommended tours are San Sebastian walking tours, which will hop from pintxo bar to pintxo bar. It’s important to wear comfortable shoes and to plan for inclement weather. If it is raining be sure to bring an umbrella or a rain jacket.
