San Sebastian (also known as Donostia in the local Basque language) is one of Northern Spain’s best destinations. With exceptional natural beauty, a reputation for its incredible cuisine from pintxos to Michelin-star restaurants, and picturesque architecture, it's not hard to find views worth admiring.

From beachfront promenades to the iconic mountains that shape San Sebastian’s skyline, there are plenty of opportunities to see the city from every angle. Outdoor enthusiasts will love catching the best views in San Sebastian from forested summits, while sunset admirers can catch spectacular sights right from the sea front.

Whether you want to see the city from up high or spectate by the shoreline, this is my list of the best views in San Sebastian.

Monte Igueldo

Sweeping panoramic views across the Bay of Biscay are best admired from Monte Igueldo. Beyond the golden sands of La Concha and the lofty spire of the Good Shepherd of San Sebastian Cathedral, the verdant Sierra Madre mountains give way to lush vineyards. There’s a reason it is one of the top things to do in San Sebastian.

Rising 181 metres above the town below, Monte Igueldo is arguably the best view in San Sebastian. Upon reaching the summit, you can expect spectacular sights across Gipuzkoan coastline and the stretches of Cantabrian Sea that kiss it.

This is the highest viewpoint in San Sebastian and reaching the top is quick and easy with a ride on the traditional wooden cog railway. Opened in 1912, it is the oldest funicular in Basque Country and transports visitors to the top of the mountain on the western end of the bay.

The funicular is open from 11am-8pm weekdays and 10:30am-9pm on weekends. Return adult tickets cost €4.50 and trains run every 15 minutes.

Monte Urgull

San Sebastian has three mountains, and Monte Urgull is known as the ‘green lung’ that overlooks the Old Town on the eastern end of La Concha Bay. Home to Castillo de la Mota, the historic military fortress that defended the city from the 12th century, Monte Urgull also offers sensational views.

With winding paths through lush forested hillside, the climb to the top is worth it. As you close in on the top, there are several viewpoints where you can spy sea views, cityscapes, and the surrounding mountains.

The walk to Monte Urgull is considered easy to moderate depending on your fitness level, and the path is paved but there are steps in some places. For most, the walk to the top will take around 30-45 minutes.

There are several attractions on Monte Urgull including Mota Castle, a 40-foot statue of Jesus Christ which can be seen from all across the city, and a bar that offers the perfect spot for a sundowner.

Baluarte del Mirador

Technically located on Monte Urgull, Baluarte del Mirador overlooks the Gros neighbourhood and Zurriola Beach on the eastern side of San Sebastian. The viewpoint is part of the old fortress that was built on Monte Urgull and dates back to the 16th century.

The path to reach Baluarte del Mirador zigzags across the back of Monte Urgull through the forested pathway which is great to escape the midday sun. The walk takes around 10-15 minutes from the path entrance near Koruko Andre Mariaren Basilica or San Telmo Museum. Google Maps has a tendency to show you can take a very quick route by the seafront, but I wasn’t able to locate any way to enter from there, so suggest you head in from the back of the old town and follow the usual paths.

view of monte urgull in san sebastian with hydrangea bushes in the foreground

Miramar Palace

While the mountains at the ends of the bay in San Sebastian offer the most iconic views of the city and surrounding landscape, there are several views that don’t require summits to great heights.

Miramar Palace is a 19th-century residence commissioned by the Spanish Royal Family as it’s where Queen Maria Cristina of Austria spent summers, and it offers a prime location overlooking the bay and Santa Clara Island.

While the property is currently closed to the public, the ornamental gardens and green spaces are available to wander. My favourite view over San Sebastian from Miramar Palace is by the hydrangea bushes in the centre of the front garden. The rocky slope that the English country house-style palace is perched offers a great view of Ondarreta Beach where beachgoers play volleyball and soak up the sun.

La Concha Beach

Views don’t always require high places, sometimes it’s just the beauty and openness of spaces. La Concha Beach offers open views across the bay, where Monte Urgull towers over San Sebastian’s old town, and the lofty heights of Monte Igueldo soar above to the western end of the bay.

In between, Santa Clara Island is a rocky tree-filled outcrop where seabirds are the most common residents. Attractive at any time of the day, La Concha Beach is known to be one of the top-rated beaches in Europe thanks to its golden shores and idyllic bay views.

The wide promenade is a great place to walk the length of the beach, stop on one of the benches to people watch, or see out the last light of the day with a mesmerising sunset.

The great thing about most of the viewpoints in San Sebastian is they are free! Unlike most cities which rely on rooftops or towers to gain access to the best vistas, San Sebastian makes the most of its natural beauty and landscape.

You can easily cover all of these views in just two days in San Sebastian thanks to the city’s compact nature and walkable terrain.